NFL To Experiment With Ad Break Length, Frequency In Week 16

The NFL will experiment with the number of ads in TV breaks during Week 16 games, a sign the league is taking the decline in TV ratings seriously. The league is sending out a memo later today to clubs to inform them of the change. The changes are not expected to shrink ad times – except perhaps on the NFL Network Christmas Day game – but will alter how many ads are in a break, and how many breaks there are. The experiment could reveal whether fans would want fewer but longer breaks, or more frequent but shorter ad breaks, a league source said.

It is uncertain if all NFL broadcasters will be part of the effort, or just a few of them. This part of an overall effort unfolding at the league that will look at the pace of the game, both on-field and in broadcast presentation.