One of the biggest surprises during the game didn't occur on-field. The first commercial break aired shortly after 8:30 p.m. While this break was crucial for advertisers, it wasn't even national.
The first national commercial break ran a few minutes before 9 p.m., almost a full hour after the game started. That two-minute break featured Burger King, the U.S. Army, 1-800-COLLECT and Honda ads.
Only 60 percent of the XFL's ad time sold by kickoff. They expected to sell 75 percent.
Big name advertisers are on-board with the following companies buying ad packages:
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20th Century Fox
Anheuser-Busch
Burger King
Gatorade
Gillette
Harley-Davidson
Honda
MCI
Miller
Proctor and Gamble
The U.S. Air Force
The U.S. Army
Universal Studios
Warner Brothers Pictures
Wolverine Boots and Shoes
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XFL execs say they're not worried about the gap in ad sales. They believe a lot of advertisers are waiting to see how the XFL is perceived before they invest.
Even so, don't count on seeing commercials for brokerage firms or Lincolns. With the 18-34 tag, advertisers are going to have to narrow their product exposure in order to transform viewers into customers. On the other hand, the NFL continues to attract a wide variety of viewers so advertising opportunities aren't so limited.
A lot of hype surrounds the XFL right now. The true test for the league and advertisers will come in a few weeks when media coverage is lacking and viewers begin to stray.
Half a dozen previous football leagues have failed because of waning interest. Now McMahon has to rely on 10 games, one championship and selling that remaining ad time to determine if the XFL becomes the eXFL.
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