The BMW Open tennis tournament, which the Group organizes together with its subsidiary MMP, is one example of how this works in practice. The ATP 500 event was specifically designed as a marketing stage for Seven.One Media – complete with its own Sport Summit for sports-focused clients and agencies. The response confirmed a trend: dedicated sports platforms are becoming increasingly important for the advertising market, as many agencies and companies have now established their own sports units.

The reason lies in the power of shared experiences. In a fragmented market, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for advertisers to reach large audiences efficiently – and sports do exactly that: broadcasts reliably deliver high reach and are watched almost exclusively live. Added to this is a need that grows in turbulent times: sports offer escapism, clear rules, and the chance to switch off from everyday life and lose themselves in the action.

Freely Accessible Rather Than Behind a Paywall

To ensure this experience reaches as many people as possible, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group consistently focuses on ad-supported, freely accessible offerings – both on free-to-air TV and on the Joyn streaming service. While numerous competitions have disappeared behind paywalls in recent years, the company remains true to its commitment to making sports accessible without barriers. The reach figures prove that this approach pays off: For comparable Bundesliga matches, SAT.1 achieves an average net reach four to five times higher than its pay TV competitors.

The sports portfolio is deliberately broad. Soccer is naturally part of it, featuring Bundesliga matches and games by the U21 national team. Handball will become a major event with the 2027 World Championship on home soil – the rights are secured long-term through 2031. Added to this are newly acquired rights to all basketball World and European Championships, the Ice Hockey World Championships, the DTM, rugby, wrestling, tennis featuring the BMW Open, and – starting in 2027 – darts, including the World Darts Championship, the iconic event held at London’s legendary "Ally Pally."

For every rights deal, ProSiebenSat.1 asks the same questions: What reach is possible, which target audience is being addressed, how relevant is it in the advertising market – and can the Company’s platforms help the sport grow further? This approach serves two worlds at once. "Our goal is a portfolio that combines high-reach content with loyal communities," says Lennart Harendza, Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Director of the marketing unit Seven.One Media.

The breadth of these communities shows just how diverse they are: Handball generated a strong response in the advertising market following the announcement of the rights acquisition; darts has evolved from a niche sport to one with packed arenas and a highly passionate fan base; and wrestling and rugby appeal to specific, in some cases growing, target audiences. The DTM scores points for its accessibility – unlike in Formula 1, fans get up close to the drivers; most recently, the series has succeeded in specifically attracting younger and female audiences to the racetracks.

Sports are by no means just a man’s world anymore: in many disciplines, women have noticeably caught up in terms of performance, visibility, and media relevance. This development is directly reflected in the sports strategy. In handball and basketball, women’s competitions will be just as prominent as men’s – in basketball, the women will even kick things off with the 2026 Women’s World Championship in Berlin, before the men follow in 2027. This is also attractive for the advertising market: women’s sports tell powerful stories and combine performance with self-confidence – an environment that more and more brands are specifically seeking out. "At ProSiebenSat.1, female empowerment isn’t a short-term trend – it’s been part of our DNA for years," Harendza emphasizes.

When Sports and Entertainment Converge

The ProSiebenSat.1 Group’s particular strength lies in combining professional sports coverage with entertainment. The "ran" brand combines credible, expert sports coverage with emotionally engaging storytelling. American football demonstrated just how well this works: From its NFL broadcasts, the company developed its own distinctive tone, built recognizable characters, and made the sport accessible to a broad audience.

New formats also blend sports, entertainment, and brand communication – such as the Celebrity Padel World Cup, which aired live on ProSieben and Joyn and featured several brand partners. This creates platforms for advertisers beyond the traditional commercial: from sponsorship and product placement to content partnerships and deep integration.

The key is the "how": The sport isn’t interrupted arbitrarily – advertising takes place in a positive environment without disrupting the experience. Seven.One Media therefore develops customized, cross-media concepts for advertisers that combine TV, digital, social, and - where appropriate – audio components.

An Ecosystem Across All Platforms

At ProSiebenSat.1, sports don’t end with the final whistle. Most sports are broadcast linearly and streamed via Joyn, with individual disciplines featuring their own dedicated channels there. On social media, the company recently achieved more than one billion video views with sports content within a single year – supported by numerous YouTube channels and monetized through Studio71. Sports are also driving growth in the audio sector: Seven.One Audio markets seven of the ten largest sports podcasts in Germany. Added to this is the partnership with the sports platform Dyn, for which Seven.One Media handles reach marketing and which was recently extended by two years - including its own FAST channel on Joyn.

For the ProSiebenSat.1 Group, sports are thus far more than just a programming component. They engage not only the audience but also the advertising market: Many companies – including small and medium-sized businesses – already maintain relationships with specific sports, whether as shirt sponsors or regional partners. Combined with high-reach, brand-safe, and freely accessible environments, a natural connection is formed. With a broad portfolio and the consistent integration of all channels, the company aims to further expand this growth area.

For more information on the cross-platform sports entertainment ecosystem and its marketing opportunities, see the Seven.One Entertainment Group's sports portfolio.