Twenty years ago Seinfeld had both the highest ratings and advertising cost on TV.

The highest rated TV program in 2017 is Sunday Night Football.

Comparison by viewers (18–49):
1) Seinfeld (1997): 22m
2) Sunday Night Football (2017): 9m (↓ 58%)

Comparison of ad cost (in 2017 dollars):
1) Seinfeld (1997): $877k
2) Sunday Night Football (2017): $700k (↓ 20%)

If an advertiser purchased space on the most popular program on TV in 2017, then they would be paying 92% more to reach a single household than they did in 1997 (in 2017 $).

Increase in CPM $ between 1997 and 2018 (in 2017 dollars):
1) Primetime: ↑ 152%
2) Football: ↑ 53%

The cost to reach a single household with an ad on primetime has grown at 3X the rate versus football since 1997.

The top 10 programs by ad cost:

Check out my tweetstorm for more on this.

More on this topic:
1) REPORT: Historical Unit Cost Analysis for Will & Grace Reboot

2) Let’s Make A Deal: CBS Offers Some of TV’s Best Bargains

3) TV promo ads: The run up to the fall line-up

4) New Broadcast TV Season, Same Ratings Declines