When the ball is rolling, different rules still apply in the media world. You can watch TV shows later, pause movies, and catch up on the news at any time. A goal, on the other hand, cannot be put off. It happens right now—and if you miss the moment, you’ll get the replay, but it won’t be the same.

In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, this simultaneity makes live sports a unique format. 92 percent of sports viewing occurs live. At the same time, smartphones and tablets have long been used to follow the action on the big screen. Over 75 percent of viewers use an additional device during a game. The sporting moment thus no longer takes place on just one screen, but unfolds across multiple platforms.

This is precisely the arena in which Ringier Advertising and DAZN are positioning their new partnership. Ringier Advertising exclusively markets the sports streaming platform’s advertising inventory in Switzerland. There is much more to this than simply selling additional advertising space: it’s about connecting a global sports offering with a locally rooted media ecosystem—and about how brands can capitalize on those moments when attention doesn’t have to be painstakingly generated, but is already there.

Soeren Beermann (Ringier Advertising), Haruka Gruber (DAZN): Sports are considered today to be the last major «campfire» of the media world that brings people together in front of the screen at the same time—is this simultaneity becoming the true strategic value of live sports?

Haruka Gruber: Absolutely. That’s one of the core values of live sports. In a fragmented, on-demand media landscape, there are few moments left that people truly experience together, and sports are the most powerful of these. This shared experience not only creates reach but, above all, relevance and emotion. For platforms like DAZN, this means: We don’t just offer content—we orchestrate collective experiences. And that’s exactly where brands generate the most attention.

Soeren Beermann: Exactly—we couldn’t agree more with Haruka: In an age when content is increasingly consumed on a delayed basis, live sports are among the last formats that guarantee immediate, simultaneous attention. For clients, this makes campaign planning much easier, as reach peaks are clearly predictable and target audiences can be addressed with precision. The exclusivity of DAZN’s content boosts its relevance both in the advertising market and with the audience—the ideal foundation for effective advertising and emotional brand experiences.

At first glance, the partnership seems like a typical marketing deal. Why is it, in reality, so much more than that?

Haruka Gruber: Because we don’t just bundle assets—we connect ecosystems. On one side, a globally scalable digital sports offering with an enormous depth of data and content; on the other, a media and marketing network deeply rooted in local communities. This is crucial because sports today operate on both a global and hyperlocal level simultaneously. This partnership makes it possible to bring both together and develop entirely new, integrated advertising experiences. That’s why attractive DAZN content—such as highlights—and the DAZN brand will be highly visible on Rignier platforms like Blick.ch and kicker.ch. A win-win!

Soeren Beermann: "Win-win" sums it up perfectly. For us, the exclusive distribution of DAZN in Switzerland represents a clear strategic positioning at the forefront of the rapidly growing CTV and streaming market. Beyond the obvious benefit—the integration of live moments for our advertising clients—this deal, above all, gives us the opportunity to rethink the user journey within our brands and to further develop our campaign ecosystems in a targeted manner. Haruka has already teased some of these approaches.

Ringier Advertising is increasingly focusing on thematic marketing rather than individual publication brands. Will sports, with DAZN, now finally become a strategic anchor within this approach? 

Soeren: No, sports has been and remains one of the central themes of our marketing. Anyone with *Blick* and *blue News* in their portfolio already has this theme firmly established. With *DAZN*, however, we are now adding the ideal flagship brand in the sports CTV sector.  DAZN is far more than just another title in the portfolio—rather, the platform functions as a „digital stadium“ within the Ringier sports ecosystem. This integration completes our approach of accompanying users throughout their entire customer journey: from reading the morning news (Blick) to researching statistics (sport.ch/kicker) to the live experience on DAZN. 

92 percent of sports viewing occurs live. What does this extraordinary simultaneity mean, specifically, for brands and advertising effectiveness? 

Haruka Gruber: Live sports mean maximum attention at a moment when viewers aren’t „leaning back“ but rather „leaning in.“ Studies show that a large proportion of viewers actively notice advertising during live sports and find it more relevant than in other contexts. For brands, this creates a rare combination: reach, emotion, and context. And through digital delivery, we can now extend and personalize these moments even further based on data.

Soeren Beermann: Exactly. With live sports, we’re moving away from the passive bombardment of linear TV. CTV clearly wins the advertising acceptance comparison because content and ads are delivered in a more relevant way, rather than targeting a broad audience in a non-specific manner.  For advertisers, this means that CTV campaigns achieve a higher impact per contact, since viewers no longer perceive ads merely as a necessary evil or a welcome break, but increasingly as tailored information.

If we reinterpret Sepp Herberger’s old adage—«The round thing has to go into the square one»—and consider that today, any screen can be the “square one,” is Connected TV exactly the place where sports are unleashing their new power? 

Haruka Gruber: Connected TV is where the worlds of traditional television and digital precision finally converge. Live sports have long been the last bastion of linear TV. Now, this very segment is shifting massively toward streaming platforms. This creates entirely new opportunities: addressable advertising, interactive formats, and measurable impact in  Real time. That’s why, for us, CTV is not just a distribution channel, but also a space for innovation in advertising and user experience. 

Soeren Beermann: The fascination with live sports remains unchanged—only the broadcast platform is shifting. In CTV, the visual power of linear television and today’s technological capabilities merge into an experience that makes emotions accessible anytime, anywhere. For advertisers, this creates a highly effective environment that reaches target audiences flexibly and with strong contextual relevance. 

Live sports have long been considered the domain of traditional TV commercials. What changes when this environment suddenly becomes programmatic? 

Soeren Beermann: The rules of the game are changing fundamentally: We’re moving away from the “scattergun” approach. Thanks to programmatic targeting, target audiences can now be reached precisely based on sport, device, and individual interests. For advertisers, this means that ads no longer need to reach the general public but can be specifically targeted at relevant, segmented audiences. This creates new opportunities for content and format-specific customization. At the same time, advertisers benefit from maximum efficiency in ad delivery as well as high transparency in quality assurance—without any extrapolations. 

More than 75 percent of viewers use a smartphone or tablet at the same time as they watch a game. Do you already approach campaigns today as a combination of live footage, social media, and real-time communication? 

Haruka Gruber: Definitely. Sports have long since moved beyond the screen. Fans comment, share, and react in real time. You can see this very clearly within the DAZN FanZone, our fully integrated second-screen solution where you can interact with DAZN and other users while watching the live game. For brands, this means campaigns must be designed as connected experiences. We see very clearly that the greatest impact occurs where live footage, social amplification, and data-driven extensions intersect. DAZN has a clear advantage here thanks to its strong social reach and content production. 

Soeren Beermann: I’d even go one step further: For us, the second screen isn’t just an additional channel—it’s the place where fans process the live moment. That’s where they comment, discuss, share, cheer, or even argue. That’s exactly why it’s not enough to simply run a campaign simultaneously across multiple screens. It must be structured around the live moment. For brands, this means: What happens before the game, during the game, and after the game? Where can a brand create real added value—through context, engagement, entertainment, or community mechanics? So it’s not about more touchpoints, but about better moments.

With soccer, the NFL, the NHL, the UFC, darts, and golf, sports are increasingly becoming a constant companion rather than a one-time event. Does this mean sports are becoming an “always-on” medium? 

Haruka Gruber: Very clearly, in fact. In the past, there were isolated highlight events. Today, sports are a year-round, global continuum. With a variety of competitions, leagues, and sports, new moments of interest arise every day. Streaming amplifies this effect because content is available at any time and can be combined in various ways. 

Soeren Beermann: Until now, our focus has primarily been on major sporting events—such as Schwingen, soccer and ice hockey world championships, and the Olympic Games. Through our partnership with DAZN, live sports are now a permanent fixture in our media planning throughout the year, while also opening up access to new target audiences. 

How exactly does DAZN fit into the existing Ringier ecosystem—for example, in terms of its interaction with Blick, blue News, or your DOOH activities? 

Soeren Beermann: With DAZN in our portfolio, we can offer advertisers a seamless user journey. With our sports brands Blick, blue News, and the joint venture kicker, we provide comprehensive coverage of sports topics both in print and online. DAZN expands this ecosystem by bringing the content to the „big screen“ in the living room.  We are still evaluating whether and in what form advertising content can be adapted for DOOH beyond that. 

In the future, fans will need multiple subscriptions to watch all of Europe's top-tier soccer. From your perspective, is this fragmentation more of a challenge or an opportunity? 

Haruka Gruber: Both. It may become more complex for users, but it creates a much more nuanced ecosystem for providers and advertisers. Fragmentation also means specialization—and thus the ability to reach target audiences much more precisely. 

Soeren Beermann: Fragmentation is a real challenge—but it has long been part of user behavior. Consumers are accustomed to maintaining multiple subscriptions at the same time and switching between platforms depending on the situation. We are convinced that strong content plays a decisive role and puts the subscription barrier into perspective. This opens up an opportunity for advertisers: budgets can be allocated in a differentiated manner across various providers and target audiences. The result is a wider variety of touchpoints and varying levels of impact depending on the context.

To put it very specifically: In your view, what is the biggest immediate benefit of this deal for Swiss advertisers and brands? 

Haruka Gruber: Access to highly engaged, emotionally invested audiences, combined with the ability to reach these audiences in a data-driven, cross-platform manner. This is a combination that has never existed in this form in traditional TV. 

Soeren Beermann: We provide advertisers with access to an exclusive live sports inventory that can be programmatically targeted and, at the same time, evokes a very strong emotional response.  Specifically, this means that brands can run their campaigns in a targeted and efficient manner—precisely at the moments when user attention and engagement are at their highest. 

What specific advertising opportunities are available to Swiss advertisers—perhaps even particularly innovative ones? 

Haruka Gruber: We offer the full spectrum: from traditional integrations in the live-streaming space—with 80% of big-screen reach—to addressable CTV campaigns, branded content, sponsorships, and social amplification, particularly on YouTube. The combination of DAZN OTT and DAZN YouTube inventory maximizes incremental reach.  A particularly good example of innovative formats is our DAZN FanZone. There, we combine live sports with interactive elements such as live chats, reactions, and community features, creating an environment where fans don’t just watch but actively become part of the experience. 

As part of this partnership, can we look forward to new promotional products or innovative formats—perhaps even things that haven't been announced yet?

Haruka Gruber: Definitely. The trend is clearly moving toward interactive, personalized, and integrated experiences. We’re only at the beginning of what’s technologically possible, especially when it comes to the interplay between real-time data, personalization, and creative formats.

When Sepp Herberger said, «After the game is before the game»: Does the saying «After the campaign is before the optimization» apply more to digital sports marketing today? 

Soeren Beermann: In principle, yes. We provide the necessary KPIs and data for the analysis. However, the ongoing optimization of the campaigns is the responsibility of the clients, although we are available to offer advice through our feedback. 

With Inter Milan, another top European club has joined the Infinity League from Dazn on. The "Nerazzurri" not only bring tradition and passion to the Next Gen Football event, but also a special history: with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Hansi Müller, Lothar Matthäus, Jürgen Klinsmann and Andreas Brehme, some of the most influential German footballers played in Milan. Now the club is competing in the revolutionary Infinity League with a team of men, women, legends and talents.

Football meets entertainment

The Infinity League sets itself apart from conventional tournaments: The event combines top-class football with technological innovation and show elements. The futuristic ASB GlassFloor adds a new dimension to the game, while live acts and interactive features round off the experience. BMW Park in Munich is almost sold out, but the event will be broadcast free of charge in over 200 countries and regions on Dazn with German, Italian and English commentary.

A foretaste of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus Turin will not only compete in the Infinity League, but will also fight for the global title in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 from June. All matches of the tournament are available worldwide exclusively on Dazn live and free of charge.