‘We’ll be watching closely’: Media buyers respond to DAZN’s Australian overhaul

DAZN made some big claims about its Australian ambitions this week. Now media buyers want to see the proof.

The newly renamed DAZN Media+ used its 2027 upfront to lay out an expansive vision for the former Foxtel Media business, stretching its advertising proposition beyond the broadcast and stream into creators, stadiums, data and new technology.

For buyers, the direction is compelling.

But as agencies weigh where increasingly fragmented media budgets should flow, independent measurement and evidence that DAZN can deliver incremental audiences beyond the free-to-air networks remain important pieces of the equation.

SEE MORE: DAZN makes its Australian statement as Foxtel gives way to Kayo

Mindshare head of investment Ante Pejic said the expanded proposition was one of the standout elements of the upfront.

“The commercial strategy team at Foxtel, now DAZN Media+, really impressed yesterday,” Pejic said.

“Expanding their ad products to bring stadium signage and a creator network into the fold turns this into a genuine, omnichannel sports marketing solution. It’s not just about the live broadcast or the stream anymore; it’s about capturing every touchpoint around the game, all underpinned by a really powerful Sports Audience Graph. Clever.”

The expanded proposition includes Club Kayo, a new creator ecosystem spanning AFL, NRL, cricket and motorsport, alongside an increasingly sophisticated data and technology stack.

Kaimera and Havas Media chief commercial officer Michael Bass said the shift from Foxtel Media to DAZN Media+ was about considerably more than a new name.

“Foxtel Media's evolution into DAZN Media+ comes with a clear statement about where the business sees future growth and where it intends to lead,” Bass said.

“DAZN Media+ has put forward one of the most significant visions for sport that we've seen from an Australian media company in years."

Bass said sport's ability to attract audiences had never been in question. Unlocking more commercial value from those audiences had.

“The breadth of DAZN’s investment across data, measurement, technology and fan engagement recognises that untapped commercial opportunity in sport and is backed by an aggressive commitment to capturing it,” he said.

That commercial opportunity was a recurring theme throughout Thursday night's presentation at The Cutaway in Barangaroo.

DAZN told buyers its Australian business reaches more than 15 million people across sport, entertainment and news, while declaring itself Australia's biggest media company by revenue and earnings and its biggest streaming company.

It also unveiled an AI-powered agentic trading system designed to simplify buying premium video inventory and outlined a broader advertising ecosystem extending into creator content and sporting venues.

For Bass, those investments address some of the fundamental considerations behind where agencies and marketers put their money.

“Marketers back channels that are easy to understand, easy to buy and easy to justify,” he said.

“The initiatives announced by DAZN Media+ strengthen each of those areas, resulting in a stronger commercial proposition for sport and a more compelling case for brands seeking scaled, accountable growth in an increasingly fragmented media market.”

But Pejic identified one important question still to be answered.

“From an agency investment perspective, the missing piece is still independent audience measurement and clearly demonstrating incremental reach against the FTA networks,” he said.

“We’ll be watching closely to see if AudienceProject can solve that crucial element for buyers.”

Pejic also backed the decision to progressively bring Fox Sports and Kayo together under the Kayo brand, describing the move as logical following the change in ownership and “very future-facing”.

There is, however, another potential consequence of having one of the world's largest sports streaming businesses sitting behind Kayo.

DAZN holds a significant portfolio of football rights globally, while Australia's major European football competitions currently sit elsewhere.

Pejic said football remained the notable omission from an otherwise formidable Australian sports portfolio.

“While they hold almost all the major codes, there’s still one close to my heart missing: football,” he said.

“It will be very interesting to see how DAZN uses its global firepower to potentially bring things like the EPL, La Liga and Champions League back into the ecosystem.”

For all the spectacle surrounding DAZN's upfront, that may ultimately be the bigger question facing the market.