Latest news with #DavidLevy
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OpenAP's TV network owners push ahead on interoperable streaming ads
This story was originally published on Marketing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Marketing Dive newsletter. Ad tech company OpenAP's new Open Identity cross-platform identify solution will go live in May. The solution is designed to enable advertisers to identify single audiences across publishers, streamers and data providers, according to a press release. Acxiom, DeepSync, Experian, LiveRamp and TransUnion are on board and have agreed to standardize their data for use with the Open Identity offering. OpenAP is owned by Fox, NBCUniversal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. The company described Open Identity as an evolution of its OpenID common TV identifier that goes further by enabling direct matching of identity data for more seamless usage for advertisers. In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, the quest for the perfect cross-platform audience targeting model continues. On the heels of agencies and data companies offering consumer identity solutions, Open Identity is a bid by the TV networks who own OpenAP to show they have something to offer as well. They aren't alone: The Association of National Advertisers is expected to roll out a beta test of its Aquila measurement solution in the near future, according to MediaPost. OpenAP's stakeholders assert that the Open Identity product has a strong point of differentiation because it was developed by TV broadcasters who know that advertisers want enhanced options for premium video. 'The workflow of the future for streaming video must be interoperable and data must connect seamlessly across all data providers, publishers, platforms and currencies,' said OpenAP CEO David Levy, in a statement. Once the product is live, publishers and data providers will connect their data sets to OpenAP's data clean room, which will allow advertisers to compose audiences with identify information across the industry without any additional 'crosswalks,' according to OpenAP. Advertisers and publishers will then use Open Identity to define the identity providers they want to use on a campaign as well as the business logic that governs targeting and measurement. The news is the latest example of the premium that the marketing and advertising industry has placed on data. Earlier this month, WPP acquired data collaboration platform InfoSum in a bid to boost the holding company's AI-powered data intelligence and consumer identity capabilities. That acquisition followed Publicis Groupe's purchase of identity solutions firm Lotame for similar purposes. Recommended Reading Aquila shares progress report as it works to fix cross-media measurement Sign in to access your portfolio
Fox Sports
12-03-2025
- Business
- Fox Sports
Shark Beauty™ Women's Champions Classic, a Premier Women's College Basketball Showcase, Returns Dec. 20, 2025 to Barclays Center, Set to Air Live on FOX
Connecticut, Iowa, Tennessee and Louisville set to return to the Championship Hardwood in Brooklyn for the Horizon Sports & Experiences and FOX Sports Event NEW YORK, N.Y. (March 12, 2025) – Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) and FOX Sports announced today the return of the premier early-season women's college basketball showcase, the Shark Beauty™ Women's Champions Classic, set for Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025 and scheduled to tip off in primetime on FOX (start time subject to change). This marquee event on the college basketball calendar, which enjoys maximum exposure on a national broadcast network, will once again be headlined by The University of Connecticut, the University of Iowa, the University of Louisville and the University of Tennessee. The organizers also announced the event will remain in New York at Barclays Center through 2026. After an impactful inaugural event, these four women's basketball powerhouses are set for their early season return to Brooklyn, as Tennessee will take on Louisville and Iowa plays Connecticut. Single admission tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 10 a.m. EDT on Ticketmaster. A presale for American Express Cardholders will go live today at 11 a.m. EDT. 'The Shark Beauty™ Women's Champions Classic is a platform that celebrates the dynamic shifts we are seeing in women's sports and enables brands to engage with an expansive, captivated audience growing at an unprecedented pace,' said David Levy, co-CEO/founder, Horizon Sports & Experiences. 'We are delighted to have these four decorated programs make their emphatic return to the 'Court of Champions' in Brooklyn.' The inaugural Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic was packed with more than 11,000 fans in attendance at Barclays Center and peaked at 800k viewers on FOX. The event also featured a first-of-its-kind in arena styling activation from title sponsor Shark Beauty. Other blue chip event partners stepping up in women's sports included Capital One, Ally, State Farm, Nike and Gatorade. 'We are thrilled to advance FOX Sports' longstanding investment in women's sports with the continuation of the Shark Beauty™ Women's Champions Classic,' said Jordan Bazant, Executive Vice President, FOX Sports. 'We are proud to shine a spotlight on the women's game on television's biggest platform, and following the success of the inaugural event, we can't wait to welcome these storied programs back to Brooklyn in December.' Follow the Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic on the following platforms for more news and announcements ahead of the December 20th event. Website: Facebook: @WomensChampsClassic X: @WChampsClassic Instagram: @womenschampsclassic TikTok: @womenschampsclassic Quotes from the Coaches: University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma 'The inaugural Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic was everything I hoped it would be when we first came up with the idea. It was a great showcase for women's basketball and was well run from top to bottom. We're thrilled to return to Barclays Center next season. I can't wait to see how the event evolves as we continue it for the foreseeable future.' University of Iowa head coach Jan Jensen 'I am beyond excited and proud to once again be part of the Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic. This is a premier event showcasing some of the best women's basketball programs in the country. It is a first-class experience that gives our players an early season NCAA Tournament feel. I am also looking forward to seeing our great Hawkeye fans show out in New York!' University of Louisville head coach Jeff Walz 'We are thrilled to be a part of the Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic once again this upcoming season. I thought the event was extremely successful this past year and it was a great opportunity for our team to play in New York City. We look forward to next season's event as it will be a marquee matchup in our non-conference schedule.' University of Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell 'After representing the University of Tennessee at the 2024 Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic, our program already is anticipating a return trip to New York City in 2025. We are proud to be part of the field again and hope Lady Vol fans will plan a trip to the Big Apple and join us at the Barclays Center for an event that shines a bright spotlight on women's basketball.' About the Programs: The 2025 Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic features: The four teams together have won 19 NCAA Division I National Championships and earned 48 appearances in NCAA Final Fours. These programs have netted over 120 conference titles. UConn has won a record 11 NCAA Division I National Championships, including a record four in a row from 2013-16. Additionally, they have appeared in 23 Final Fours and won 59 conference regular season and tournament championships. The University of Tennessee has earned the most victories in the history of NCAA Division I women's college basketball. The Lady Vols have captured eight national championships, with 18 NCAA Final Four appearances, and a combined 35 SEC conference and regular season titles. The University of Iowa are coming off consecutive Final Four and National Championship Game appearances in 2023 and 2024. The Hawkeyes have appeared in three Final Fours in program history and have captured a combined 16 BIG TEN conference and regular season titles. The University of Louisville Cardinals women's basketball team has appeared in four Final Fours, including two appearances in the National Championship Game. They have won a combined 15 regular season and conference tournament championships.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Netflix and Amazon will dominate live sports
Listen and subscribe to Opening Bid on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. One way to prevent people from canceling a streaming subscription: go big on live events and sports. And that's what Netflix (NFLX) and Amazon (AMZN) are doing in their ongoing battle with struggling traditional TV players such as Disney (DIS) and Comcast (CMCSA). "It's [easier] to cancel streaming than it is a cable service. You push a button on the platform and you're out," Horizon Sports and Experiences co-CEO David Levy told Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi on the Opening Bid podcast (see video above; listen in below). Levy has a longstanding career in cutting-edge television. In 1987, he was hired as one of the first 200 employees at Turner Broadcasting, where he spent 33 years and ended as the network's president. Preventing churn ultimately requires providing content that keeps customers around. Noting that Amazon streaming introduced Thursday Night Football, which ran on an 18-week schedule, Levy added, "If you want to watch Thursday Night Football, you're not canceling your subscription." Netflix, a direct competitor, began offering WWE programming last month. That's on top of last November's fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, which drew 64 million viewers. Netflix is now rumored to be eyeing rights deals for F1 and UFC. The NFL could opt out of its TV rights deal with everyone but Disney in 2028, which could attract interest from the big-spending streaming platforms. "In order to continue to grow their sponsorship, they have to get into the sports business," said Levy. "They are adding new subscribers because Wall Street is demanding that they continue to grow." Sports content also has a major advantage over its scripted and unscripted streaming service siblings. "[With scripted programs] you don't know whether it's a success or not," he said. "You know sports is going to be successful. They have built in fan bases." PWC recently estimated that by 2025, more than 90 million US viewers would stream a sports event at least once per month, a substantial increase from 2021's 57 million streaming viewership results. "In the end, our view remains unchanged that Netflix has won the global streaming race as evidenced by 2024 results/raised 2025 guidance (especially relative to its streaming peers' results)," Pivotal Research analyst Jeff Wlodarczak wrote in a recent note. "This is what, in our opinion, winning looks like." But before declaring the Big TV space officially swapped for a more pocket-sized medium, it looks as though big screens aren't going anywhere anytime soon. "A lot of people, including me, like to watch on Big TV screens," said Levy. Meanwhile, major networks have also gotten in on the trend, like NBC with its companion streaming service Peacock. "I think there's an opportunity even for the television business in the simulcasting business," Levy said. "You're going to see that those media companies are going to buy it for cross-platform opportunities." Three times each week, Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi fields insight-filled conversations and chats with the biggest names in business and markets on Opening Bid. You can find more episodes on our video hub or watch on your preferred streaming service. Grace Williams is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Sign in to access your portfolio
