Ad prices for NFL broadcasts are getting hammered.
Prices for advertisements during broadcasts are down a stunning 6.7% across the league for advertisements bought quarter to quarter, according to a research done by SQAD.
Broadcasting Cable reported the following details on the information compiled by SQAD.
SQAD says that so far this season, among the networks that carry NFL games, only NBC is showing an increase over last year in commercial prices. Spots on NBC are selling for between $716,489 and $878,778 for 30 seconds, an increase of 13.75% from last year.
Despite the gains at NBC, across all networks that carry the NFL, spot prices are down 6.7% compared to a year ago.
Spots on CBS‘s NFL games were down 19.16% to a range of $313,847 to $366,965. On ESPN, unit costs on Monday Night Football were down 15.67% to a range of $262,905 to $319,0868.
There are probably multiple reasons for why the numbers took such a wild hit, but it’d be foolish to believe the national anthem protests haven’t played a major role. Television ratings are down, and the league’s favorability among fans has been cut nearly in half since the anthem protests swept across the league.
It’s not just broadcasting advertisements that are apparently taking a hit. Papa John’s pizza has also recently hammered the NFL’s leadership for allowing an atmosphere to foster that was bad for business.
Ultimately, the NFL is a business, and money rules everything. Things could change really fast if advertisers start fleeing or if networks continue to lose money.