• by Wayne Friedman , November 2, 2023

With three-and-a-half months to go before the big game, CBS says its Super Bowl advertising inventory is sold out.

CBS did not disclose pricing. A year ago, Fox sold some top 30-second commercials for more than $7 million.

This comes as the TV advertising marketplace has remained weak for the better part of the last nine months although some reports say it has regained some strength.

Media agency executives say the NFL has been resilient in pricing to the weak overall market -- especially during the upfront summer advertising selling period -- with pricing up around 5% from a year ago.

By comparison, non-sports scripted/unscripted prime-time programming posted 3% to 5% declines.

Super Bowl LVIII will be broadcast and streamed on February 11, 2024.

Lachlan Murdoch, chief executive officer of Fox Corp., said on a Thursday earnings call that current NFL advertising was selling above upfront pricing.

CBS was well sold in the big game before the NFL season started -- more than 80%. 

As it has done in years past, Paramount Global will be airing an alternative broadcast of the Super Bowl on its Nickelodeon kids channel.

The game will also be streamed on Paramount+.