NBC said that roughly 25% of its Game 7 ad sales inventory is pre-sold, mostly to traditional NHL sponsorsGETTY IMAGES
NBC expects to reap an eight-figure benefit from tomorrow's Game 7 of the Blues-Bruins Stanley Cup Final. NBC Sports Exec VP/Ad Sales Dan Lovinger said, "We will monetize the heck out of this Game 7. We haven't had a Game 7 since 2011, and the advertising community is excited to be part of it." However, Game 7s do not bring in as much revenue as some would think. One exec at another network said that ad sales groups are conscious about not squeezing their longtime advertisers just because they happened to get a Game 7. NBC said that roughly 25% of its Game 7 ad sales inventory is pre-sold, mostly to traditional NHL sponsors. As with all Game 7s, the net's ad sales execs are scrambling to sell the remaining 75%. All networks also use their Game 6 and 7 inventory to provide "make-goods" -- which are advertiser credits for under-performing shows elsewhere on the schedule (John Ourand, SBJ Media).
COMPELLING MATCH-UP: AD AGE's Anthony Crupi cited sources as saying that NBC is "asking north of $200,000 for each 30-second ad" for Game 7. The average unit cost of an ad for the three Stanley Cup Final games on NBC last year was $113,702 each, and the overall spend for the five-game series "added up" to a little more than $27M. The fact that the last Stanley Cup Final Game 7 also featured the Bruins "should help advertisers justify the expense of their additional investment in hockey." Not only is Boston the nation's ninth-largest media market, the Bruins have "appeared in six of the 10 most-watched Stanley Cup Final broadcasts of all time." That the Blues are "looking to make history should also provide NBC with a ratings boost" (ADAGE.com, 6/10).
