Increased Advertiser Focus On Men Benefiting ESPN Ad Sales

Men are "becoming more involved in making household spending choices," which "could increasingly open doors for ESPN with its male audience," according to David Goetzl of MEDIAPOST. ESPN/ABC Sports Customer Marketing & Sales President Ed Erhardt said, "Most of the research now shows it is a dual decision. A guy is very much involved in that, so I think there's a change in the male consumer." Erhardt said that the net is seeing "large packaged goods companies along with travel advertisers and other traditional female-oriented marketers ... shifting dollars in an attempt to reach men." Erhardt added that the insurance category "continues to grow at ESPN," while spending by QSRs "also remains solid." Erhardt noted that while spending by U.S. automakers "has been plunging -- a problem for all media -- ESPN is taking its share of dollars from the likes of Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai." But Goetzl noted even as ESPN "may be finding bright spots with struggling categories and attracting some traditionally female-targeted dollars, its ad revenues have taken some lumps recently." Meanwhile, Erhardt said that the net is "not likely to suffer as much as some other broadcasters" in regards to the financial category because of its dearth of golf coverage this year. While ESPN does provide coverage of all four tennis Grand Slams, Erhardt said that those events are "less susceptible to the financial category's difficulties" (MEDIAPOST.com, 3/2).