TV ad sales around this season's NFL games "have skyrocketed to record levels," according to John Ourand in this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. TV network execs indicated that they "have sold between 80 percent and 90 percent of their regular-season ad schedules, with spots getting price increases in the low double digits over last year." The "only effect the labor situation had on the NFL’s TV market is with preseason games, where there is still a lot of availability across all of the networks." But advertisers "bought air time in the regular season with the confidence -- or the hope -- that meaningful games would be played this fall." NBC confirmed that its regular-season “Sunday Night Football” schedule is "about 85 percent sold." NBC Sports Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Seth Winter said, "Our sales have never been healthier. We’re pacing significantly ahead of our prior year. By the time we finish, we will have exceeded it." He added, "There was a confidence in the ad community to invest." Fox Sports Exec VP/Advertising Sales Neil Mulcahy said that Fox "was about 85 percent sold and was selling spots as though there was no labor unrest." In addition, Ourand reports CBS is "about 80 percent sold, slightly less than the other broadcasters, but it generally sells more in the scatter market than other networks each year" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/25 issue). In St. Louis, Bryan Burwell wrote, "People will come back quickly. ... And when the games resume in a few weeks, the TV ratings won't suffer any noticeable slumps" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/24).
OFF TO A SLOW START? The AP's Barry Wilner reported the NFL and its 32 teams are "considering ways to placate fans" during the preseason. The Broncos said that they "plan to open Invesco Field for practice Aug. 6." Likewise, Vikings Assistant Dir of Public Affairs Jeff Anderson said his team is "considering a variety of ideas." SportsCorp President Marc Ganis: "It would be smart of the league and the players to do something special for the fans for the first preseason game or two, at least one serving each team's home fans. That could be free or discounted concessions or merchandise, free parking, photo and autograph opportunities with players -- especially those who will not be dressing for the game -- and other fan-friendly marketing and interaction" (AP, 7/24).
