You can run sponsor ads through the playlists in your Automated Game Plan. This article explains how playlist ads work, the two ways an ad can appear on screen, how to hand ad slots to clubs, and what to check when ads don't show.
Overview
With playlist-based advertising, ads are controlled through the playlists in your Automated Game Plan in the Automation tab. Each playlist runs at a set moment in the broadcast: pre-game, in a break such as half time, after the final whistle, on a live event such as a goal, or on a time trigger during play. Any ad items in that playlist show at the start time you give them.
Playlist ads are one of two equally valid ways to run ads. The other is Ad Allocation in the Ads tab, which is set per competition. Playlist ads can take the scorebug off screen, place ads anywhere at any size, tie ads to events, times and breaks, and hand slots to clubs. To compare the two, see Ad Allocation or playlist ads: which to use.
How ad items work in playlists
There are two ad items you can add to a playlist with Add Item to Sequence:
Advertisement: choose Image Ads, Custom Images, Video Ads or Club Slot, and pick a size from Small to Extra Large. Set a start time (mm:ss) and a duration. Leave the duration empty to keep the ad on screen for the whole playlist. Drag it into place on the 1920x1080 canvas, using Grid Snap if you like.
Ad Template (Add Advert Template): set a start time and a Duration, or switch on Loop. With Loop on, Duration is replaced by "Loop enabled - no duration" and the template keeps cycling its adverts. Position it on the canvas by dragging, with Grid Snap, or with the X and Y centre position. Its adverts play in the order set in the template.
For full steps, see Add an advertisement to a playlist and Add an ad template to a playlist.
In-graphic ads vs detached ads
Playlist ads can appear on screen in two ways:
In-graphic ads sit inside graphics that have an ad area, such as the match ID, scorebug, team lists or match stats. When you add or edit one of these graphics in a playlist, an Assets section appears. Choose a specific advert from your organisation, or choose Add Slot for the home or away club. Each ad area has a fixed size, shown in the app. If there's no Assets section, the graphic has no ad area.
Detached ads sit anywhere on screen at any size. They're the Advertisement and Ad Template items described above, and they aren't tied to a graphic.
Learn more in Understanding in-graphic ads vs detached ads and Adding in-graphic ads to playlist graphics.
Adding an ad to a playlist
To add a detached ad, follow these steps.
Go to the Automation tab and open your Automated Game Plan.
Choose the Pre/Post Match & Breaks tab or the In Game (Live) tab, then open the playlist where you want the ad, for example your half-time or pre-game playlist.
Click Add Item to Sequence.
Choose Advertisement or Ad Template.
For an Advertisement, choose the type (Image Ads, Custom Images, Video Ads or Club Slot) and the size. For an Ad Template, pick the template.
Set the start time in mm:ss. Give it its own start second, as two transitions on one second can wipe each other.
Set the duration, or leave it empty (Advertisement) or switch on Loop (Ad Template) to keep it on screen.
Drag the ad into place on the 1920x1080 canvas, then save the item to the playlist timeline.
Use Preview a playlist to check it plays the way you expect.
In-game ads
For ads during live play, add them to playlists in the In Game (Live) tab. These playlists run on match events (for example with every goal) or on time triggers during play. A time trigger defaults to priority 4 with the guards isLive and isNotPenaltyShootout, so the ad only runs during play, never in a shootout, and goals and cards always win.
To show a sponsor without the scoreboard, start the playlist with Hide all, add the ad a second later, then finish with Show scorebug just after it ends. Live playlists should always end by bringing the scorebug back. See Show sponsor ads during play without the scoreboard and Run a playlist at a set time with time triggers.
Enabling ads on an overlay
Ads only show if the match's overlay has ads switched on.
On the Matches table, expand your match.
Open the menu on the overlay's row and click Configure. The UPDATE OVERLAY window opens.
In the Ads section, set Ad Type to Brands and switch on Enable Ads.
Click Update.
If Ad Type is No Brands or Enable Ads is off, no ads show on that overlay, however your playlists are set up.
Club delegation
Instead of choosing an advert yourself, you can give a slot to the home or away club. Use Club Slot on an Advertisement item, or Add Slot in a graphic's Assets section, and give the slot a name, size, timing and position.
Clubs see their slots on the Ad Slots page in the Club Portal, including the playlist, when it shows and the size, and they upload the advert to fill it. If the club hasn't uploaded an advert, the slot is empty during the broadcast. See How to delegate ad slots to clubs through the Club Portal.
Common issues
Ads not appearing on output
Check the overlay's Ad Type is Brands and Enable Ads is on.
Check the ad is in the right playlist, and the game plan is assigned to the match's competition and to the theme profile the overlay uses.
Check Manual is off in the Control Room, so the game plan runs the graphics automatically.
Check for the green dot on the ad set. All seven image sizes must be uploaded before an ad set can display.
More help: Why ads are not appearing on broadcast output.
Ad set not available when assigning it
The ad set may be assigned to a different club. Ad sets assigned to clubs are locked to that club until unassigned. Go to Ads > Ad Sets, find the ad set, check the Assign to Club field, remove the existing assignment if needed, and save.
Ad cuts off early or doesn't play
A higher priority playlist, such as a goal, can take over one that's already running. A Hide all placed exactly on the ad's end time can also cut its out-animation short. See Playlist priority and guards explained.
Delegated slot is empty during broadcast
The club hasn't uploaded an advert for the slot on their Ad Slots page. Contact the club to confirm it's uploaded. See Why a delegated ad slot is empty during broadcast.