Fox Claims NFL Ad Sales Outpacing Last Year

Fox has garnered strong demand — and according to CEO Lachlan Murdoch, a torrid sales pace — for advertising across its NFL offerings ahead of its Super Bowl LVII broadcast.

“We sold more NFL Sunday advertising in the current upfront market than we did across Sunday and Thursday combined in the prior year’s market,” said Murdoch. “This excludes ad commitments for the upcoming Super Bowl, where we are pacing well ahead of schedule.”

• Fox has seen 2022-23 ad commitments grow 15% compared to last year’s upfront.
• The company sold 80% of ad inventory in its upfront, up from about 70% last year.
• It began selling ads for Super Bowl LVII 18 months before its Feb. 12, 2023 broadcast.
• Super Bowl LVI saw NBC Sports pocket as much as $6.5 million for 30-second spots. 

In November 2019 — before Super Bowl LIV — Fox sold 78% of its in-game ad inventory, and by the next month, sold out all 77 commercial in-game ad spots.

Stiff Competition

Fox will see a new group of alcohol ads for Super Bowl LVI after Anheuser-Busch decided not to renew its exclusivity deal in June, allowing other alcohol brands to advertise during the Big Game for the first time since 1989.

Anheuser-Busch — the owner of Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra — still plans to advertise, but will now do so alongside its competitors.

The company will keep close ties with the NFL after renewing its deal with the league in December 2021 for $250 million annually.