The NFL has disclosed plans to ‘blitz’ its strategy for commercial breaks for Super Bowl LIV in an effort to improve fan viewing experience.
According to Sports Business Daily, Fox said it intends to adapt the structure of the renowned commercials to feature four ad breaks per quarter rather than five – however the adverts will be longer in length.
NFL VP of broadcasting Cathy Yancy told Sports Business Daily: “For several years now, we have been working with our broadcast partners to make changes to our game broadcasts that are intended to improve the viewing experience. We’ve seen positive results from these efforts.”
Furthermore, it was revealed that each break will now run for 30 seconds longer than the norm; production executives do not believe viewers will notice the change and believe continuity of ads will further support viewer experience.
The most recent Super Bowl, which saw the New England Patriots secure a sixth Vince Lombardi trophy defeating the Los Angeles Ram in a low scoring affair, recorded its lowest television ratings in a decade, with advertising sales also falling more than 6%.
“Together with the NFL, we are always looking to improve the product and the league’s research has proven that fewer breaks will optimise the viewing experience,” commented Seth Winter, executive vice president for Fox sports ad sales, in an emailed statement to WSJ.
“As it relates to Super Bowl LIV, the game has always been the pinnacle of long-form creative storytelling, and we are excited to see what advertisers produce.”
Taking place at the Miami Gardens, Florida February 2, Fox executives still expect to gain between $5.5m to $5.6m for a 30-second slot.
