• Bloomberg, Monday, February 2, 2009 10:01 AM

Working up to the last minute, NBC, host of Super Bowl XLIII, sold all its advertising spots at a record $206 million, even as some longtime advertisers pulled out.

The network also set a record for pre-game through post-game ad revenue with $261 million, says Jeff Zucker, NBC Universal CEO. "These advertising milestones show the power of the NFL brand and the Super Bowl as a TV property in this economic climate," he says.

Thirty-two advertisers were represented during the game. Missing were previous advertisers General Motors and FedEx, which said their financial situations prevented them from investing in Super Bowl ads. Last year, Fox sold its last Super Bowl ad on Jan. 29, five days before the game. The network brought in a then-record $186.3 million.

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