Observed Signal · Jan 17, 2026 · Advertising / Media Spend · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Insurers Spend $634M on NFL, Skip Super Bowl Ads
Insurance companies spent more than $634 million across the 2025–26 NFL season, driving a notable rebound in TV advertising after prior cuts, according to iSpot data reported by The Measure. Insurers concentrated heavy budgets during regular season and postseason NFL games—delivering measured audience engagement lifts (about 30% year-over-year and 44% in postseason per EDO)—but intentionally avoided national Super Bowl ad buys. Nationwide redirected roughly 95% of its TV budget into the NFL after sitting out the prior season. State Farm pulled its planned Super Bowl spot amid California wildfires and broader exposure concerns, instead increasing sponsorships in women's sports. Insurers also led ad spending during the NFL Draft, even as sportsbook spending fell about 9% and streaming-only advertisers (e.g., on Amazon Prime Video) grew, per iSpot.
Large ad spend by a major advertiser category (insurance) reshapes seasonal media demand, affects TV inventory pricing and measurement signals, and signals strategic shifts in where brands allocate big budgets (regular-season NFL, Draft, streaming sponsorships) even while avoiding marquee inventory like the Super Bowl.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Insurance industry spent over $634 million on NFL ads during the 2025–26 season, per iSpot data.
- No insurer aired a national ad during the Super Bowl for the 2025–26 season.
- Nationwide allocated nearly 95% of its TV budget to the NFL after sitting out the previous season.
- Ad metrics firm EDO reported ~30% year-over-year audience engagement lift during NFL games, rising to 44% in the postseason.
- Insurers led ad spending during the NFL Draft; sportsbook spending declined by 9% while streaming-only advertisers grew (per iSpot).
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2026 NFL Ad Tracker: Best Early Season Commercials
ADWEEK's 2026 NFL Ad Tracker compiles the most notable early-season football commercials. The article highlights the NFL's continued dominance in TV upfronts, with advertisers securing inventory early, prices potentially reaching $10 million for Super Bowl ads, and overall ad revenue projected to hit $6.3 billion, up 8% year over year. According to EDO, the average regular-season NFL ad generates the same impact as 73 primetime TV ads, up 15% from last season. The piece serves as a running list of creative campaigns, emphasizing the high demand and effectiveness of NFL advertising.
NBCU Sells Out Super Bowl LX Ad Inventory
NBCUniversal sold out all ad inventory for Super Bowl LX five months before kickoff and has already sold roughly 90% of its regular-season NFL spots, producing its highest-grossing NFL season on record. Reports put the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl spot at about $7 million. Advertisers from CPG, entertainment, finance and alcohol categories drove sales while pharma and quick-service restaurants expanded spending; digital ad investments were reported to be about 20% higher than NBC’s last Super Bowl in 2022. The Super Bowl will anchor a busy 17-day February slate that includes the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game. NBCU has also secured a long-term deal to carry 100 regular-season NBA games annually, underscoring its strategy to prioritize live sports rights and premium linear inventory.
NFL Streaming Draws Millions, But Attention Lags Ratings
A new TVision report reveals a significant gap between NFL streaming audience reach and actual viewer attention. While Amazon's Lions-Bills game drew 18.6 million viewers and Netflix's 49ers-Rams matchup averaged 18.5 million, attention ratios across eight apps and networks ranged from 50% to 59%, averaging 53%. The report highlights that large audiences don't guarantee high attention, as seen in World Cup matches where smaller audiences ranked higher in attention. For example, in the Lions-Bills game, co-viewing fell from 1.6 to 1.4 in the second half while attention rose from 57% to 59%. Conversely, in the Vikings-Bears game, attention dropped after a key player left, despite stable co-viewing. TVision also found a 'halo effect' where ads first seen in NFL playoff games received higher attention in subsequent NFL programming. The findings suggest traditional ratings metrics may not fully capture viewer engagement as streaming becomes more prevalent in sports.
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