Zharmer Hardimon

Here’s the deal: The momentum behind women’s sports extends far beyond rising viewership. New research from The Trade Desk Intelligence and GoodQues shows the audience driving that growth stays engaged long after the final buzzer, maintains a diverse media diet and actively seeks out ways to connect with the teams and athletes they love. Data debrief: Women’s sports fans consume sports content at a remarkable rate.

Here’s the thing: This year’s Black Friday sales data reveals a sharp shift compared to recent years. People did not flock exclusively to online deals in overwhelming numbers last week. They left their homes, braved parking lots and stood in lines at higher levels compared to 2024, contributing to a 21% year-over-year rise in offline sales in the U.S., according to Shopify’s offline sales data collected from its point-of-sale channel.

Here’s the thing: Everyone’s talking about “premium” media. But what does it really mean? And, more importantly, why should advertisers make the distinction? New research offers answers in a study examining the qualities that make media “premium” and why those qualities matter for brands and audiences.