RSNs Featuring Political Ads From Both Parties Ahead Of Election
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Obama, McCain Campaigns Using RSNs To
Reach Swing Voters Ahead Of Election |
Several RSNs, including Big Ten Network (BTN), MASN, Comcast SportsNet and FSN, are attracting more political ads as the campaigns for U.S. Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain "jockey to reach swing voters" ahead of the November 4 election, according to Sam Schechner of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Political-ad-time buyer Media Ad Ventures Inc. President Brad Mont said that while the ads "rarely mention sports, they project 'a local involvement, and some people will interpret that as supporting the team.'" Mont: "It's a great concentration, a great way to buy men." Univ. of Wisconsin political science professor Charles Franklin: "It's an attractive demographic -- in this case it's both a sports niche and a regional niche." Sources familiar with RSN ad sales estimated that it is likely the nets "have pulled in well under $10[M] in election ads." But they "offer unusually ardent audiences," as their viewers "usually watch live so they don't zap commercials." Also, most of the viewers are men, a "difficult demographic for any marketer to reach." Schechner notes CSN Philadelphia has aired both Democratic and Republican ads during its Phillies coverage, and FSN Florida has run ads from both parties during Rays games. BTN since September 1 "has been responsible for approximately 20% of the political ads [FSN] says it has sold on more than a dozen" regional nets. FSN Exec VP/Ad Sales Kyle Sherman said that while the net "hasn't traditionally pursued political advertising," this year he "specifically sought out political media buyers to offer multistate buys." MASN Senior VP & General Sales Manager John McGuinness said that both Obama and McCain "have been buying ads" during Nationals and Orioles games because MASN's "footprint includes the batteground state of Virginia." McGuinness: "I've been doing this a long time, and this is the first time I've seen political spending really gravitate toward the [RSN] sector" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/24).
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