TV Advertising Stems Losses in Q3 with return of sports

NEW YORK—The return of sports in the late summer wasn’t just good news for game-hungry sports fans, but for TV advertising as well, as Standard Media Index reports that Q3 ad revenue, while still below 2019, saw a dramatic improvement from its Q2 2020 numbers.

TV’s Q2, which consisted of the early days of the pandemic, saw a 31% decline in ad revenue, as sports and other live events were cancelled or postponed. In Q3, as restrictions eased and sports—particularly the NBA and NHL playoffs—returned, TV ad revenue had a significant upswing, growing 23 points, though still a decline of 8% compared to 2019.