Chris Grosso, CEO of Intersection, argues that stadiums near transit turn game days into major ad opportunities, estimating 70,000 to 80,000 fans with about 30% arriving by mass transit can generate millions of impressions.
Grosso says generative AI can produce hundreds of highly customized creative pieces, letting ads tailor to individual neighborhoods across Intersection's 2,000 Link kiosks in New York and bring small businesses into digital signage.
Grosso says digital signs deliver three, four or five times the ad impressions of printed ones and calls retail media the biggest untapped opportunity, so brands must balance digital and print correctly.
Why stadium transit crowds are out-of-home advertising's growth engine
Digital out-of-home advertising is growing because cities are concentrating big crowds around transit, and sports games are the largest of those gatherings. Ads in physical space cannot be skipped or intermediated by online platforms, so screen placement is the scarce asset. In Intersection's model the ad revenue also funds the shelters and WiFi the city wants.
Takeaways
Game days turn transit into massive ad venues. Grosso estimates a 70,000 to 80,000 person crowd, about 30% arriving by mass transit, yields millions of impressions. Teams play about eight regular season home games yearly, and stadiums like Minneapolis's sit downtown on light rail.
Unskippable physical ads cut through digital clutter. People in physical space cannot skip ads, and online platforms cannot intermediate a well-placed screen, so Grosso calls placement half the battle. He predicts a ton of growth over three or four years from a $9bn US market.
Ad revenue funds the city's own amenities. Transit and street furniture media spending returns to communities as cash and pays for bus shelters and free WiFi, Grosso says, as it does for JCDecaux and Outfront. Brown adds that concerts at public arenas fund local infrastructure.
Retail media is the biggest untapped opportunity. A digital sign delivers three to five times the impressions of a printed one, so businesses must balance the two. Printed ads gain digital benefits through QR codes and third-party data. Brown names Amazon, Walmart and Kroger as entrants.
Generative AI makes hyperlocal creative possible at scale. Grosso sees little AI in sports out-of-home yet, but tools can produce hundreds of customized pieces, tailoring art to each neighbourhood across Intersection's 2,000 Link kiosks in New York. Brown sees this opening signage to small businesses near stadiums.
Screens must offer value before ads. Train times, weather and sports scores earn attention for the advertising alongside them. Game-day content such as countdown clocks and starting lineups around stations follows the same logic.
Privacy rules out targeting people in public. Intersection uses no personally identifiable data and does not target individuals in public space, which Grosso considers impossible to do in a privacy friendly way. Municipal partners set clear expectations the company must meet.
Sponsorships and creative that stood out
BetMGM renamed the transit line to the Meadowlands as the BetMGM line.
Brands, often beverage companies, sponsor free post-game rides home, and Intersection has arranged these with transit authorities.
Tap a name to go there · tap a line to see why they are linked
On this episode 2
Show 1
A Manhattanhenge sponsorship let one brand take over New York City's screens at the same moment.
Grosso praises large-format 3D work in Times Square and says Taylor Swift's concerts had a massive impact on city economies.
On sustainability, Intersection runs solar-powered backlit shelter ads, is testing electric vehicles to service signs, and urges brands to sponsor transit.