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How Much For a 30-Second TV Spot?

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AllABC CBS Fox NBC The CW
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Show/Network	Day/Time	2015 Price ($)	2014 Price ($)	% Change
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend	Monday 8 p.m.	23,159	-	-
Dancing with the Stars	Monday 8 p.m.	115,962	118,606	-2%
Gotham	Monday 8 p.m.	151,080	181,575	-17%
Supergirl	Monday 8 p.m.	147,933	-	-
The Big Bang Theory	Monday 8 p.m./ Thursday 8 p.m.	348,300	344,827	1%
The Voice (Monday)	Monday 8 p.m.	240,502	274,157	-12%
Life in Pieces	Monday 8:30 p.m.	192,379	-	-
Minority Report	Monday 9 p.m.	120,388	-	-
Jane the Virgin	Monday 9 p.m.	25,034	23,400	7%
Scorpion	Monday 9 p.m.	142,108	148,071	-4%
Castle	Monday 10 p.m.	113,149	141,560	-20%
NCIS: Los Angeles	Monday 10 p.m.	109,940	127,932	-14%
Blindspot	Monday 10 p.m.	209,700	-	-
Fresh off the Boat	Tuesday 8 p.m.; 8:30p.m.	120,133	-	-
The Muppets	Tuesday 8 p.m.	131,313	-	-
NCIS	Tuesday 8 p.m.	151,738	170,948	-11%
Grandfathered	Tuesday 8 p.m.	115,136	-	-
The Voice (Tuesday)	Tuesday 8 p.m.	233,720	253,840	-8%
The Flash	Tuesday 8 p.m.	70,687	50,775	39%
The Grinder	Tuesday 8:30 p.m.	101,392	-	-
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.	Tuesday 9 p.m.	134,707	157,254	-14%
NCIS: New Orleans	Tuesday 9 p.m.	125,920	114,843	10%
Scream Queens	Tuesday 9 p.m.	147,808	-	-
Chicago Med	Tuesday 9 p.m.	120,642	-	-
iZombie	Tuesday 9 p.m.	34,674	-	-
Wicked City	Tuesday 10 p.m.	93,039	-	-
Limitless	Tuesday 10 p.m.	113,900	-	-
Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris	Tuesday 10 p.m.	105,268	-	-
The Middle	Wednesday 8 p.m.	141,874	133,425	6%
Survivor	Wednesday 8 p.m.	125,449	134,358	-7%
Rosewood	Wednesday 8 p.m.	88,687	-	-
The Mysteries of Laura	Wednesday 8 p.m.	70,423	94,750	-26%
Arrow	Wednesday 8 p.m.	48,056	47,040	2%
The Goldbergs	Wednesday 8:30 p.m.	137,826	110,667	25%
Modern Family	Wednesday 9 p.m.	239,993	239,650	0%
Criminal Minds	Wednesday 9 p.m.	133,983	135,789	-2%
Empire	Wednesday 9 p.m.	497,364	-	-
Law & Order: SVU	Wednesday 9 p.m.	85,230	89,700	-5%
Supernatural	Wednesday 9 p.m.	35,631	40,440	-12%
Black-ish	Wednesday 9:30 p.m.	155,990	137,807	13%
Nashville	Wednesday 10 p.m.	95,871	97,581	-2%
Chicago P.D.	Wednesday 10 p.m.	121,061	122,000	4%
Code Black	Wednesday 10 p.m.	129,626	-	-
American Idol (Wednesday)	Wednesday	147,826	243,200	-39%
Grey's Anatomy	Thursday 8 p.m.	157,609	149,523	5%
NFL Thursday Night Football	Thursday 8 p.m.	464,625	483,333	-4%
Bones	Thursday 8 p.m.	94,681	125,200	-24%
Heroes Reborn	Thursday 8 p.m.	126,793	-	-
The Vampire Diaries	Thursday 8 p.m.	44,924	59,620	-25%
Scandal	Thursday 9 p.m.	224,509	217,546	3%
Sleepy Hollow	Thursday 9 p.m.	98,253	202,500	-51%
The Blacklist	Thursday 9 p.m.	193,793	282,975	-32%
The Originals	Thursday 9 p.m.	32,634	32,140	2%
Mom	Thursday 9 p.m.	144,660	141,548	2%
Angel from Hell	Thursday 9:30 p.m.	127,550	-	-
Elementary	Thursday 10 p.m.	106,695	125,780	-15%
The Player	Thursday 10 p.m.	108,082	-	-
How to Get Away with Murder	Thursday 10 p.m.	252,934	146,113	73%
Last Man Standing	Friday 8 p.m.	64,631	66,767	-3%
The Amazing Race	Friday 8 p.m.	65,517	76,375	-14%
MasterChef Junior	Friday 8 p.m.	96,300	100,400	-7%
Undateable	Friday 8 p.m.	50,844	-	-
Reign	Friday 8 p.m.	19,327	23,100	-16%
Dr. Ken	Friday 8:30 p.m.	63,543	-	-
Shark Tank	Friday 9 p.m.	99,631	109,878	-9%
Hawaii Five-0	Friday 9 p.m.	77,683	72,788	7%
Grimm	Friday 9 p.m.	81,198	118,818	-30%
America's Next Top Model	Friday 9 p.m.	17,082	23,900	-29%
20/20	Friday 10 p.m.	65,994	62,917	5%
Dateline	Friday 10 p.m.	47,261	48,667	-3%
Blue Bloods	Friday 10 p.m.	75,965	79,370	-4%
Crimetime Saturday	Saturday 8 p.m.; 9 p.m.	18,471	22,794	-19%
48 Hours	Saturday 10 p.m.	33,831	33,500	0%
Saturday Night Live Encores	Saturday 10 p.m.	25,242	-	-
America's Funniest Home Videos	Sunday 7 p.m.	61,567	49,839	24%
60 Minutes	Sunday 7 p.m.	111,298	98,280	13%
Once Upon a Time	Sunday 8 p.m.	155,596	136,538	14%
Madam Secretary	Sunday 8 p.m.	99,587	73,525	35%
The Simpsons	Sunday 8 p.m.	186,050	189,933	-2%
Sunday Night Football	Sunday 8 p.m.	603,000	627,300	-4%
Brooklyn Nine-Nine	Sunday 8:30 p.m.	129,892	150,500	-14%
Blood and Oil	Sunday 9 p.m.	127,923	-	-
The Good Wife	Sunday 9 p.m.	97,428	87,210	12%
Family Guy	Sunday 9 p.m.	164,933	158,400	4%
The Last Man on Earth	Sunday 9:30 p.m.	131,045	-	-
Quantico	Sunday 10 p.m.	120,387	-	-
CSI: Cyber	Sunday 10 p.m.	82,055	98,138	-16%
Bob's Burgers	Sunday 7:30 p.m.	74,733	-	-

HOW WE GENERATE THE DATA: Ad Age's survey is compiled using data from as many as six agencies. 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.

Charts by Chen Wu.

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.

Top 10 Priciest Shows on Broadcast For Advertisers

1		Sunday Night Football $603,000
2		Empire $497,364
3		Thursday Night Football $464,625
4		The Big Bang Theory $348,300
5		How to Get Away with Murder $252,934
6		The Voice (Monday) $240,502
7		Modern Family $239,993
8		The Voice (Tuesday) $233,720
9		Scandal $224,509
10		Blindspot $209,700

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.