Viewers today choose between dozens of streaming platforms before they even pick something to watch.

And even after they press play, 88% multitask and 68% turn to a second screen while watching TV*.

More choice means more competition. So when attention is more fragmented than ever, how do you break through the noise and reach your audience?

At Tubi, we believe it starts with fandoms, those most passionate viewers who care deeply about what they’re watching, feel truly connected to it, and extend that passion beyond the screen.

Fans don’t just watch – they live, breathe, and act on their passions. For brands, this makes fandoms a crucial consideration for their media strategy, because reaching true fans means reaching an audience that is more leaned in, more engaged, and ready to act on the messaging they see.

For brands, fandom creates an opportunity to connect around what audiences care about most.

In our survey and conversations with fans, we covered fandom behaviors, how streaming services fit their needs, ad experience on Advertising-Based Video on Demand (AVOD) platforms, and shopping behavior, and more.

The fans we talked to:

• Watch regularly: respondents watch 4+ hours/week of video content from any device or service
• Stream actively: respondents use at least one streaming service and streamed at least one hour within the past 30 days
• Are genre fans: respondents engage with one genre 3+ times a month, and we least-fill assigned fans to one qualifying genre to balance out the distribution of fandom sizes for our study.

In total, we heard from 2,503 US adults (18-64) and 300 teenagers (14-17) in our survey, plus interviews with a dozen real Tubi viewers to gather unfiltered perspectives from real fans.

What we found is important: being a fan isn’t just watching the content you love. It’s about:

• Feeling: Forming emotional connections that shape identity
• Connecting: Joining communities and conversations
• Spending: Spending on merchandise, collectibles, and related experiences
• Showing up: Showing up for events, premieres, and watch parties

What makes Tubi such a destination for fandom?

The reason why fans choose Tubi is deeper than free access to their favorite content (although Tubi is home to nearly 400,000 titles, all for free).

In short, Tubi attracts the most passionate fans because it was built for them.

No matter what kind of fan you are, Tubi’s deep, niche library means that there’s something for everyone, so any fan can dive headfirst down the rabbit hole, find niche content they can’t find anywhere else, and discover new favorites – all for free, no subscription needed.

The fans we surveyed told us what sets Tubi apart from other platforms: it’s easy to discover content, easy to use, and easy to love and trust.

With so many streaming options, Tubi viewers chose to be here because they love it.

And that matters – because when viewers are happy, they’re engaged, and when they’re engaged, they act.

We’re built by fans, for fans – and we went so deep on fandom that we have our own.

Why should advertisers care about fandom?

In our research and interviews with real viewers, we heard that fans welcome brands into the content they love.

Fans are more likely to pay attention and remember ads around content they care about, and that engagement translates into action – 81% of fans we surveyed said they took action after a brand showed up in their fandom.

One of the best examples of a fandom that goes further? Sports Culture.

48% of sports fans would support or love brands sponsoring live events – but shoulder content matters just as much as the biggest sports moments themselves. More than 60% of the sports fans we talked to said they would support or love brands sponsoring highlights, recaps, clips, behind-the-scenes, or documentary content.

Sports fans don’t stop at the final whistle, so they notice when brands keep the action going before and after the game.

What brand categories do fans want to hear from?

Fans told us what they wanted to see. Romance fans, for instance, pick beauty ads over any other category (56%), which makes an upcoming rom-com release a perfect fit for a beauty brand.

Since different fandoms prefer to hear from different categories of brands alongside their favorite content, advertisers should pay attention to these preferences to reach the fans who are most receptive – and most likely to pay attention and act after seeing an ad.

Different fandoms prefer to see different types of advertisements alongside their favorite content.

The bottom line

When brands show up for fans, fans show up for them.

And that’s especially true among Tubi streamers:

• Tubi streamers are 14% more likely to pay attention to ads, compared to streamers who don’t watch Tubi
• 1 in 2 are open to purchasing from a brand they see advertising on Tubi

We could talk about turning attention into outcomes all day, so we’re pressing pause here – but we’ll be back soon to discuss how passion becomes action for brands, reveal more insights from our research, and answer more of the questions we hear most from advertisers.

want to learn more?

Check out "The FOX Fandom Advantage" to learn more about why fandom matters now (more than ever).

Source: *eMarketer
All data unless otherwise noted is sourced from a Fandom & Fan Value Study from Tubi with CMB, Sep 2026, n=2,803. Index: Tubi vs. non-Tubi users.