CBS "has sold out about 50% of its NFL ad inventory for
next season, snagging double-digit rate increases on most
deals," according to "network insiders" cited by Josef
Adalian of DAILY VARIETY. Some ad deals "have been closed
for as much as 30% above" last season's rates. In addition,
network insiders said that "about 30% of the ad inventory
sold so far represents new money to AFC games." CBS
insiders "expect total ad revenue to be up at least" 20%
over what NBC sold last season. Southwest Airlines will be
the chief sponsor of CBS's "NFL Today" pregame show, while
NASDAQ has inked a deal "worth an estimated" $14M, to
sponsor the halftime report. Neither company had supported
AFC games in '97 (DAILY VARIETY, 6/26). CBS Sports
President Sean McManus: "We've said we're going to break
even on our NFL deal over the course of five years. All the
projections are on target to at least break even this year
and during the term of the contract" (USA TODAY, 6/26).
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY? In what Stephen Battaglio
of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER terms, "a classic battle of
network egos," NBC execs "reiterated their prediction" that
CBS and the other NFL broadcast partners "are all looking at
annual losses" of $150-200M. Battaglio writes that CBS is
"counting on local ad sales" from its O&Os, 14 of which are
in AFC markets, to generate $50-70M. CBS execs said that
their ad sales "will pass" the $290M in business NBC took in
last season. Despite CBS's claims of double-digit ad rate
increases, NBC execs said the "hikes are in the single
digits" in a soft sports market (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/26).
