Leveling Up Sport & Advertising: Caitlin O'Meara on Foxtel Media's Leap into Gaming

Foxtel Media has built its reputation on pushing boundaries and staying at the forefront of innovation – and this commitment extends to the visionary people who drive the business forward. Caitlin O'Meara, Head of Advertising Go-To-Market Strategy at Foxtel Media, isn't just keeping pace with change – she's actively shaping how Australian audiences connect with the sports they love. 

At the 2026 Upfronts, Foxtel Media unveiled a groundbreaking partnership with Livewire, launching a Kayo Stadium in Roblox that opens unprecedented opportunities in gaming for both fans and advertisers. 

"This e-gaming strategy allows us to target the gaming community across our Foxtel Media network, which we haven't had the ability to do before," Caitlin explains. "It's a new way for kids to experience the Australian codes and allows those codes and Foxtel Media to engage them far beyond just the gaming environment." 

Australia's Gaming Gold Rush 

The timing couldn't be more strategic. While e-gaming has exploded globally, Australia presents a unique opportunity that Foxtel Media was perfectly positioned to seize. "It's a great time now because this gaming world has exploded, but in Australia it hasn't enormously taken off like it has in the rest of the world. It definitely gives us a bit of an edge," Caitlin explains. 

Enter Kayo Stadium – a first-to-market sports arena in Roblox where fans can play games, interact with sport, and connect with Foxtel Group's content in entirely new ways. The platform's flexibility made it the ideal choice for bringing Australian codes to life digitally. "It allows us to leverage our relationships with our code partners, to bring games to life in that environment; Roblox is so easy and adaptable," Caitlin notes. 

For brands, this represents genuine access to the notoriously hard-to-reach 14-24 demographic through meaningful engagement. "It's a way to extend the sponsorship. The 14-24 category are very difficult to target, and to get cut through with," she says.

"Having them in a really engaged property like gaming allows them to have that deeper brand association, with care." 

Building Tomorrow's Fan Experience 

The Kayo Stadium experience breaks new ground by transforming passive viewers into active participants within immersive gaming environments.  "We would look to create an experience where you come into the branded Kayo Stadium and can play various different games like NRL, or a Supercars driving game," Caitlin explains. "The opportunity extends far beyond that – there are merchandising opportunities and more." 

This isn't just another advertising touchpoint – it's about intercepting audiences when they're most receptive. "It sits nicely as an addition to a major sponsorship," she notes, but the real breakthrough lies in creating authentic connections within gaming's participatory environment. 

What makes this truly special is how it levels the playing field, "it allows that younger fanbase to put themselves inside the NRL or Supercars environment – a bit like a parallel universe that brings the fun into the code," Caitlin says.

In this virtual world, traditional barriers disappear, creating space where every fan can feel like they're part of the action. 

The Innovation Advantage 

For advertisers, this unlocks something they've been searching for: first-to-market access to a younger, gaming-savvy audience captured during moments of peak engagement.

"It opens up scope for new clients to buy across the Foxtel Group network. We're tapping into gaming's huge global audience and creating a unique Kayo universe that gives us completely new integration capabilities with clients – innovating in ways we've never done before," Caitlin explains. 

But the excitement extends far beyond the advertising team. This bold move sends a powerful signal throughout Foxtel Group – demonstrating the kind of fearless innovation that keeps us at the entertainment industry's cutting edge. 

"I think because we have a little bit of a first mover advantage, we are showing that we are innovative, particularly when we come from a linear business into a streaming business. Now we're expanding into a gaming business as well," Caitlin notes. 

The pace of transformation itself becomes a competitive advantage. "It shows the speed with which our business can move, with openness, to new formats, new integration opportunities, and new code possibilities. The innovative part, I think is the most exciting," she adds. 

Personal Passion Meets Professional Growth 

For Caitlin personally, this venture into gaming captures exactly what excites her most – the thrill of venturing into uncharted territory where innovation meets opportunity. 

"I think it diversifies my skill set even further," she shares. "I've always been very strong in digital, having worked in the digital side of our business for the last 10 years, but I think it's a world that I still don't know a huge amount about at the moment. I'm looking forward to understanding it, how people engage with it, and what the future of e-gaming looks like within our business." 

This curiosity and willingness to embrace the unknown perfectly captures what makes Foxtel Media's culture so dynamic. "Our industry is very fast paced, and there's never a dull moment. The changes in the industry, and the way that Foxtel has kept up has been remarkable, and it's inspiring to be part of that," she explains. 

Game On 

Looking ahead, Kayo Stadium is just the beginning of Foxtel Media's gaming journey. The next 12 months will redefine how fans experience sport in virtual worlds – and for anyone in advertising, Caitlin's advice is clear. 

"Being really open minded and not having a siloed mindset ensuring that you’re leveraging all platforms."

"Our industry is moving so quickly, so keeping up with all the innovations and being aware of where we're heading is really important," she explains. "It's about exploring, understanding, knowing and caring about what's next." 

Read more about Foxtel Media's partnership with Livewire.