Thirty-second spots for ABC Sports' '99 "MNF" schedule
are averaging $360,000-370,000, and ABC "appears to be
packaging more Internet advertising with its NFL inventory
than the other networks," according to Steve Donohue of
ELECTRONIC MEDIA. A source said that most of the
advertisers buying one of the 60 30-second units available
in each Monday night game are "also paying $1,000 a piece
for banner ads that will run on ABC's 'enhanced television'
Web site" while their TV spot is running. One source:
"We're trying to get everyone to do it, but we can't make it
a condition for people that have deals." CBS TV Network
Sales President Joe Abruzzese said that CBS is "also putting
some of its NFL advertisers" into CBS SportsLine, but it has
"less incentive" than ABC to sell Internet space because CBS
"only keeps" 30-40% of the revenue from the site.
Abruzzese: "[But] if a client has Internet money, we make
sure we get a big piece of it" (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 8/9).
DIFFERENT ROADS: Donohue adds that ESPN and ABC Sports
are "not pitching more joint advertising packages this year
than in previous years." ESPN VP/Ad Sales Evan Sternschein:
"It's really no different -- where it makes sense we work
together." A source adds that "it's challenging for ESPN
and ABC to sell joint packages because 'the objectives are
different.'" ABC is "focused on selling its units at a
premium rate, while ESPN is more concerned about volume, as
it wants its NFL advertisers to buy time for many shows" on
its various cable networks. ESPN "has seen strong demand
for its NFL inventory" (ELECTRONIC MEDIA, 8/9 issue).
