Source : Globe & Mail

Expectations for the Super Bowl have rarely been higher, what with the New England Patriots attempting to close off an undefeated season and the New York Giants, one of the NFL's storied franchises, hoping to be the spoiler.

The television networks, of course, are moving to capitalize on the interest.

In Canada, CTV has increased the cost of a 30-second commercial spot by about 10 per cent from last year, according to advertising sources, although that price would have been set long before the network knew the Super Bowl matchup.

CTV is charging $110,000 for a spot, up from Global Television's $100,000 last year. As well, CTV is offering fewer advertising discounts than Global, advertising sources said.

However, with the Super Bowl a little more than a week away, CTV has not yet sold all of its ad time.

Rita Fabian, the executive vice-president of sales and marketing for CTV, wouldn't comment on the numbers, but said sales have exceeded expectations by a double-digit percentage.

"We still have a few last-minute deals that we're working on, and we do expect a full sellout," she said. "It's looking really great and all the major sponsors are back."

In the United States, Fox had sold out for the Super Bowl by late November. The cost of a 30-second spot ranged from $2.7-million (U.S.) to $3-million, up from CBS's $2.6-million last year.

Increased U.S. advertising interest is due to large buys made by Hollywood studios, which are releasing more movies than usual. And the Hollywood writers strike, which has made a wasteland of prime-time TV, has forced advertisers to look for alternative properties, such as the Super Bowl.

© Globe and Mail