What Changes Are Ahead for This Year’s Upfronts?

There used to be a very clear rhythm to the upfront. Broadcast networks would gather advertisers in New York, roll out polished presentations of their upcoming shows, and lock in the majority of their ad commitments for the year. It was predictable, centralized, and built around one core idea: limited prime-time inventory on traditional TV. That era is gone.

A Marketplace That Has Expanded Far Beyond TV

The 2026 upfront season reflects how much the industry has expanded. What was once dominated by broadcast networks now includes streaming and digital platforms like Amazon, Netflix, Tubi, and Roku. In a notable example of how competitive the space has become, Amazon is even hosting its upfront presentation in New York on the same night as NBCUniversal. This is no longer a single-stage television event. It is a multi-platform marketplace where tech, streaming, and legacy media all compete for the same advertiser budgets.

The Shift in Where Audiences Spend Their Time

Advertising dollars are increasingly following viewers. Streaming investment has grown significantly in recent years, while traditional linear TV commitments have slightly declined. More importantly, viewing behavior has changed. According to Nielsen, streaming has recently overtaken broadcast and cable in total time spent watching video. That shift is key, because the upfront has always been about predicting where audiences will be next. Increasingly, that answer spans multiple platforms rather than a single dominant one.

From Reach to Outcomes and Technology

The upfront is also changing in what it is trying to accomplish. It is no longer just about securing broad reach during prime-time TV. Advertisers now evaluate the entire video ecosystem, including linear TV, streaming, FAST channels, and digital video together. At the same time, the conversation has become more technology-driven, with greater emphasis on AI, programmatic buying, and performance-based measurement. Instead of focusing only on impressions, buyers are looking more closely at outcomes and attribution.

Sports Still Brings Scarcity to the Table

Even in a fragmented media landscape, live sports remains a major anchor. Events like the Super Bowl LX, the FIFA World Cup, and the Milan-Cortina Olympics continue to generate intense demand. Sports is still one of the few areas where large, real-time audiences reliably come together. With leagues like the NBA now distributed across multiple platforms, competition for live rights has only increased.

A Familiar Ritual With a New Purpose

The events and presentations still exist, but their role has changed. The upfront is no longer a one-time annual buying moment. Instead, it has become the starting point of an ongoing negotiation that continues throughout the year across platforms and partners. The structure looks familiar, but the system underneath it has been completely rebuilt.

Cate Bender, the author, is Project Coordinator of Marketing Keys