Samsung Ads published the report "The Sports Lovers," based on data from over 10.3 million active and connected Smart TVs in Mexico. It provides a detailed overview of sports consumption in the country's connected television ecosystem. The potential universe reaches over 32.9 million consumers, with an almost balanced audience between men and women, 51% and 49% respectively.
The most relevant structural data from the report is the distribution of viewing time: 86% corresponds to streaming and only 14% to traditional television. Within that ecosystem, sports rank as the favorite genre of Mexicans in linear television, surpassing news and general entertainment. More than 3.8 million connected Smart TVs consume sports content, representing over 12 million potential fans who collectively spend more than 4 million hours monthly consuming that type of content, equivalent to 5% of the total time spent on open and pay linear television.
Soccer dominates, but the fan profile is multi-screen
87% of sports fans consume it on linear television, but 93% of those who follow soccer also consume streaming, showing how both channels complement rather than compete with each other. American football ranks as the second most-watched sport in Mexico with 67% of linear sports fans, followed by baseball with 23%, basketball with 26%, and tennis with 14%.
Gaming as an additional layer of the sports profile
One of the most significant findings for the advertising industry is the overlap between sports and gaming. Among soccer fans, 39% identify as heavy gamers and 19% have a console connected to their Smart TV. In baseball, that percentage of heavy gamers rises to 40%, in basketball to 36%, and in tennis also to 36%. The profile of the Mexican sports fan on Smart TV is, in practice, a highly digital user who complements their consumption with action, adventure, science fiction, and e-sports content.
The advertising opportunity in numbers
Advertising effectiveness data within this environment is significant for brands evaluating their media mix. 61% of Mexicans remember ads aired before a sports program and 60% recall those shown during the broadcast. 37% say they discovered new products or services thanks to advertising on Smart TVs, and 21% claim to have purchased a product advertised in that environment.
From the next+ analysis, the Samsung Ads report arrives at the most opportune moment in the advertising calendar. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and three host cities in Mexico, sports audiences on Smart TV represent one of the advertising inventories with the greatest impact potential of the year. For brands and agencies planning their CTV and retail media strategies, the profile described by Samsung Ads is not just a sports audience: it is a digital, multi-screen consumer with high receptivity to contextual advertising, making it one of the most valuable segments to activate during the World Cup season.