London – March 5, 2026 – Looper Insights, the leading CTV merchandising analytics platform, today released a new report, “NBA All-Star Game: Inside NBC and Peacock’s Push to Win Over the U.S.”, analyzing how NBCUniversal leveraged its cross-platform ecosystem to maximize visibility for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game across connected TV devices.
The NBA All-Star Game, held February 15, averaged 8.8 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo, marking the event’s largest audience since 2011. The milestone performance coincided with a coordinated connected TV promotional strategy that focused on increasing visibility across premium home-screen environments.
The 2026 All-Star Game introduced the new “U.S. vs. World” mini-tournament format, adding fresh competitive energy to one of the league’s most anticipated nights. The Sunday showcase brought together elite American and international talent in a primetime moment that maximized national and global reach.
The Looper Insights report reveals how NBC and Peacock concentrated promotional weight across a small number of highly prominent home-screen surfaces on major U.S. connected TV platforms. By securing entry-point positioning across key devices, the campaign generated significant placement value and scale during All-Star Sunday.
Roku Emerged as a Standout Surface
Among the platforms analyzed, Roku played a pivotal role in amplifying visibility. A dominant home-screen position ensured immediate consumer attention in a high-traffic environment. The “USA vs. World” creative leveraged bold red-versus-blue contrast, star-driven imagery, dual NBC + Peacock branding, and a clear “WATCH NOW” call-to-action to drive urgency and tune-in.
Samsung and Apple TV Reinforced Cross-Device Presence
Full-page takeovers and high-impact navigation placements across Samsung TV models extended reach across multiple user entry points, while Apple TV’s Discover tab placement reinforced Peacock as the streaming destination. The coordinated presence across platforms ensured consistent exposure throughout the connected TV ecosystem.
Key Strategic Takeaways
The report highlights four performance themes shaping live sports promotion on connected TV:
- Concentration drives scale – A small number of high-impact surfaces can account for a disproportionate share of overall visibility.
- Home screen positioning maximizes impact – Above-the-fold entry points remain the most valuable promotional real estate.
- Creative clarity reduces friction – Strong visual contrast and direct tune-in messaging enhance urgency.
- Cross-device coordination extends reach – Unified presence across leading platforms reinforces consumer awareness.
“The 2026 NBA All-Star Game demonstrates how concentrated visibility across premium home screen environments can amplify live event performance,” said Francesca Pezzoli, VP of Marketing at Looper Insights. “When entry-point positioning, creative execution, and cross-device coordination align, the impact across connected TV becomes both measurable and commercially meaningful.”
The full report provides detailed device-level analysis, placement breakdowns, and actionable benchmarks for broadcasters, leagues, and streaming platforms competing for attention in today’s connected TV landscape.
The NBA All-Star Game: Inside NBC and Peacock’s Push to Win Over the U.S. report is now available from Looper Insights here.
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