The internet has changed the way we watch the Super Bowl, and media is following suit. Variety reports that CBS, in a game-changing move, will live stream every national ad during next year's big game in near-real time. It's an incredible decision that will change how advertisers spend money on the event, and helps turn Super Bowl 50 into a much bigger spectacle.
Super Bowl ads are consistently the most ambitious and most expensive spots in advertising, and are about as talked about as the game itself. But as viewership moved online, advertisers dragged their feet; while the game itself has been available for live streaming since 2012, advertisers haven't been forced to opt into the streaming package. That meant fans would have to wait until the majority of all ads hit Hulu or YouTube later on. That changes with today's decision, which aims to take online viewers on a variety of screens better into account. According to one source, CBS isn't letting ad buyers opt out. "It’s a huge deal," they said.
This is a huge deal
Coupling the traditional TV ad with one aimed at streaming audiences also means a higher price for buyers. Variety reports that advertisers are expected to pay upwards of a record-setting $4.7 million for a 30-second spot, and that may even be at the low end of what CBS wants.
Regardless of the price, though, it's clear that CBS and the NFL are reacting to a shift in media, and advertisers will have to move with them. The league already brokered a deal with Yahoo last month to broadcast the upcoming International Series game between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars this October. In addition, the NFL has already struck deals with Twitter and Facebook to share highlights from games online. Audiences live online. Now Super Bowl ads can do the same from the moment of broadcast.
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