VARIETY's Brian Steinberg noted Fox Networks Group "expects the volume of advance ad commitments for primetime programming at its Fox broadcast network to be flat." A source said that Fox "sees volume for primetime as being 'on par' with what it collected" in '16’s upfront market. In '16, Fox attracted between $1.47-1.64B for its primetime schedule, and "grew volume between 3% and 5%." Fox "placed a heavier emphasis on sports programming in talks this year, and expects more than 30% of its NFL clients will use Nielsen’s growing efforts to measure so-called 'out of home' viewership for coming broadcasts" (VARIETY.com, 7/5).
LEGENDS IN THE MAKING: UFC has awarded Legends the rights to operate its domestic venue licensing. Legends will begin to operate UFC’s event retail sales at this weekend’s UFC 213 event in Las Vegas. Following the purchase of UFC by WME/IMG for $4B last year, the MMA promotion has been looking to ramp up licensing revenues. It issued an “Event Retail” RFP late last year. Those duties had been handled in house. Reebok is the MMA circuit’s biggest licensee (Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large).
NEW RELEASES: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Sara Germano notes with the retail sector "in flux," Nike is "looking for new ways to sell sneakers and shirts, but some industry watchers worry that the company’s efforts to broaden its reach could damage its cultural cachet." By making certain shoes available "only through Nike channels or big chains such as Foot Locker, the company is diminishing the mom-and-pop shops that have served as community stewards of cool." A Nike spokesperson said that the company is "focused on 'disrupting the sneaker shopping experience' by offering different types of releases, some in nontraditional places'" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/6).
GET YOUR KICKS: Toyota has signed on as an official sponsor of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The deal, which makes Toyota the official motor vehicle of the Gold Cup, includes broadcast, in-stadium signage and messaging on stadium video boards. Toyota also will be presenting sponsor of the Futbol Fiesta pregame experience at each of the tournament's 14 venues. This marks the first time Toyota has sponsored the Gold Cup. The length of the deal was not disclosed (CONCACAF).
