With the first pitch of the 2015 World Series just hours away, Fox is pretty much sold out for the first four games, although inventory is still being sold on a contingency basis for avails that could result from pitching changes and possible extra innings.
Neil Mulcahy, executive VP, sales, Fox Sports Media Group, said ad sales for the New York Mets vs. Kansas City Royals series are stronger at this point than they were for last year’s series when the Royals played the San Francisco Giant --and that is not just due to the success story of the upstart Mets, he added.
While the New York market is sure to bring in more viewers than San Francisco did last year, and while the Cinderella story of the Mets's rise to pennant-winning prominence may have become one that has captured national interest, Mulcahy said a majority of advertisers were buying in regardless of the matchup. Whoever wins, it will be that team’s first title in more than a generation. The Mets last won in 1986; the Royals in 1985.
“Our World Series ad dollars have been coming in steadily, and I don’t feel the Mets or Royals have had that great an impact on bringing marketers in,” Mulcahy said. “The Mets will most likely help us achieve stronger ratings and enable us to charge more for scatter ads in the Series going forward, but advertiser interest in the Series was strong before the Mets advanced.”
Mulcahy said much of that is due to Major League Baseball and its official partners who are supporting the World Series telecast on Fox, either with traditional 30-second units throughout the Series or by sponsoring special features.
“Major League Baseball has been fabulous in getting its official sponsors to participate in various aspects of our World Series coverage,” Mulcahy said.
Read more at broadcastingcable.com.
