NFL's TV Partners Looking To Increase Ad Rates As Upfronts Begin

TV networks begin their annual upfront talks with advertisers this week, and "the action is already heating up" with regard to NFL games. CBS, ESPN, Fox and NBC are "looking to hike prices" after "striking rich deals" to renew their NFL rights. And with "live entertainment ratings down across the board, marketers may have little choice but to turn to sports and pay top dollar." Measured in "CPMs, or the cost to reach a thousand viewers," the nets are aiming for price increases "in the high-single digits." Regular-season NFL spots sell for about $350,000 for 30 seconds in primetime (N.Y. POST, 5/14).

The N.Y. TIMES previews NBC’s upfront and notes of its programming, “The one unqualified success was the Sunday night National Football League games, easily the biggest draw on television” (N.Y. TIMES, 5/13).