• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, January 30, 2025

While all the major brand categories are again represented in big Super Bowl LIX this year to be aired on Fox Television Network -- beverages, technology, financials, snacks and pharmaceuticals -- one Fox executive says one category has pulled back significantly: entertainment.

Mark Evans, executive vice president of ad sales for Fox Sports, says theatrical movie and streaming platforms will make fewer appearances than in the past.

This is partly due to the aftereffects of production issues caused by the writers'/actors' strike in mid-2023.

That may be the only ding to the Super Bowl this year -- where commercial pricing has ticked up to an average $7.5 million (from $7 million a year ago) for a 30-second spot-- with a handful of advertisers paying $8 million, according to media executives.

Around 10 advertisers paid the $8 million level, according to media executives. Typically, late-moving brands going into the game are up against higher demand, forcing up pricing.

Some brands also gamble by placing their spots in the later moments of the contest to take advantage of more engaged viewers during a close game.

A year ago the Super Bowl set a new viewing record -- with 123.7 million average minute viewers on CBS and other platforms, according to Nielsen measurement.

The CBS Television Network itself pulled in 120.3 million viewers -- the most ever for a single TV network. Additional viewing came from digital (DTVR), out-of-home (OOH), MVPD/vMVPDs, and digital properties of CBS Sports. 

The Spanish-language broadcast on Univision recorded 2.3 million viewers, while viewing on kid-focused Nickelodeon and Nick-at-Nite totaled 1.2 million.

The previous year, Fox scored 113 million viewers.

It's no surprise that Super Bowl pricing keeps rising -- especially in the wake of virtually all linear TV content viewing declines. As the perennial number one TV event of the year -- live and with premium sports content -- it has been a staging ground for brands to make a big impact on the day.

Celebrity and comedy-laden brand messages have been typical onscreen brand themes for decades now.

What has changed? Evans says AI-produced creative elements keep infiltrating the messaging process for the Super Bowl.

What has not changed? For one thing, the Kansas City Chiefs are still a major contender.

And in terms of fewer entertainment brands contingent, Fox's Evans did not provide specific details about those brands making an appearance.

That said, one major entertainment brand will get a significant boost: Fox's Tubi. The company's own FAST (free advertising supported streaming TV) channel will get heavy promotion -- as well as airing a simulcast of the game with Fox Television Network.