Report: Super Bowl Already Ads 80% Sold

According to tvbythenumbers.com, which cites an official from Fox Sports, the network has already sold 80 percent of its advertising inventory for Super Bowl XLV next February at Cowboys Stadium.

Cost for ads has been slightly ahead of the $2.3 million per minute that CBS Sports charged for the Super Bowl this past year.

So, in terms of TV presentation, only one question remains about the big game -- the halftime entertainment. That announcement could come, if it follows the usual NFL timeline, before training camps open in July. With the game in Dallas, a crossover country-type performer (Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney) has been championed by some, but the NFL has most often leaned toward aging rock bands.

Fox previously announced that its hit show "Glee" would get the coveted post-Super Bowl timeslot.

Football Final ... Leftovers and Tidbits

A couple little things in the wake of the Super Bowl ...

-- It was subtle, but when CBS Sports host James Brown complimented analyst/former coach Bill Cowher on his jailhouse interview with former Steelers and Giants WR Plaxico Burress, Brown mentioned that the piece might be one of the coach's last efforts before he returns to the sidelines in 2010. It was the about the only time this fall that Cowher's much-speculated status seemed to be referred to in a solid manner.

-- Both host Mike Greenberg of "Mike and Mike in the Morning" and call-in guest James Carville thought the record-setting TV numbers for the Super Bowl were small when they talked about it Tuesday. By some logic, they're correct. After all, if 105.9 million people could tune into "M.A.S.H." in 1983, how could only 106 million watch the Super Bowl 27 years later? Carville, the famous Democratic political strategist and someone certainly familiar with polls and numbers (and also an unabashed Saints fans), wondered aloud what all the people who were not watching the game were doing.

-- Two days later, the Doritos commercials (especially the dog, and the young boy protecting his chips and his mom from a boyfriend) remain funny. The Snickers commercial with Betty White got appropriate kudos, but Doritos provided chuckles with all of its commercials -- and many of the Super Bowl commercials are airing on ESPN and other major-network shows this week. Of course, they have a life online as well.

-- Conversely, the silly GoDaddy! commercials have run their course.

-- After a day of unnecessary Peyton Manning bashing Monday on talk radio nationally, the rhetoric came down a few notches by Tuesday. Yep, he made a bad throw, but that Super Bowl did not hurt his Hall of Fame chances. At the same time, Saints QB Drew Brees certainly needs several more seasons of productivity to ensure his Canton credentials.

Record-Setting Super Bowl All About the Game

As the initial ratings and viewership numbers roll in for Super Bowl XLIV -- with The Hollywood Reporter reporting that the number of people who watched the game set an all-time U.S. television record -- one of the best things for football fans about the game was that CBS Sports did a strong job focusing on the game itself and not all the ancillary activities or celebrities.

Play-by-play man Jim Nantz and analyst Phil Simms were solid, and the broadcast touched on key news (the ankle injury of Colts DE Dwight Freeney) without going overboard. Important replays were available and there were no obvious flaws. It was just a solid broadcast of a good game.

In terms of those viewership, The Hollywood Reporter put the number at more than 106 million -- which would be more than the series finale of "M.A.S.H." in 1983. That show has been the standard for major-event TV ratings for nearly three decades.

Also, viewership for the Colts-Saints game was up from 98.7 million viewers fom the Cardinals-Steelers matchup in Super Bowl XLIII.

In the past five years, viewership for the game has increased drastically -- from 86.1 million in 2005 to 106 million this year. It increased during each year in the five-year span.

Still, the latest Super Bowl did set a record in terms of ratings, which measure the percentage of U.S. households watching. The "M.A.S.H." episode attracted more than 60 percent of TV viewers while the Colts-Saints game drew about 45 percent.

Pre-Super Bowl Winners? CBS, Irvin

Three hours before kickoff of the Super Bowl, some TV winners were already evident.

CBS Sports, which should pull a record number for the game, was in the best spot. Even a week before the game, network officials expected record-setting viewership -- if only because of the strong storlyines and the great numbers NFL games drew during the season.

After so many fans watched during the season, and with two likeable teams and leaders (QBs Drew Brees adnd Peyton Manning) infolved, it would only make sense people would watch pro football's final meaningful chapter this sesaon.

Then, with people throughout the Northeast digging out of a record snowstorm and likely to stay home, the chances for record viewership grew even more. Good news for CBS Sports.

Along with that faceless network, an unparalled personality was the other winner. After being the subject of a civil rape lawsuit late in the week, Hall of Fame WR and NFL Network analyst Michal Irvin seemed to survive a potentially dififcult situation. The accusations came from 2007, and Irvin quickly filed a countersuit.

While the talk radio station where Irvin hosted a show in Dallas let him go, the NFL Network kept Irvin on the air. He seemed contrite (or at least quiet by his usual standards) Saturday working the show when Hall of Fame newcomers were announced.

Then, when fellow NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp was arrested for a domestic battery charge in South Florida, Irvin's offense someone seemed a little less offensive -- and certainly less timely. The NFL Network pulled Sapp from its pre-game show Sunday, presenting an opportunity for Joey Porter, the outspoken Miami Dolphins LB, who earned a Super Bowl victory with the Steelers four years earlier.

Porter, although not polised, did well on short notice. Good for him.

Better still was the whole situation for Irvin. By Sunday, he seemed more confortable and loud on air (more of his usual self) than he had been just a day or so earlier. He also might survive after being in a difficult position just a few days ago.

Commericals -- A,B,C (Autos, Beer and Comedy)

Expect three things to dominate TV ads during the Super Bowl, some simple ABCs -- automakers, beer and comedy.

In terms of autos, a half dozen different automakers plan to unveil ads for the big game. Those include Dodge, Honda and Hyundai (which has Brett Farve in its commercial, as the MVP of the Super Bowl in 2010). Also, Volkswagen plans a spoof on the time-honored "punch bug" game associated with its iconic Volkswagen Bug.

As always, Anheuser-Busch leads all advertisers in terms of exposure during the game. It'll do so with several funny Bud Light commericals early in the game, another Clydesdale-oriented Bud commercial later in the game and others.

Expect the humor from Coke, Denny's, Monster Worldwide and others, including a travel company that lampoons Chevy Chase and his "National Lampoon" movies.

There's also some mostalgia (as Boost Mobile reprises the Chicago Bears and their Super Bowl Shuffle 20-some years ago) and, of course, some controversy, from the most-hyped commercial in the weeks leading up to the game. That commercial, with Tim Tebow, comes from the religious group Focus on the Family and presents a pro-life message.

Best Bites in Super Bowl Bonanza

Kickoff for the Super Bowl comes at 6:25 p.m. Sunday and by then more than 30 hours of pre-game hype and programming across several networks should be complete.

Such an abundance (overkill might be the correct term) of choices might scare off some, but there are highlights before the game -- some programs worth watching and some talking heads worth at least having as background noise in your home.

A chronological tour of the best bets includes ...

SATURDAY
3 p.m., "Full Color Football" (CBS)

A heavily praised documentary from NFL Films follows the rise of the American Football League. The hour-long program originally aired on Showtime and NFL Network. It makes its broadcast television debut Saturday afternoon.

5 p.m., Hall of Fame Announcement (NFL Network)

NFL Network provides live coverage of the announcement of the latest class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Probably the only real news to come from Saturday, and it should be a standout class.

9:30 p.m. Super Bowl XLIII (NFL Network)

As a Steelers fan, with little else on TV on a Saturday night, it'll be worth watching last year's Steelers-Cardinals game one more time.

SUNDAY
6 a.m., "Mike and Mike in the Morning" (ESPN2)

The weekday radio hosts go live again from South Florida with a four-hour show that will include a live interview with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic provide the best sports talk show on the airwaves and they're always on their game when on site for the Super Bowl. They were great during the week, and they'll probably continue to do solid work. Worth turning on before or after church.

9 a.m., "NFL Gameday Morning" (NFL Network)

Not as necessary to watch at "Mike and Mike," but the Network's personalities do provide entertainment and insight. Of more note this weekend, though, might be how NFL Network deals with the rape charge filed Thursday against analyst and former Cowbowys WR and ESPN analyst Michael Irvin. He was fired from his ESPN Radio gig in Dallas on Friday.

After that, take a break for a couple of hours. While "The Super Bowl Today," the official, four-hour pre-game show from CBS Sports, begins at 2 p.m., expect the show's best features to pop up in the final hour or so before the game. So, there's no need to tune in until then. And, by that point, 90 minutes or so of pre-game programming is more than enough.

4:30 p.m., "The Super Bowl Today" (CBS)

Announced features include: an interview by Steelers coach-turned analyst Bill Cowher with former Steelers and Giants WR Plaxico Burress, who remains in jail after being convicted for a gun-law violation in New York; and interviews by CBS News anchor Katie Couric with Saints QB Drew Brees and President Barack Obama.

Certainly, the live interview with President Obama will be one of the final features before the game itself.

Other notes about the pre-game show plans: a feature with Steelers WR Hines Ward, who with his personality and smile must consider any on-air opportunity and audition for when his career ends; a segment with former 49ers coach Bill Walsh; and live reports from analyst Randy Cross with U.S. troops in Iraq. Some of those might come before the last 90 minutes of the show, but missing them would be no major loss.

Finally, after all that, you can focus on the game -- and the commercials.

A Hall of Famer's Bobbled Pitch, Insights

OK, as much as the cattle call of athletes, celebrities and publicists (and the usual abundance of self-promotion) makes the nationally syndicated Jim Rome Show from Radio Row during Super Bowl week tiresome, it also produces some good radio.

Among the highlights Wednesday was the final guest during the show's second hour, the NFL's leading rusher and certain Hall of Fame selection this year, Emmitt Smith.

Smith was one site in Miami for several reasons this week, among them his upcoming election to the Hall and, as usual with many recognizable former athletes, his work as a pitchman.

Talking football and his Hall of Fame chances, Smith was solid when addressing what-if questions.

"Since I was 6 years old I've been thinking about playing football," he told Rome. "This is the final chapter. This is the ice cream and the cake."

Even better, he looked ahead, and talked about what he would do once elected -- the type of speculation athletes rarely entertain.

"Right now all I’m doing is putting down all of my thoughts and ideas, all the people I want to thank. Once I get the all out, I’ll organize them and put them in a format so I can communicate them in a way that's powerful, meaningful and effective."

When Rome moved discussion to Smith's necessary pitch, though, the former All-Pro selection fumbled.

After making the rounds on Radio Row most of the day, Smith needed a long pause to come up wih the name of the cause he was supporting. In fact, he never really named the cause.

But, he did specify he was working the the American Association of Orthodontists to encourage young athletes to wear protective mouth guards -- and to protect their mouth, jaw and teeth from serious injury. Plus, he knew the correct Web site, http://www.braces.org/, where people could find additional information.

All in all, it was the best of Radio Row, a good session for listeners who got some decent information and insights from a former Super Bowl MVP, and a productive visit for the AAO, who benefited from a pitchman who recovered from an early fumble and did his job well.

Super Bowl Media Day Available on TV, Web

Wet weather in South Florida prompted a second day of actual news during Super Bowl week, as the annual Media Day was moved from the field at Sun Life Stadium to the club level of the facility.

While Dwight Freeney's ankle injury drove much of the news cycle on TV and radio Monday, the two-hour media session with team members at the stadium -- one hour for the Colts and one for the Saints -- takes center state Tuesday.

The typical media frenzy might be more subdued because of the move. Most years the event takes on a circus-like atmosphere, with pro football beat writers, sports columnits and on-air types from across the nation rubbing elbows with all manner of pseudo-reporters and people with microphones in hand from entertainment shows or completing whimsical assignments.

While that allows sports types to pooh-pooh the process, it also enables the NFL to promote its product for free to many traditional and non-traditional platforms and outlets at the same time.

NFL officials do not expect the location change to impact what happens on Media Day.

"This should not be a major problem," NFL spokesman Michael Signora told The Associated Press. "It just will look different."

Activities begin at 10 a.m. with the Colts facing the media for an hour. After an hour-long break (to feed the media and for NFL Network and other analysts and media types to interview each other), the Saints get all the attention from noon to 1 p.m.

It might be the most-hyped two hours of any non-event on an annual basis in the world.

Along with live updates from national sports-talk radio networks and ESPN, the NFL Network and NFL.com provide additional access to the league-owned event.

Specifically, visitors to nfl.com/superbowl may find live streaming video of each of the 12 podiums used during media day. (Twelve players from each team are situated at a personal podium while all other players and coaches are available at the session as well.)

Throughout the week the site will provide live streams of other events as well. Those include the commissioner's State of the League Address on Friday and the announcement of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class on Saturday.

Super Bowl Buildup a Terrific Two Weeks

We're in the midst of the two best weeks of the NFL season -- the buildup to the Super Bowl.

Some fans might lament the time between games, but they would be wrong.

For TV storytellers, two weeks provides a good timeline to focus on the Xs and Ox as well as the Willies and Joes, providing a nice mix of technical and human interest stories. For all the things that surround the game (commercials, concerts, marketing), making it an annual holiday, two weeks provides just the right amount of time to stoke casual interest.

Honestly, this two-week buildup and sudden-death overtime might be two of the things the NFL does best.

Yes, overtime works. While some talk-show types and others who should have better things to analyze and rail against (especially Dick Vitale) spent a good part of Monday complaining about the NFL's overtime format, their bluster should be ignored.

The NFL has issues to address -- notably, as always, replay -- but overtime is not among them. Through the years the NFL has done a decent job of responding to fan complaints and not taking a knee-jerk approach when reacting to other problems.

Despite some complaints in the hours after the Saints victory, the league should do the same in regard to overtime. After all, that record viewership peaked during overtime, so people were clearly getting what they wanted.

And for so many reasons, from player safety to TV windows (the time available for games to air), sudden-death overtime works. It makes great TV, and it keeps football meaningful with an emphasis on special teams and defense.

Worried that the Vikings did not get the ball in OT? Well, maybe if their kick coverage had not allowed such a long return things would've been different. Or, maybe if their defense would've made a stop things would've been different.

Most important, maybe if a pass interference penalty had not been called, or if Brett Favre had not thrown an interception at the end of regulation ... all the ifs could go on forever. What should remain unchanged, though, should be the rule on overtime. It works, and it especially works on TV.