A Disney spokesperson said they are “very well-sold” for the women's tournamentGetty Images
Ad inventory for the upcoming Women’s NCAA Tournament has been “selling at a brisk pace” as brands “capitalize on unprecedented interest in the game,” according to Springer & Herren of AD AGE. A Disney spokesperson said they are “very well-sold” for the women's tournament. Brands such as State Farm, Home Depot and Capital One are expected to advertise during the games. Sources said that given the record-setting success of the 2023 women’s tournament -- including 9.9 million viewers for the final -- demand for this year’s event has “grown substantially.” Sources said that while pricing “ramps up as the tournament progresses,” a 30-second ad unit for the championship game costs around $500,000. One media buyer noted that the number is up from less than $100,000 within the past few years. Dentsu Sports EVP Jimmy Spano said that coming out of last year’s upfront negotiations, ESPN had "little inventory remaining to sell for the women’s tournament.” Warner Bros. Discovery EVP/Advertising Jon Diament said that the men’s tournament is “essentially sold out,” with a “handful of units left,” for last-minute asks. Spano said that sales for the men’s tournament “started slow in the general market due to challenging economics during the fourth quarter as well as the demand to shift more money to women’s sports.” Springer & Herren note in past years, it was “easy to grab ad inventory à la carte" for the women’s tournament. But sources said that this year, ESPN asked for a $1M "minimum commitment to advertise during the tournament, and a dollar-for-dollar spend match across other women’s sports properties" (AD AGE, 3/14).
