The game may be a more than a year away, but the promotion around it is not. The promos, which read “, your home for Super Bowl LV,” are expected to run between 15 and 20 times on each network Monday and will also surface from various corporate and network social-media feeds. They represent just the first step in a broader plan“If you look at ViacomCBS, we reach every age group and demographic on a daily basis,” says, chairman of CBS Sports, in an interview.
Yet as the media industry shifts, the Super Bowl is taking on even greater importance. With more people choosing streaming, on-demand video to watch scripted favorites, traditional media companies are more dependent than ever on live sports and news. Last night, Fox Corporation used the Super Bowl to put a spotlight on a new set of assets that is smaller and more focused since the company sold the bulk of its studio and cable assets to Walt Disney.
ViacomCBS executives have been making their case in public for the better part of a year. In February of 2019, McManus told investors that CBS Corp. would “do what is necessary” to keep its NFL rights. ViacomCBS CEOsaid in September that the new company would have a stronger hand than CBS would have if it were still flying solo.
ViacomCBS is under some Wall Street scrutiny. Now that it has made its case to investors for merging, analysts want to see better defined goals, says Michael Nathanson, a media analyst with MoffettNathanson, in a recent research note. Disney has articulated a strategy for scripted programming and streaming, while Fox and Discovery are emphasizing live or unscripted fare.
No more Fox Super Bowl?!?! THANK FUCKING GOD!!!