Disney Advertising rolls out an impressive record setting year of sponsorship integrations for the 2023 ESPN Fantasy Football season. First time entrants, Fireball Whisky, Popeyes, and Vivid Seats, join returning sponsors IBM, DraftKings, GEICO, Miller Lite, and SNICKERS® for another year of fantasy action. With fan engagement and demand reaching new heights this season, brands are eagerly tapping in to connect with the digital savvy sports fan, while creating unforgettable moments in the #1 most-played fantasy football game.
“The ESPN Fantasy Football game has witnessed an extraordinary surge in interest over the years, becoming an endemic part of the overall football experience for fans and brands alike,” said Amanda Bauer, Executive Director, Disney Advertising Sports Brand Solutions. “In leaning into the game’s immersive and unique product integrations – powered by Disney’s suite of premium content and technology – brands can continue connecting with a passionate and diverse audience of football fans.”
IBM is returning for its eighth consecutive year as an integral sponsor of the ESPN Fantasy Football game, with a variety of custom in-game features, including Trade Analyzer, Player Insights, and Waiver Grade. As a result, fans will also have access to cutting-edge player stats and billions of insights delivered right in-game, powered by watsonx, IBM’s AI and data platform.
Fireball Whisky takes center stage for the first time as it unveils Players on Fire, a weekly segment in Fantasy Football Now which highlights the hottest performing players, and Fantasy Flashback, which recaps a teams’ end-of-season results with a personalized in-app summary video.
Popeyes is introducing two new and never-before-seen product integrations. Popeyes Playoffs is a custom bracket page and postseason experience where players strive for the ultimate bragging rights, and FantasyCast Moments that deliver real-time touchdown alerts as players follow their teams’ scoring progress in real-time.
Vivid Seats will keep fantasy rosters in prime form whenever a lineup adjustment is needed, reminding fans to Fill The Seats and avoid starting an inactive player each week.
Miller Lite will keep the spirit of competition flowing as it toasts to another season of the ESPN Fantasy Football game, celebrating users’ wins weekly with confetti. SNICKERS® sweetens the deal again, returning for another season of Fantasy Trends, which contextualizes final standing projections throughout the course of the season.
Brands are seeing great success as momentum around the ESPN Fantasy Football game continues to build. According to the 2022 November Sports Fan Study, 88 percent of fans favor brands that sponsor the game, signifying opportunities for brands to enhance their visibility among players. Furthermore, fans are connecting with fantasy football ads significantly more, as 67 percent of fans are more interested in sponsored products after seeing them within the game.
More fans play ESPN Fantasy Football on a daily basis than any other competitor. In 2022, a record 11.2 million unique fans played ESPN Fantasy Football and created more than 18.5 million teams on both ESPN.com and the ESPN Fantasy App. Women are also showcasing their presence in the game, making up 2.7 million total users in 2022, representing a 135 percent increase from the previous year. Disney Advertising’s 2021 sports research initiative, Generation Stream: Sports Edition, underscores the growth of fantasy league in popularity, as sports fans are enjoying the comradery that extends beyond a traditional game day. With more access to sports through streaming, the games outside of the game are becoming central to why fans watch, bringing an additional layer to the fan experience.
About ESPN Fantasy
ESPN Fantasy is the No. 1 provider in fantasy sports with a comprehensive portfolio of award-winning games and content serving more than 20 million fantasy players across the web, mobile, audio, linear TV, and streaming video. Drawing on multiple resources and platforms, ESPN Fantasy continues to innovate, expand and reach new and younger audiences through all of its products.
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the No. 1 sports streaming platform, serving fans in the U.S. with exclusive access to more than 27,000 live sports events each year, an unmatched library of on-demand replays and acclaimed original content, and premium written articles by the top reporters and analysts from ESPN.com. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices).
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Media Contacts:
Bukola Oyalabu
Kristen Smith