The NFL’s 2025-2026 season is a few days away from its launch, but NBCuniversal has already scored a significant touchdown.
A Comcast-backed media conglomerate confirmed on Wednesday that it was one of the worst secrets in the TV ad circle. On February 8, 2026, all commercial stock related to the Super Bowl LX broadcast from Santa Clara, California sold out.
“Breaking ahead of the strongest sports in our history, the Super Bowl LX has created extraordinary interest from the brand and is now able to sell out of advertising inventory more than ever,” prepared Peter Lazaro, Executive Vice President of NBC Sports & Olympics, Advertising and Partnerships. “Unprecedented demand from Super Bowl advertisers and our 20th season has made this NFL season the highest revenue ever. So far, we are proud of the incredible momentum so far.
The Super Bowl advertising process can take months to accomplish, and in recent past, we had to wait a few days before the big game kickoff to declare that all commercials for the event were spoken. However, the changes in audience behavior that led to the rise of streaming videos have turbocharged the status of major sporting events across the industry. Fox, which showed Super Bowl LIX earlier this year, approached sellout last August.
Advertisers still want a wide range of simultaneous viewers. Such luxuries have been generated, and marketers who may have not spent much on sports in the past now see new reasons. On the other hand, script programming seen in an age of viewers’ own choices is less powerful than the important NFL or NBA games that require viewing to be viewed live.
According to media buyers, NBCU was sought $7 million in a 30-second Super Bowl spot earlier this year. Its prices were largely on par with what Fox wanted a year ago, and advertisers quickly moved to snap up inventory at costs that hadn’t been shot despite harsh demand. Buyers said that by June, the majority of NBCU’s Super Bowl inventory was gone, but there was speculation that the company may have maintained its advertisers in the hopes of getting $8 million or larger packages of ads associated with a larger portfolio of media assets.
NBCU declined to make additional comments available to executives. Fox’s Super Bowl LIX television revenues have reached around $800 million, the company revealed in May.
No TV network likes to announce a sellout early in the process. After all, TV sales teams may find it unexpected that when the economy goes south, they will face a comeback of fate. Most of the Super Bowl sales process brings interesting hiccups, including pleas from advertisers who get cold feet due to the high price of the event sponsor or because they can’t come up with a commercial that gives them confidence.
Still, the selling out pace seems to continue to accelerate significantly. CBS, which aired the 2024 Super Bowl LVIII, did not declare all events until November 2023. Fox also saw intense demand for the 2023 Super Bowl LVII in the “Upfront” market the previous year, when television networks try to acquire advance advertising commitments for the next cycle of the next cycle. But concerns about the economy surged in the fall, and the network had to work for months to unload the final 5% of its large game stock. Fox did not declare it sold out until a few days before the game.
The Super Bowl served as a key leverage for NBCuniversal. In early 2026, the company will air not only the Super Bowl, but also the Winter Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game. The company’s Spanish-language Telemundo network has the right to introduce the FIFA World Cup again next year. And NBCU is dedicated to the NBA with a third of Peacocks two nights a week after winning a new tranche of sports rights previously held by Warner Bros. Discovery.
NBCUniversal said consumer product marketers, entertainment companies, financial services companies and alcohol advertisers are top investors in Super Bowl inventory, while consumer production, pharmaceuticals, entertainment and fast food restaurants have increased spending on events. . According to NBCU, digital investment in the Super Bowl has risen by 20%.
NBC said it sells about 90% of its non-Super Bowl NFL stock, spreading to over 150 sponsors. According to NBC, those 40 are new. “Sunday Night Football” has gained support from automobiles, insurance, retail, technology and fast food. Pharma, finance and technology have increased program support compared to last year. All availability of NBC’s large sponsors related to football has been sold, the company said, and Toyota has signed on as sponsoring the “SNF” halftime show. .
