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State of the Screens

It doesn’t matter if NFL ratings are dropping — advertisers can’t get enough

By March 14, 2018No Comments

$4.2b was spent on advertising during NFL games last year despite the lowest ratings of the decade.

Quick Math (2016 vs. 2010):
1) Average viewership: ↓ 7%
2) Ad spend: ↑ 91%

If we assume that the same number of ad spots ran during NFL games in 2010 vs. 2016, then the cost to advertise to one household has increased 105% since 2010.

TV Ratings for NFL Kickoff:
1) 2016 — Panthers/Broncos: 25.2m
2) 2017 — Chiefs/Patriots: 21.8m (↓ 13%)

More on this topic. NFL TV Networks See Generally Higher CPMs

NFL advertising rates by CPM $ (2016 vs. 2015):
1) NBC: $41.29 (↓ 6%)
2) Fox: $39.94 (↑ 9%)
3) CBS: $35.58 (↑ 8%)

Michael Beach

Michael Beach is the Chief Executive Officer of Cross Screen Media, a media analytics and software company that enables marketers to plan, activate, and measure CTV and linear TV at the local level. Michael is also the founder and editor of State of the Screens, a weekly newsletter focused on video advertising that is a must-read for thought leaders in the advertising industry. He has appeared in such publications as PBS Frontline, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Axios, CNBC and Bloomberg, and on NPR’s Planet Money podcast.