With the NFL's current $4.4B TV deal set to expire after the
'97 season, VARIETY's Gary Levin writes CBS will "no doubt try to
claw their way" into the mix, "as long as it doesn't get gouged
too badly." Levin notes CBS' best shot at the NFL is by landing
a regular-season shared cable package from either TNT or ESPN.
However, he predicts it is "unlikely" the NFL will add another
weekday package because it would "dilute the advertising and
viewer pie for everyone else." CBS Sports President David Kenin:
"The NFL is our No. 1 priority. ... We want it if we can find a
way to make it make sense." Levin writes that Fox "isn't likely
to let the league slip away," and that NBC and Disney, owners of
both ABC and ESPN, will also protect their interests. Levin
notes current rightsholders have "little to complain about,"
because the NFL is believed to "easily generate" $1B in annual ad
revenue and the current TV deal has clearly "paid off" by
bringing viewers and "luster" to the nets -- "even if not always
direct profits from ad sales" (VARIETY, 8/26).
RATINGS: Media buyers predict that '96 NFL ratings will be
"flat" or even down 1-2% compared to last season, due to "general
network erosion." But, noting that September game ad spots are
already sold out, Levin adds that from a business standpoint,
"demand seems sufficient to override the peaks and valleys,"
despite "concern" about October with the World Series on Fox.
This year, regular-season ads for daytime games will still run
from $120,000-400,000, about 3-5% higher on a CPM basis (VARIETY,
8/26).
