TV Ad Pricing Chart: 'Sunday Night Football,' 'Empire' Are Broadcast's Most Expensive Ad Buys

See the full analysis and context below this chart. While football continues to dominate as the most expensive broadcast programming for advertisers, for the first time in many years a scripted show is giving it a run for its money. Fox's "Empire" is costing advertisers $497,364 on average for a 30-second commercial, according to Ad Age's annual pricing chart, positioning it as the No. 2 most expensive broadcast show this fall. The last time a broadcast drama fetched such high prices was during the 2007-08 season, when ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" averaged $419,000. For many years the costliest scripted program has been CBS's "The Big Bang Theory." This year the sitcom comes in at No. 4, averaging $348,300 for a 30-second spot, on par with last year's price. It moves down one notch, from No. 3 last season. Of course, football still reigns with NBC's "Sunday Night Football" once again the costliest program on broadcast, averaging $603,000 for 30 seconds of commercial time. CBS's "Thursday Night Football" comes in at No. 3, averaging $464,625, down one spot from last year. ESPN's "Monday Night Football," it should be noted, costs around $400,000 for commercial time. Ad Age's survey is compiled using data from as many as six media-buying agencies. (See our 2014 TV ad pricing chart.) The resulting prices should be viewed as directional indicators and are not the actual price that every advertiser pays for a 30-second spot. The numbers are based on a range of agency estimates that can vary depending on the amount of inventory purchased from a network, the inclusion of any nontraditional advertising such as product placements, and the relationship an advertiser and media-buying agency has with a network. Most TV advertising is typically purchased as part of larger negotiations, not on a one-off basis. These estimates also reflect the prices advertisers and networks agreed on in this year's upfront marketplace. Prices have likely changed for those wishing to buy a spot closer to the air date in the so-called "scatter" market. In addition to ESPN's "Monday Night Football," there are several cable programs that challenge broadcast as the most expensive programs in which to buy commercial time. AMC's "The Walking Dead" can cost marketers in the high $400,000s to the low $500,000s for a package of spots. In its first season, the prequel, "Fear the Walking Dead," costs about $300,000, and AMC's other new drama, "Better Call Saul," a spin-off of "Breaking Bad," can run advertisers over $200,000. But it's difficult to compare many cable ad packages to those of broadcast because cable often includes multiple airings and repeats of a show. ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" is a newcomer to the top 10, coming in at No. 5 and averaging $252,934. The Shonda Rhimes drama, part of the alphabet network's Thursday night "TGIT" lineup, is also the biggest price gainer of the year, rising 73% from its freshman season. Other noteworthy gainers include ABC's "The Goldbergs," which increased 25% to $137,826; The CW's "The Flash," up 39% to $70,687 and CBS's "Madam Secretary," which grew 35% to $99,587. NBC's "The Voice" on Monday nights comes in at No. 6, down one spot from last season, averaging $240,502. The results show on Tuesday night is No. 8, down two spots, and averaging $233,720 for a 30-second spot. ABC's critically acclaimed "Modern Family" remained steady at No. 7, averaging $239,993, as did "Scandal," which stayed at No. 9 and averages $224,509 for a 30-second spot. Rounding out the top 10 is NBC's newcomer, "Blindspot," averaging $209,700 for a 30-second spot. This makes it the most expensive new show of the season. "Blindspot" premiered to 10.6 million viewers earlier in the week, significantly topping the premiere of "State of Affairs," which appeared in the same time slot last year. "State of Affairs" was actually the most expensive new show of last season at $219,188, but it didn't even make it to a second season. While "Blindspot" joins the top 10 list, NBC's "The Blacklist" falls off after it came in at No. 4 last year. The show is one of the biggest decliners of the season, with the average cost falling 40% to $102,720. Other notable decliners include Fox's "Sleepy Hollow," which came in the top 10 last year. Its average cost plunged 51% to $98,253. NBC's "The Mysteries of Laura" fell 26% averaging $70,423; Fox's Gotham" declined 21% to $143,295; and The CW's "The Vampire Diaries" dropped 25% to $44,924. Among returning broadcast shows, 13 have seen the cost for ad time increase, while another 23 have seen decreases and 22 have remained relatively steady.

TV Ad Pricing Chart: 'Sunday Night Football,' 'Empire' Are Broadcast's Most Expensive Ad Buys

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