NHL Tune-In
Strategy

The NHL needed to reverse declining national TV ratings by introducing a nimble, regionally targeted media strategy built for speed and flexibility. By blending premium video, programmatic display, and accelerated flighting, we delivered consistent and measurable ratings lift across the 2024–25 season.

Working within compressed timelines dictated by game schedules, we activated a DMA-first media engine that allowed rapid budget reallocation, overnight creative swaps, and real-time optimization — treating every game week as its own campaign sprint.

The result was a strategy that didn't just chase reach — it chased incremental lift, selecting markets where media had the highest probability of moving the ratings needle, then proving it with data.

Ratings Under Pressure

National TV ratings were declining year over year, particularly in markets with softening baseline interest. The NHL needed a way to drive incremental tune-in around nationally televised games while adapting in real time to unpredictable schedules, matchups, and playoff momentum.

The challenge wasn't awareness — it was activation. Getting fans in the right markets to tune in at the right moment required a media model that could move as fast as the sport itself.

DMA-First Media Engine

We launched an all-new, DMA-specific tune-in framework designed to move fast and scale impact:

• →Built a hybrid media approach combining mass reach with hyper-targeted, short-burst flights around game windows
• →Prioritized programmatic activation via The Trade Desk to enable rapid optimization, overnight creative swaps, and flexible budget shifts
• →Evolved strategy by season phase — starting with reach during the Regular Season and shifting to precision targeting and premium placements during the Playoffs
• →Used YoY viewership data to hand-select DMAs most likely to generate incremental lift