TripleLift has expanded its programmatic Pause Ad solution by adding free streaming platforms Xumo and Plex, making it easier for brands to scale non-interruptive CTV ads. Xumo&rsquo;s adoption of Pause Ads reflects a broader industry trend toward innovative ad formats that enhance viewer engagement without disrupting content.

TripleLift Expands Programmatic CTV Pause Ads with Xumo

Author: Jen Pittenger
Over the past few years, the live sports ecosystem has undergone a seismic shift. Streaming platforms, social media, and creator-driven content have transformed how fans engage&mdash;and how brands show up.
Xumo Advertising recently sat down with Joey Sciamarelli, VP, Sports at Publicis Sports to unpack the buyer&rsquo;s perspective on this evolution, the metrics that matter, and how major brands are adapting to a fragmented but creatively rich media landscape.
From the increase of new avenues to reach fans to holistic brand engagement beyond live games, here are four areas that stood out when it comes to the shifting landscape of live sports for brands and buyers:
Q: How has the live sports landscape changed from a buyer&rsquo;s perspective over the last two years?
Joey Sciamarelli: Live sports have always been an incredible way for brands to reach engaged viewers but as the content has fragmented across screens and platforms, now it&rsquo;s less about where fans are watching and more about where they&rsquo;re engaged. Traditional TV is still a big way fans watch, but now we&rsquo;re seeing streaming platforms like Xumo, social highlights, and even creator-driven content becoming central to the fan experience. Influencers are playing a bigger role, tying into campaigns in ways that feel authentic and energizing.
For brands, this surge in alternative channels brings out really interesting and unique ways to reach audiences. Today, many brands are shifting towards trying to deliver unduplicated incremental reach. The goal is to hit consumers at their passion points across multiple platforms&mdash;traditional TV, streaming, social, and experiential. It&rsquo;s about creating a holistic presence that meets fans wherever they are.
Q: Streaming platforms like Xumo have moved beyond the traditional 30-second ad. What ad formats or strategies do you feel are resonating now?
Joey: For our brands, we&rsquo;re leaning into interactive formats&mdash;polls, QR codes, L-bars. It&rsquo;s all about enhancing the viewing experience. For example, we&rsquo;ve run campaigns where fans watching college football can scan a QR code and instantly order a Coca-Cola product from Walmart. It&rsquo;s seamless and actionable, right from the couch.
No matter the delivery, relevance is key more than ever. We&rsquo;ve also tapped into influencer networks to feature alumni from college football or NASCAR stars holding a branded soda can. It&rsquo;s not just product placement&mdash;it&rsquo;s storytelling that connects with fans on a personal level.
Q: With premium games going exclusive to individual services, how do you maintain scale?
Joey: Live sports have become more fragmented than ever. It&rsquo;s no longer that fans tune into a few broadcast channels to catch their favorite team. There is content everywhere, all the time. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re focused on holistic strategies&mdash;partnering with streaming platforms, social media giants, and creator communities. Instead of chasing the sport, we show up where the fans already are.
With so many platforms, if we don&rsquo;t connect the dots across the ecosystem for our brands, we risk losing clarity and scale. The challenge is staying realistic and strategic in how we measure and activate across all these touchpoints.
Q: Are fans only watching live sports, or is there more to the story?
Joey: That&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s great about platforms like Xumo. Their FAST channels fill the gaps between live games with 24/7 sports content&mdash;NASCAR, college football highlights, top 10 countdowns. It keeps fans engaged and gives brands more opportunities to integrate and keep a consistent connection with audiences.
The evolution of live sports is meeting fans where they are
As the sports media landscape continues to evolve and move across platforms and channels, advertisers are pushing for innovation, relevance, and holistic engagement to drive connections with viewers. Whether it&rsquo;s during a live game, catching up on post-game highlights, or revisiting old games in the off-season, brands are looking for entertainment and streaming platforms that help them meet fans wherever and whenever they are watching.
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Over the past few years, the live sports ecosystem has undergone a seismic shift. Streaming platforms, social media, and creator-driven content have transformed how fans engage&mdash;and how brands show up.

How Live Events Delivery is Evolving: A Buyer’s POV on Live Sports on Streaming

By Jiro Egawa, SVP, Platform Growth and Monetization
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I had the pleasure of participating in the recent OTTx Summit panel &ldquo;The FAST and the Formidable&rdquo; alongside industry players from Fandango, Fremantle, Radial Entertainment and ViewNexa. It was a great opportunity to hear from peers across the industry and reflect on where we&rsquo;re headed. The conversation was expansive, but three themes stood out to me as especially important.
<h2 style="font-size: 24px;">Scale Is the Foundation</h2>
One thing we all agreed on is that scale matters. Whether you're a content provider, distributor, or advertiser, reaching audiences across platforms is essential. At Xumo, we think about scale in terms of devices, distribution, and partnerships. But more broadly, the industry is moving toward convergence. For example, FAST channels are increasingly being integrated into pay TV environments, and that&rsquo;s a sign of how mainstream this model has become. Consumers expect seamless access, and platforms that deliver across touchpoints will be best positioned to grow.
<h2 style="font-size: 24px;">Data Transparency Is a Must</h2>
Another recurring theme was the need for better data sharing. Fragmented insights make it hard for partners to understand performance and optimize monetization. At Xumo, we&rsquo;ve made it a priority to share privacy-compliant, real-time, asset-level data with our partners, and we&rsquo;re working toward adding more layers to that. Transparency builds trust, and trust drives better outcomes for everyone.
<h2 style="font-size: 24px;">Discovery and Personalization Are the Next Frontier</h2>
With so much content available, helping viewers find what they love is more important than ever. The panel addressed the shift from app-first to content-first experiences, especially on connected TVs. And everyone agreed there&rsquo;s more innovation to come, especially with advancements in AI and machine learning that can go a long way in making discovery smarter and more intuitive. The goal is to reduce friction and increase engagement, and that benefits both users and content providers.
FAST is evolving quickly, and it&rsquo;s exciting to be part of that transformation. The themes of scale, transparency, and discovery aren&rsquo;t just trends; they&rsquo;re the pillars of a more connected, user-centric streaming future.

Xumo's Jiro Egawa shares key takeaways from the OTTx Summit panel &lsquo;The FAST and the Formidable.&rsquo; Explore insights on scale, data transparency, and personalization shaping the future of streaming.&rdquo;

All you can stream

Free entertainment
on any screen

A better way to stream

All the top apps

Get 6 months of Peacock Premium at no extra cost

Take your business
to the next level

What’s new with Xumo?

TripleLift Expands Programmatic CTV Pause Ads with Xumo

A Buyer’s POV on Live Sports on Streaming

The FAST and the Formidable

All you can stream

Free entertainmenton any screen

A better way to stream

All the top apps

Get 6 months of Peacock Premium at no extra cost

Take your businessto the next level

What’s new with Xumo?

TripleLift Expands Programmatic CTV Pause Ads with Xumo

A Buyer’s POV on Live Sports on Streaming

The FAST and the Formidable

Free entertainment
on any screen

Take your business
to the next level