Foxtel Media and DAZN set new upfronts benchmark with AI, retail media and gaming play

Foxtel Media has used its first upfront since being acquired by global streaming giant DAZN to deliver one of the boldest pitches of the season so far, unveiling a slate of innovations spanning e-commerce, AI, new ad formats and an ambitious gaming partnership with Livewire.

In a week when agencies and marketers are being bombarded by upfront presentations, Foxtel’s show at Sydney’s White Bay Power Station stood out as a confident marker of where premium media is heading in 2026 - and a signal that DAZN’s global muscle is already reshaping Foxtel’s strategy.

So what’s on offer? In short, a lot.

From early 2026, Kayo Sports and Binge will roll out a wave of new ad formats designed to integrate brand messaging into high-attention viewing moments. These include L-Bars - a frame that wraps around live content to keep the game on screen while an ad plays alongside - and Pause ads, full-screen takeovers triggered when a viewer hits pause.

Both services will also offer three-to-six second “solus bumper” ads before live game play, giving brands an unmissable entry point in moments such as the opening round of the AFL or NRL.

Perhaps most intriguing is the planned launch of Kayo Buddy, an AI-powered personal streaming companion. Debuting in early 2026, Buddy will surface real-time stats, fixture updates and highlights, with the ambition to become a personalised, always-on assistant for sports fans.

“Kayo Buddy has the potential to change how fans engage with sport,” Foxtel Media CEO Mark Frain, said. “We’re combining DAZN’s global tech and scale with local audience insights to deliver advertising opportunities that don’t exist anywhere else.”

Sports content: breadth and depth

If technology underpinned much of Foxtel’s pitch, its sports rights offering was the showstopper. Kayo Sports reaffirmed its claim as “Australia’s home of sport” with fresh deals across golf, Supercars and cricket, alongside renewed ESPN coverage of NBA, NFL and other US leagues.

The platform will show every AFL and NRL game live, all four golf majors, every Formula 1 and MotoGP race and a stacked summer of cricket, including India’s white-ball tour and an Ashes series on home soil. Super Saturday AFL coverage and the NRL’s Las Vegas showcase add further tentpole events.

The numbers behind the sports growth are significant: Kayo subscribers are up 9% year-on-year and 20% over two years, with CTV viewing time climbing 82% in the same period.

As Kinesso’s head of planning and investment Charlie Allatt put it: “Foxtel’s efforts represent a masterclass in navigating the changing nature of content consumption. Kayo continues to grow - an 82% lift over two years - while other digital platforms are struggling to post comparable numbers.”

Gaming partnership with Livewire

In a move that signals Foxtel’s intent to capture younger audiences, the company announced a multi-year deal with Livewire, the global gaming marketing group. The partnership will integrate Foxtel Media’s audience segments into gaming environments like Roblox, and includes the creation of Kayo Sports Stadium - a virtual, multi-sport world designed for families to co-play.

The partnership also introduces Gamer.ID, Livewire’s privacy-safe identity solution, which unifies data signals from across gaming platforms to create cross-platform gamer profiles. This gives brands the ability to target gaming audiences with precision while remaining compliant with global privacy regulations.

“The lines between traditional sports and gaming are blurring fast,” Frain said. “These are the audiences of today, and we’re inviting the industry to enter the game.”

Retail Plus: connecting commerce and content

Foxtel Media also launched Retail Plus, its new retail media division, debuting with Chemist Warehouse as a foundation partner. The model combines Foxtel’s premium video inventory with e-commerce integration and smarter targeting, designed to turn content moments into shoppable opportunities.

A partnership with allt.tv will power second-screen experiences that sync mobile apps with live TV in real time. Viewers could, for example, order food delivery during a live sports match without QR codes or search steps, or pre-fill a grocery cart with ingredients from a cooking show.

“Retail Plus was born from a clear shift in consumer behaviour,” Nev Hasan, Foxtel Media’s chief sales officer, said. “People no longer separate how they watch, shop and discover. We’re connecting content, commerce and daily life in a way that feels effortless for viewers but deeply valuable to brands.”

Branded storytelling at scale

To round out the announcements, Foxtel Media introduced Narratv, a new division focused on brand-funded storytelling. Headed by Alexandra Hazlehurst, the unit will build on recent branded content successes for Amcal Pharmacy, McDonald’s and Luxury Escapes.

Narratv aims to create “screen-worthy” brand stories, from episodic series to short-form formats, underpinned by improved measurement tools that demonstrate clear business outcomes.

A confident signal in a crowded season

For media buyers, the breadth of announcements reflected a confident Foxtel Group unafraid to stretch into new territories. “Foxtel delivered a confident pitch for brands into 2026,” Allatt said. “The DAZN acquisition hasn’t warped the vision. The promise of premium is well backed by measurement, and Foxtel has made it seamless for brands to keep pace.”

With upfronts season in full swing, the industry is being hit with pitches heavy on slogans.

Foxtel’s slate combined high-value sports rights with new ad formats, a retail media platform, branded content expansion and a gaming strategy that positions the company at the intersection of sport, entertainment and culture.