• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, June 12, 2013

The broadcast upfront could be headed for a year-over-year volume drop. Fox is close to completing its negotiations, with volume down around 10%, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

That comes despite selling about 80% of its inventory, the same as in recent years. Still, even with ratings down significantly, the network was able to land CPM increases in the 5% to 7% range.

On the high end, Fox would be expected to have brought in around $1.7 billion in commitments for the coming season. With about the same amount of inventory sold, Fox will have to hope for both improved ratings and a healthy scatter market to bring in even flat volume during the upcoming season.

A Fox representative declined comment.

CBS may be the only other Big Four network to have completed its deal-making, bringing in flat volume, according to a familiar source. Based on a number from Barclays, that would put it at $2.65 billion.