Ad sales for CBS’ NFL schedule are pacing the same as last year, as the net is around 80% sold. Not much inventory is available early in the season, but December is showing much more availability, said CBS Exec VP/Sports Sales & Marketing John Bogusz. CBS so far has seen price increases in the mid-single-digit range for NFL games, with the average 30-second spot in the national 4:30pm ET window going for north of $600,000. A 30-second spot in a 1:00pm regional window is going for $350,000. The auto sector has been down, but insurance and packaged goods have been up. Bogusz confirmed that the two erectile dysfunction drugs, Viagra and Cialis, will not advertise on games this season because they had come off their patent. “This was not a surprise to anybody,” CBS President & Chief Ad Sales Officer Jo Ann Ross said. The net has “more than made up” for that shortfall with other Pfizer drugs, Bogusz said. “There are other drugs from predominantly Pfizer that have come in -- namely Lyrica and Chantix -- that have offset that.” Bogusz described the overall ad market for sports as “steady.” He added that the net’s SEC college football package is “even more well sold than the NFL” and “similar to last year.”
