ESPN's new online ads let businesses focus on your favorite teams

Visit ESPN's website after your team scores a big victory, and you may start seeing ads congratulating them on the win. 

Meanwhile, that same advertiser could be simultaneously mourning the opposing team's loss to appease its disappointed fans.

ESPN just rolled out a new tool that lets advertisers place personalized ads based on what it knows about visitors' favorite teams and players and the outcomes of particular games.

Brands can even build an advertisement around an exciting moment in a game -- say, a far-out three-pointer from Steph Curry that has social media abuzz -- then target it at fans of Curry or the Golden State Warriors for a set window of time afterwards.

The sports network unveiled the new tool, called LiveConnect, on Tuesday at its upfront presentation in New York, a yearly showcase for media companies trying to woo potential advertisers.

The goal, ESPN says, is to give advertisers the tools and data necessary to predict a fan's "emotional state" when he or she visits the site. They can then make ads that echo that feeling in hopes of appearing sympathetic.

Early testing indicates that approach may actually work; ads tailored to resonate with fans have already enjoyed more success than the site's usual promos, says Eric Johnson, ESPN's executive vice president of multimedia sales. 

The program is currently in a beta-testing phase with a handful of brands including Dick's Sporting Goods and Allstate signed on to try it out.

While it only works with website banner ads right now, ESPN is hoping to expand the system to video ads -- both on its site and within its streaming app -- in coming months.

The move comes as traditional TV networks like ESPN are facing mounting competition from digital media companies and social networks who promise precisely targeted ads. Standard TV commercials can seem like a blunt instrument in comparison.

Making matters worse, an increasing number of people are forgoing cable packages in favor of streaming services like Hulu and Netflix.

Live sports games are still by far the biggest draw of traditional bundles, but even ESPN is feeling the crunch as subscribers begin to trickle away.

Long an unstoppable force in sports media, ESPN recently responded to the threat with a new ad campaign meant to remind people how much more exciting its can't-miss live sports moments are than social media and streaming services.

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