The company's staggering growth suggests that its model is working-without ads. Last week, Netflix surpassed Comcast-and briefly surpassed The Walt Disney Company-in market cap, becoming the most valuable media company in the world.

While there was the usual celebration of linear TV, and the de rigueur embrace of data and targeting, there was another trend that permeated the presentations last week: streaming video.

As the major TV networks host their annual upfront presentations for advertisers and agencies this week, there is sure to be a recurring theme: subtle (and not so subtle) jabs at technology giants like Google and Facebook.

"We break the linear consumption [of sports] into small bites of what is happening now, and creatively package it in new ways," says Heed CEO Danna Rabin.

This year's NewFront presentations are streamlined from years past, with far fewer companies presenting, and all participating events taking place this week (with another set of presentations planned for the west coast later this year). Still, while some things are different, others remain the same. Once again, video rules the roost, with every presenter poised to play up their video chops.