It’s no secret that sports are a huge driver of reach and engagement for TV audiences and brands. Now with the changes happening in TV brought on by streaming, live sports is arguably the most reliable way for brands to reach a lot of people, at once, when they are leaning forward and engaged.
However, sports is also undergoing a transformation. Fragmentation means there are now more sports and shows about sports on more channels, at more times of day and viewable in more ways than ever before. As much as it’s hard for fans to keep up, brands now have both an opportunity and a challenge ahead of them.
That is why iSpot continues its investment in measuring TV audiences and advertising for sports across linear, streaming and out-of-home locations. It’s also why we are so excited to welcome David Coletti on board as our VP of Sports Research & Insights, where he will be working closely with all our brand, network and sports franchise customers.
Read the full press release below to learn more about the deep experience and sports expertise David brings to iSpot and stay tuned for more on him and sports insights in the coming year. For more on how to get the most from your sports investments, contact us.
iSpot Hires Longtime Research Executive David Coletti to Lead Its Sports Research & Insights Team
Former ESPN, Disney Sports Guru to Help Network, Brands and Sports Franchises Leverage Audience and TV Ad Measurement Across Linear, Streaming and Out-of-Home Environments
Bellevue, WA – December 13, 2023 – iSpot, the TV measurement company, today announced its continued investment in cross-platform audience measurement for sports with the appointment of seasoned industry veteran David Coletti as Vice President of Sports Research & Insights.
In the new role, Coletti will work closely with iSpot’s brand, network and sports franchise clients to provide complete measurement and insights for TV consumption of live sporting events across linear, streaming and out-of-home (OOH). Coletti will provide consultative guidance on sports programming, advertising and sponsorship strategies and oversee special products designed to help the ecosystem unlock greater value from TV’s most important advertising genre.
Coletti brings more than two decades of experience in sports measurement to iSpot. Considered a pioneer within a media ecosystem that has had to weather numerous changes to content distribution as linear and digital models continue to evolve to meet consumer demand, Coletti was most recently VP Research & Insights at Disney, where he launched the company’s Media Distribution Insights group that supports the distribution functions for TV networks, streaming apps, motion pictures, music and TV and film licensing. As head of the group, Coletti and his team were a critical driver of Disney content, channel and service monetization, supporting multibillion-dollar MVPD distribution deals (such as Comcast, YouTube TV & DirecTV), app distribution agreements (for example, Disney+ on Roku) and content-licensing negotiations (e.g., film packages sold to Max and Tubi TV).
Prior to his role at Disney, Coletti spent over two decades at ESPN, leading the team responsible for providing strategic insights about ESPN’s TV and digital performance across platforms — including network ratings, streaming viewership and web/app usage. At ESPN, Coletti also spearheaded the network’s inclusion of streaming audiences into its TV currency, and built ESPN+’s consumer research function. His team was critical to helping the company understand trends and shifts in content distribution, audience behavior, technology adoption, social media impact, the competitive landscape and evolving marketplace trends.
Colleti joins iSpot as part of its constant investment in audience and ad measurement for TV, and follows the acquisition of Tunity in 2022, which brought OOH measurement into iSpot’s cross-platform offering. “Dave has incredible knowledge about the dynamic intersection of TV and sports and the respect of so many in the industry,” said Sean Muller, CEO and founder, iSpot. “He will be an invaluable resource for helping brands, networks and franchises understand the audience viewership across various platforms and demonstrate the brand and business impact of sports advertising investments.”
“Understanding sports viewing behavior comprehensively — and being able to capitalize on that highly sought-after audience — is crucial for marketers looking to not only meet these consumers where they are, but also to drive optimal business outcomes,” said Coletti. “I couldn’t be more excited to be at iSpot, which is at the forefront of media measurement and is revolutionizing an entire industry.”
Hailing from Foxboro, Massachusetts, Coletti received a Bachelor of Science degree in Television, Radio and Film Management from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
Coletti’s hire comes following news of another industry pioneer joining the company’s ranks. In June, iSpot announced that Leslie Wood, data science leader and advertising expert who had a storied tenure as Chief Data Officer for NCSolutions (formerly Nielsen Catalina), had been hired as its Chief Research Officer.
About iSpot
iSpot.tv is a cross-platform TV measurement company trusted by brands and networks to deliver fast, accurate and actionable information the marketplace can use to transact. Its real-time, always-on platform measures all phases of the TV advertising lifecycle from creative testing to audience verification, to business outcomes and brand impact, empowering brands to justify, optimize and invest with confidence. iSpot persistently measures TV-device impressions and second-by-second attention for all TV ads in a unified manner across linear, time-shifted, VOD, streaming environments and out-of-home (OOH) environments. A trusted currency provider for networks, ad-delivery platforms and agencies, iSpot uses its proprietary systems for bringing transparency into TV advertising at unparalleled scale. The company delivers its solution in real time via intuitive and modern dashboards as well as APIs and customized analytics. iSpot.tv has hundreds of brands and all major TV networks licensing its enterprise solution and has become a trusted currency for networks, brands and agencies. Founded in Bellevue, Washington in 2012, iSpot has offices in major cities across America.