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How Much Does An NBA Finals Commercial Cost? ABC Charging $1.2M in 2023

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Gia Nguyen
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Gia Nguyen Sports Editor

Gia is a Basketball Insiders contributor based in Canada. She graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Science, so she knows the make-up of a winning bet. Gia uses her analytical background to tell stories using the latest data and statistics. Her work has been sourced by Entrepreneur, Inquirer, and more. Gia is also interested in health, wellness, and yoga.

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Updated04 Jun 2023

How Much Does An NBA Finals Commercial Cost? ABC Charging $1.2M in 2023

The 2023 NBA Finals features two small market teams in the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. However, that hasn’t stopped ABC from selling out 90% of the commercial spots for Games 1-5. Find out how much an NBA Finals commercial costs in 2023 and how those prices compare to Super Bowl commercials.

The NBA Finals tipped off on Thursday night in Denver with the Nuggets hosting the Miami Heat in Game 1. It was a predictable outcome with the extremely talented Nuggets dominating the whole game and the Heat trailing from behind throughout the four quarters.

Since the NBA Playoffs viewership has been way up, but many advertising were hoping for a different matchup in the Finals and some feared TV ratings would be severely affected. So far, that’s been the case with viewership numbers dropping 33% in Game 1 compared to the Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics matchup from a year ago.

But one thing hasn’t changed.

Regardless of the matchup, the NBA Finals has always drawn in a lot of money from sponsors and advertisers.

How Much Does an NBA Finals Commercial Cost?

Just like many of the biggest sports betting programs of the year, securing a commercial during the game is an expensive advertising move. The NBA Finals draws huge spending among sponsors with networks selling commercial time well ahead of tip-off.

Currently, ABC is charging around $1.2 million for a 30-second commercial in the last-minute market. The commercial times for Game 1 and 4 have already been sold out while 90% of time for Games 2 through to 5 are already sold.

This year, the NBA Playoffs have posted some of their best numbers in the last 11 years. For Disney, the NBA Finals is one of the most important events in their portfolio. The platform has improved ad sales by 12% in the last year and booked 240 different advertisers compared to 184 last year.

Despite not landing a marquee matchup, Jim Minnich, the Disney advertising senior VP of revenue says the two teams playing in the NBA Finals are irrelevant. No matter who’s on the court, the NBA Finals are still able to draw massive spending from sponsors and advertisers.

“The 2023 Playoffs are the most watched on ESPN platforms in 11 years. The Western Conference Finals were up 44% from the last time we had it in 2021 — and up 17% versus last year’s Eastern Conference Finals,” Minnich said. “So audiences are coming to watch the NBA, frankly, no matter what the matchup is. I think that’s really, really important.”

Super Bowl Commercials are 7x More Expensive

Comparatively, Super Bowl commercials are seven times more expensive to broadcast. On average, the cost of a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl LVII was $7 million.

The Super Bowl has become a spectacle that attracts a wider fan-base, reaching over 50 million viewers while the NBA’s Finals number peaks at just over 10 million. Some viewers even tune in specifically for the halftime show and the outrageously funny commercials rather than the game itself.

In addition, the NBA Finals also has way more advertising time with a series stretching over seven games, fueling less competition among sponsors for limited spots.

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