Ad Spend On NFL Telecasts In September Increased 2% Despite Ratings Struggle

Ratings for NFL games have been "off slightly" this year, but the bottom line NFL TV partners "continues to grow," according to Jason Lynch of ADWEEK. Data from Standard Media Index shows TV ad spend on NFL games in September increased 2% from the year prior, up to $513M from $504M, while ad load jumped 2%, accounting for "around 15 more minutes of commercials overall" than in September '16. The percentage of make-goods also "increased" from 13% of all spots in '16 to 20% of all spots this year. NBC, which had a "larger ad load and higher rates than last year," saw a 12% "uptick in ad spend," from $155M to $174M. Fox' NFL game revenue jumped 8%, from $128.5M to $139M. Meanwhile, CBS had "fewer games" in September and its ad spend "dropped accordingly" -- down 23% ($148M vs. $113M). ESPN saw a 4% revenue jump, going from $61M to $64M. NFL Network, which aired "one more game in September than it did a year ago," saw a 96% "revenue increase," going from $12M to $23M (ADWEEK.com, 10/23).