Activate Genius Moments
Genius Moments transforms how you buy sports media by matching your media and messaging to how fans are feeling as each game unfolds, all season long. Only Genius Sports combines official live game data with verified fandom and purchase behavior to activate campaigns through your existing programmatic workflow.
Activating Around Emotional Moments Delivers Brand Outcomes
- Unaided Brand Recall
- 2Xfor ads following emotional moments in live sports
- Increase in ROAS
- 200%when using Genius Sports Audiences
- Lift in CPM Efficiency
- 3Xfor World Cup Moments campaigns
Source: Genius Sports x MediaScience The Live Moment Effect; Genius Sports Average Campaign Benchmarks 2025
2027 Sports Calendar
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Click a sport to see its season, then hover or click the glowing dots for key dates.
Browse our Genius Moments Catalog
25 moments
| Moment | Description | Methodology Trigger | Sports | Insights | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surround the Game | Target fans of a league, team, or event (or general audience) across the whole game day: 4 hours before, during breaks, and 2 days after. | Activates 4 hours before the start of the fixture, deactivates at the start, activates during breaks, and activates at the end of the fixture and remains active for 2 days. | Football Baseball Basketball Soccer Ice Hockey Tennis | Fans following matches across screens say they are more likely to recall and purchase from brands that advertise across screens. | |
| Game Time | Target fans of a league, team, or event (or general audience) while the game is live. | Activates at the start of every fixture in a competition, and deactivates at the end of the fixture. | Football Baseball Basketball Soccer Ice Hockey NASCAR F1 | Around 84% of fans use a second screen during matches, and most younger fans’ social activity is about the game itself.*The Companion Screen 2026 | |
| Pre-Game | Target fans of a league, team, or event (or general audience) in the 8 hours leading up to kickoff. | Activates 8 hours before the start of a fixture, deactivates at the start of the fixture. | Football Baseball Basketball Soccer Ice Hockey | In a study of Brazilian soccer fans, the pre-game ritual produced higher emotional synchrony than key moments of the match itself. | |
| Post-Game | Target fans of a league, team, or event (or general audience) for 8 hours after the match ends. | Activates at the end of a fixture and deactivates 8 hours later. | Football Baseball Basketball Soccer Ice Hockey | Ad emotion and attitudes toward the ad and brand are heightened immediately after a suspenseful sporting event. | |
| Build Up To The Big Game | Target fans of a league (or general audience) in the 4 days before a high-profile match, until it starts. | Activates 4 days before a fixture that has an anticipation score in the 50th percentile. Deactivates at the start of the fixture. | Football Baseball | High-profile fixtures draw early interest and conversation, giving brands a longer runway. | |
| Victory | Target fans of a league, team or event after their team wins a match, for up to 30 days or until the team next loses. | Activated when a team wins a match, deactivated when a team loses or 30 days after it was activated. | Football Baseball Basketball Soccer Ice Hockey | Audiences are significantly more receptive to brand messages and purchases. | |
| Defeat | Target fans of a league, team or event after their team loses a match, for up to 30 days or until the team next loses. | Activated when a team loses a match, deactivated when they win or 30 days after it was activated. | Football Baseball Basketball Soccer Ice Hockey | Audiences tend to consume more comfort food after their team loses. | |
| Team Elimination | Target fans of a league, team or event for 5 days after their team is knocked out of a tournament. | Activates when a team loses in a tournament and deactivates 5 days later. | Football Baseball Basketball Soccer Ice Hockey | A team's losing results can lower audiences' trust and purchase intention toward its sponsors, so tone matters when the team is out. | |
| Team Advancement | Target fans of a league, team or event after their team wins a tournament round, until the team loses. | Activates when a team wins a round in a tournament, and deactivates when they lose. | Football Baseball Basketball Soccer Ice Hockey | Fans with higher fandom report the strongest connection to a sponsor brand after their team's success. | |
| MLB – Pitching Change | Target MLB fans from the first pitching change until the game ends. | Only MLB baseball – activates when the first pitching change is made, deactivates at the end of the fixture. | Baseball | A pitching change signals a turning point; fans are tense and receptive to a break from the action. | |
| MLB – Snapping 3-Game Team Losing Streak | Target MLB fans after their team wins following three straight losses, until the next game starts. | Only MLB baseball – activates when a team has won a fixture after losing 3 in a row. Deactivates at the start of the next fixture. | Baseball | Ending a losing run releases built-up frustration, and fans are eager to celebrate. | |
| MLB – Team Grand Slam | Target MLB fans after their team hits a grand slam, until the next game starts. | Only MLB Baseball – activates when a team hits a grand slam. Deactivates at the start of the next fixture. | Baseball | A grand slam is a rare, high-impact play that fans immediately react to and share. | |
| MLB – Comeback Team Win | Target MLB fans after their team wins from behind (trailing in the 8th or down 4+ runs), until the next game starts. | Only MLB Baseball – activates when a team wins a fixture after having trailed at the start of the 8th or having been down by at least 4 runs during any part of the fixture. Deactivates at the start of the next fixture. | Baseball | Arousing, uncertain matches enhance the effectiveness of ads presented right after them. | |
| MLB – Home Team Walkoff Win | Target MLB fans after their team wins with a go-ahead run in the bottom of the 9th, until the next game starts. | Only MLB baseball – activates when a team wins in the bottom of the 9th inning by scoring the go-ahead run. Deactivates at the start of the next fixture. | Baseball | Game-winning plays are among the most-tweeted moments of live MLB games. | |
| Soccer – Team Winning | Target football fans after a touchdown when their team is likely to win, until the game ends or the win odds fall. | For football, activates when there is a touchdown and the win probability is greater than 50%. Deactivates when the game is over or the win probability drops below 40%. | Football | Sentiment toward the winning team rises through the second half, with fans using celebratory language near the end. | |
| Lull In-Game | Target fans of a league, team or event when in-game excitement drops below half its usual level, until the game ends or excitement picks back up. | Activates when the in-game excitement score is less than 50% of historical excitement. Deactivates at the end of the game or when the excitement is above 50%. | Football Baseball | Attention drifts during low-excitement stretches, and fans turn to second screens. | |
| High-Excitement In-Game | Target fans of a league, team or event once in-game excitement rises above 50%, and stays on until the game ends. | Activates when the calculated game excitement is greater than 50%. Once activated, it runs until the end of the game. | Football Baseball | Viewership and social activity are at their highest, giving the greatest reach for in-game messages. | |
| Soccer – Team Losing | Target football fans when their team's chances of winning are low after a fumble or punt, until a score brings them back. | For football, it activates on a fumble or punt, and the probability of winning a match is low. Deactivates when there is a touchdown or field goal that brings the win probability above 50% or the fixture has ended. | Football | Fans feel low when the team falls behind, which may increase appetite for comfort, excitement, and reassurance. | |
| Big Plays In-Game | Target fans of a league, team or event for 2 hours after a big play: a 20+ yard run, a 20+ yard pass, or a touchdown. | Activates on 20+ yard run, 20+ yard pass, or a touchdown. Deactivates after 2 hours. | Football | Big plays prompt immediate reactions and spikes in social sharing, usually within minutes. | |
| Winning Team Streak | Target fans of a league, team or event when their team has won a set number of games in a competition. | Activates after x games won in any particular competition. | Football Baseball | A sustained run of wins lifts fan confidence and pride, and the positive mood lasts across games. | |
| Hero Game | Target fans of the NCAA Tournament, a specific March Madness team, or the event overall when their team has had a game with a standout individual performance, such as a triple-double or 25+ points. | Activates when a player in an NCAA Tournament game records a triple-double, double-double, 25+ points, 10+ assists, 10+ rebounds, 5+ three-pointers, 5+ steals, or 5+ blocks. Deactivates after 2 days. | NCAA March Madness | Individual brilliance gets fans talking and sharing, and the buzz lasts beyond the final whistle. | |
| Late Game Rally | Target fans of NCAA Bowl when their team claws back from a 10-point deficit to within 4 points late in the game. | Activates when a team comes back from a 10-point deficit to bring the game within 4 points in the last 10 minutes of the game. | NCAA Bowl | Fans rally and tune in as the team closes the gap, and attention rises sharply near the end of the game. | |
| Game Upset | Target fans for 2 days after their team wins a match it was expected to lose. | Activates when a team that was expected to lose at the start of the match wins the match. Deactivates 2 days later. | Football Soccer Baseball Basketball Ice Hockey | Unexpected wins produce stronger emotion and more discussion than expected wins. | |
| Game Upset in the Making | Target fans of NCAA March Madness when a lower-seeded team is beating a higher-seeded one in the second half, until the match ends. | Activates when a lower-seeded team is beating a higher seed team in the second half of the fixture. Deactivates at the end of the match. | NCAA March Madness | Fans and neutrals alike are drawn in when an underdog is on course to win. | |
| Team Comeback Victory | Target football fans for 2 days after their team wins, having had less than an 18% chance of winning at some point. | Activates after a team wins a fixture having had a probability of winning of less than 18% at any point in the fixture. Deactivates after 2 days. | Football | Wins from seemingly lost positions are remembered and shared more than ordinary wins. |
The mechanics
How Genius Moments Work
A close finish. A game-changing score. A big win. Official live game data identifies these moments as they happen and triggers advertising opportunities through your existing programmatic workflow.
The advertiser advantage
Why Genius Moments Matter
Reach fans when the game has their attention. Matching your message to what fans are experiencing makes your ads more relevant, helps your brand stand out, and makes your campaigns work harder.