For NBA games in Canada this season on TSN, NBA Canada
"has opted to sell all the commercial time itself -- a rare
undertaking by a major pro sports league," according to
Langdon Brockinton of MEDIAWEEK. Among the first companies
to "cut deals" with NBA Canada are Gatorade, Champion,
Warner-Lambert and Labatt Breweries of Canada. NBA Canada's
Managing Dir Ken Derrett said "agreements with several
automakers and athletic shoe marketers are imminent."
Derrett, on the NBA selling all the inventory itself: "We
want to provide a one-stop shopping service. We think that,
long-term, we can build stronger partnerships this way. We
can get all of an advertiser's marketing needs met."
Brockinton: "Whether NBA Canada will move its entire
inventory load remains to be seen. The deals just signed
are season-long commitments. A season-long buy consisting
of one 30-second spot per game carries an [C]$80,000-$95,000
price tag." TSN "plans" to televise 26 Friday night
regular-season games and "a minimum" of 12 playoff matchups.
The network will produce eight of the 26 regular season
games, with the remainder being TNT feeds (MEDIAWEEK, 9/22)
