DraftKings

Adweek Names 2026 Media Plan of the Year Winners

Adweek published its 2026 Media Plan of the Year awards, recognizing media agencies and brand-side planners across 22 categories for campaigns that shifted cultural conversations and delivered measurable results. Winners highlighted creative, cross-channel executions — from Kleenex partnering with PHD UK and artist Mr Doodle to drive sales, to Humana and Spark Foundry building an AI-driven system in the Microsoft Bing ecosystem to boost Medicare enrollments. Campaigns included experiential activations (Oscar Mayer’s Wienie 500), social-first debunking (Unilever’s Vaseline Verified), streamer-driven public safety (Havas Play France and Sapeurs‑Pompiers de France), and inclusive cause marketing (GMF with Havas Play France). The feature lists performance metrics and outcomes for featured campaigns and agencies, illustrating diverse tactics across OOH, streaming, AI, social, experiential, and insight-led work.

ESPN App Adds Live NFL Network for Unlimited Subscribers

ESPN has added NFL Network streaming into the ESPN App for subscribers on the ESPN Unlimited plan, effective immediately, the company announced July 30, 2026. The integration brings dedicated NFL content — including 19 live NFL Network preseason games (subject to out-of-market restrictions), seven exclusive regular-season matchups (including five NFL International Series games in Paris, London and Madrid, and a Week 16 doubleheader), and more than 1,500 hours per year of NFL Network studio programming — into a single ESPN streaming destination. The move expands ESPN’s 2026 NFL portfolio, which already includes multiple Monday Night Football games, playoff matchups, and ESPN’s first Super Bowl broadcast (Super Bowl LXI on Feb 14, 2027). Bundled offers with Disney+ and Hulu and features like multiview and integrated DraftKings betting information are part of the ESPN Unlimited experience.

CW Sports Streaming Live on ESPN App Starting August 4

The CW Network and ESPN have agreed to stream CW Sports live on the ESPN App beginning Tuesday, August 4. More than 800 annual hours of CW Sports will continue to broadcast on The CW while also streaming on the ESPN App for viewers with an ESPN Unlimited subscription (available via TV/mobile providers or standalone). Launch programming includes a two-hour WWE NXT event and multiple NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races; CW Sports' slate also includes extensive college football coverage (140 hours) across the ACC, Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences. The CW remains the exclusive home for all 33 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races through the 2031 season, and various sports rights and distribution partnerships extend through 2030-31 for multiple conferences.