More than 100 million viewers and record prices for TV commercials, the Super Bowl "has dominated the headlines for weeks," according to Fabian Müller of HORIZONT. The event is also becoming increasingly important for German viewers and ad agencies. Three German companies, Audi, Henkel and BMW-owned brand Mini, are expected to have commercials during Sunday's game broadcast. The companies pay €4.2M-€4.6M ($4.7M-$5.1M) for a 30-second commercial. Since '12, the rate for commercials during the game has increased by an average of 11% year after year. Im comparision, a 30-second commercial during the RTL's broadcast of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix has a price tag of €49,500 ($55,200). German free-to-air TV channel ProSieben Maxx drew an average market share of 2.8% for its NFL broadcasts this season. The figure is about 2.5-times more than the channel's average share. This year's broadcast will once again air on Sat.1. The free-to-air TV channels set new Super Bowl ratings records for the past four years. Last year's game drew an average of 1.36 million viewers and had a 39% market share in the target demographic 14-49. Those are strong numbers considering the game does not kick off until 12:30am local time (HORIZONT, 2/4).
NEW HIGHS DOWN UNDER: In Melbourne, Michael Bodey reported the American football season "has broken ratings records in Australia as the advertiser and male friendly sport gives Seven Network and the Disney-owned ESPN pay-TV channel a boost." NFL VP of Int'l Media Michael Markovich: "The NFL couldn’t be happier with the coverage our partners Seven and ESPN provide. Viewer interest in the NFL has never been higher in Australia." The erratic debut of former National Rugby League player Jarryd Hayne as a San Francisco 49er "ensured boom ratings," including his debut (against the Vikings in September) -- the biggest ever Australian audience for ESPN (beating the two previous Super Bowls). Growth in viewing for America’s major sport "has soared since moving from Ten to Seven in 2013, prompting Seven to investigate playing an NFL game in Australia."
Seven CRO Kurt Burnette: “We’d love to have a game here. We’ve been talking to them but the challenge is taking it away from some home stadium in the U.S." (THE AUSTRALIAN, 2/8).
