A new integration between CTV ad-tech company MNTN and independent sell-side platform Magnite aims to bring more small-and-medium sized brands and mid-market advertisers into the connected TV advertising fold with access to premium live streaming inventory.
Announced Thursday, the partnerships gives MNTN advertisers – 97% of which have never advertised on TV before using MNTN – access to ad inventory for live streaming programming, including tentpole events like sports, as well as news and on-demand content via Magnite’s direct media owners relationships.
The partnership encompasses the broad definition of “live” – meaning inventory spans sports, news, digital linear, FAST content and so on.
MNTN’s technology platform is focused on bringing performance marketing to CTV and the deeper integration with Magnite comes as CTV publishers at large continue efforts to attract a wide and potentially lucrative but largely untapped pool of SMB advertisers.
It also comes as more premium ad inventory, including live sports, has made its way to streaming, and where publishers and platforms aim to make the channel a more full-funnel vehicle for advertisers and better prove value of investments.
“This collaboration brings performance-driven marketers into streaming at scale, creating meaningful new revenue opportunities for publishers,” said Mike Laband, Group SVP of US Revenue at Magnite, in a statement. “Partnering with MNTN opens the door for a new class of performance-focused advertisers to show up in places they’ve never been before from live award shows to the biggest sporting events of the year.”
As StreamTV Insider previously covered in this report on the topic of CTV courting the SMB advertiser market, many smaller and mid-sized or performance-focused brands historically haven’t participated in traditional TV advertising as hurdles like cost, resources required for video assets and a lack of direct relationships with publishers, among others, were prohibitive.
MNTN and Magnite have partnered before, but the latest integration specifically unlocks live CTV programming, which previously hadn’t been possible for many smaller advertisers.
The direct integration of MNTN and Magnite allows live streaming inventory to be accessed and optimized with performance goals in mind, enabling marketers to have a more measurable way to show up alongside key streaming moments through Magnite’s publisher relationships.
In addition to in-stream video ad placements, the partnership allows MNTN advertiser clients to access new CTV ad formats from select publishers, including home screen placements and Pause Ads. (For more on the rise of new interactive CTV ad formats, see our recent special report on the topic here.)
Disney is one example of publisher inventory MNTN clients will have access to via Magnite. In the announcement Disney Advertising SVP of Automated Sales Matt Barnes commented on bringing a wider range of advertisers into the fold.
“Live streaming captures some of the most engaged audiences in media across sports and entertainment – and broad participation matters,” stated Barnes. “Welcoming mid-market and small to medium advertisers to the space expands the marketplace, connects more brands with audiences, and supports a streaming ecosystem that is sustainable, dynamic, and widely accessible.”
In terms of opening up live CTV ad inventory to more advertisers, Magnite’s Laband told StreamTV Insider that the move has many positive impacts for the SSP’s publisher clients – including around live content.
“New buyers that have never advertised on streaming or TV represent incremental revenue for publishers,” Laband explained. “More competition in auctions drives better yield for media owners. Greater demand diversity helps with fill rates and is especially useful in live scenarios when there might be unexpected spikes in viewership.”
And MNTN could bring a sizable pool. As of Q3 2025 the company disclosed 3,316 active performance-TV advertiser customers.
“Live sports and events are the most powerful moments on TV, and Magnite helps us make those moments perform for advertisers,” said Mark Douglas, CEO of MNTN, in a statement. “Streaming enables real-time targeting and measurement, and MNTN opens access to premium inventory, driving real results for advertisers of all sizes and new demand for publishers.”