The NBA is a hot commodity for advertisers, thanks to increasing ratings and a writers strike that has wiped out much of the competition.
Ad sales for NBA games on ESPN are pacing 20% ahead of last year, with TNT reporting similar success, reports TV Week. Faithful NBA viewers may have noticed two of the more recent additions; Hanes has signed on to become the presenting sponsor of ESPN NBA Wednesday, while TNT recently enlisted the Marines to be the presenting sponsor for TNT NBA Thursday.
Advertisers’ renewed interest in the NBA can be credited to higher television ratings. Ratings for NBA games are up on ESPN and TNT, with both networks seeing big increases across major demographics. Through 23* games, ESPN NBA ratings increased by 34% and 20% among men 18-34 and men 18-49, while games on TNT have seen ratings increase by 28% and 21% in the same demographics.
The Hollywood writers’ strike has also helped the NBA’s fortunes. With the strike “[changing] network schedules, advertisers have been flocking to live sports, where there?s also a good chance viewers will stay tuned for commercials.”
In addition to Hanes and the Marines, overseas auto makers and Wrigley chewing gum — which signed a deal with the NBA in July to make their brands of gum the “official chewing gums of the NBA” — are also some of the companies partnering with the league.
* ESPN NBA ratings are current through late December.
