Networks Have Sold 90% Of NFL Ads, NFL Network At 75%

Networks Seeing Strong Ad Sales For NFL Broadcasts

The NFL's TV rights holders’ sell-out levels “are hovering at around 90[%], with high-single-digit cost-per-thousand increases over last season,” according to John Consoli of MEDIAWEEK. CBS, Fox and NBC have sold more than 90% of their regular-season ad inventory and are at “just about that level” for postseason games. CBS Exec VP/Sales & Marketing John Bogusz indicated that his network has “benefited from a heavy dose of renewals.” Bogusz: “Our attrition rate has been very low. Not only is everyone coming back, they are adding to the level of their buys.” Strong categories for CBS telecasts include automotive, beer, financial, fast food and pharmaceutical. Consoli adds NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” has seen CPM increases averaging over 10%, and a Fox rep said that the network “had sold most of its NFL ad inventory at high single-digit increases and it is heavily sold.”  Consoli reports NFL Network is already 75% sold for its slate of eight Thursday and Sunday night games that begin in Thanksgiving, though those spots are "part of larger programming packages throughout the network." Despite being carried in only about 44 million homes, the net has signed new advertisers including Geico, Heineken, E*Trade, Philips, Corona, Old Spice, Citizen Watches, Yamaha, Helzberg Diamonds and Kay Jewelers and its Jared's brand.   NFL Network Senior VP/Media Sales Ron Furman said that many of those clients “are also buying tie-ins to the recently relaunched NFL.com” (MEDIAWEEK,  9/24 issue).