Inside the 2025 Upfronts & Newfronts: Key Dates and Locations for Ad Buyers
The 2025 Upfronts and Newfronts will unfold across New York and Los Angeles from April to May, as major networks and streaming platforms compete for billions in advertising commitments. These high-stakes presentations—where media giants unveil their slates and ad strategies—will shape the $70 billion upfront market, reflecting evolving viewer habits and the streaming wars’ next phase.
The Evolving Landscape of TV and Digital Advertising
With streaming now accounting for 38% of total TV viewership (Nielsen Q4 2024), the lines between traditional Upfronts (network TV) and Newfronts (digital-native) continue blurring. Disney will present its combined Disney+/Hulu/ABC portfolio, while Netflix joins the Newfronts for the third consecutive year—a symbolic shift for the once ad-free pioneer.
“The 2025 cycle represents an inflection point where streaming ad budgets may surpass linear TV for the first time,” predicts media analyst Rebecca Cho of Kantar Group. “Buyers want unified measurement across platforms, and whoever delivers that clarity will dominate.”
Key industry trends shaping this year’s events include:
- Programmatic upfront deals: 45% growth projected YoY (eMarketer)
- Retail media integration: Walmart Connect and Amazon Ads expanding TV offerings
- AI-powered targeting: 78% of buyers prioritize platforms with machine learning capabilities (IAB survey)
2025 Upfronts Schedule: Network Power Plays
The traditional Upfronts kick off April 28th at Radio City Music Hall with NBCUniversal’s spectacle, followed by:
- Disney: May 1 at North Javits Center (expanded AR experiences)
- Warner Bros. Discovery: May 2 at Madison Square Garden
- Paramount: May 5 at Carnegie Hall featuring Taylor Sheridan reveals
Notably, Fox moves to May 6 at the Manhattan Center, while Telemundo hosts its first standalone upfront on May 7—reflecting Spanish-language TV’s 12% audience growth (Nielsen).
Newfronts 2025: Streaming’s Center Stage
Digital players dominate May 12-16 at Pier 36, with TikTok and YouTube leading with shoppable ad demos. Key highlights:
- Netflix: May 13 (expected to announce live sports ad tiers)
- Amazon Prime Video: May 14 featuring NFL Thursday Night Football integrations
- Roku City: May 15 showcasing 200+ free ad-supported channels
“The Newfronts aren’t the undercard anymore—they’re where innovation happens,” says OMD’s Chief Investment Officer, Mark Wright. “Last year’s $9 billion in digital commitments could grow 25% as CTV [connected TV] becomes the new primetime.”
What Ad Buyers Want: Data, Flexibility, and Brand Safety
With 62% of advertisers planning to reallocate budgets from linear to streaming (Forrester), buyers emphasize three demands:
- Cross-platform measurement: Unified metrics beyond Nielsen’s C3/C7
- Cancellation clauses: Protection against writer/actor strikes
- Contextual targeting: Brand-safe environments amid AI content proliferation
GroupM’s latest forecast suggests total upfront commitments could reach $72.3 billion—a 4% increase from 2024—with streaming capturing 52% of spend.
The Future of Upfronts: Hybrid Models and Year-Round Negotiations
As the industry debates whether the decades-old upfront model remains viable, alternatives gain traction:
- Peacock’s “Always On” upfront: Quarterly content showcases
- YouTube’s auction-based: Real-time bidding for premium inventory
- Blockchain pilots: Warner’s smart contracts for automatic makegoods
The 2025 presentations may determine whether these experimental approaches supplement or supplant the traditional system. With ad-supported streaming users projected to surpass 200 million by Q3 (Parks Associates), the pressure to perform has never been higher.
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