By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek
December 14, 2012
The NFL contends that the Super Bowl won’t be going on cable TV anytime soon, but one place the game has migrated to is the internet. February’s Super Bowl will be only the second in NFL history that the game has been available online. However, boosted by NBC Sports’ success streaming last year’s game, CBSSports.com is nearly sold out of advertising space for its live-streaming of this year’s Super Bowl. The online viewing of the game will include unique camera angles and social media integration.
The going rate for ad space in the streaming is an estimated $1 million, compared to $4 million for a 30-second spot in the main broadcast. The audience also is much smaller: 2 million online vs. 110 million on TV. Regardless, buying online ad-time, as opposed to, or in companion with, spots on TV could allow companies to better track ROI metrics and reach a more targeted audience. A high percentage of people streaming the game will be doing so on a tablet device, meaning they have more disposable income. Among the confirmed categories advertising in the live-streaming are autos, consumer packaged goods, and beverages.
