# Did they have trouble selling commercial spots for the Super Bowl?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 27, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141 "2003-01-27T01:57:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/1 "2003-01-27T01:57:11Z")
I’m sitting here with the TV on in the background so I wont feel clueless when everyone talks about the Super Bowl commercials tomorrow and it seems like 3 out of every 4 commericals is an ABC or local station commercial. What gives? Where are Pepsi and Nike and McDonalds?
---
### Author:  [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/2 "2003-01-27T02:38:58Z")
This is the second thread I’ve asked this in tonight, but are we watching the same Superbowl?
Pepsi’s had two commercials for their new 7-Up/Sprite killer, Sierra Mist(The dog and the fire hydrant, and the monkey going over the wall into the polar bear pool), one comercial for Pepsi Twist(the Osbournes/Osmonds), and one for Diet Pepsi(father/son at a rock concert).
McD had the father and son who both had a bad day.
---
### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/3 "2003-01-27T02:47:53Z")
I didn’t start watching until halftime. The only one you mentioned that I’ve definately seen is the father/son at the concert. I’ve just noticed ALOT of network commercials and a few movie trailers.
I still haven’t seen trailers for; The Matrix, X-Men 2, Daredevil, or the Hulk yet and I think the game is almost over. Did they play these in the first half?
---
### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/4 "2003-01-27T02:56:19Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cisco \*
> \*\*I still haven’t seen trailers for; The Matrix, X-Men 2, Daredevil, or the Hulk yet and I think the game is almost over. Did they play these in the first half? \*\*
Yes, not sure on the X-men tough.
Of all of the trailers the only one that made me go 🆒 was the Matrix.
---
### Author:  [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/5 "2003-01-27T02:57:28Z")
Yes, no, yes, yes.
---
### Author:  [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/6 "2003-01-27T03:17:36Z")
Here’s a general hint for Super Bowl commercial viewing: if you’re going to skip a half, don’t skip the first one. The advertisers are going to try to cram as many high profile ads in early in the game, when everyone’s still likely to be watching. They tend to fear that the game will go one-sided early, and people will start tuning out.
---
### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/7 "2003-01-27T05:30:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SC\_Wolf \*
> \*\*Here’s a general hint for Super Bowl commercial viewing: if you’re going to skip a half, don’t skip the first one. The advertisers are going to try to cram as many high profile ads in early in the game, when everyone’s still likely to be watching. They tend to fear that the game will go one-sided early, and people will start tuning out. \*\*
This year was exhibit A for why that’s a good idea.
---
### Author:  [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/8 "2003-01-27T06:54:13Z")
I agree with Cisco, there were a lot of local station commercials, movie trailers, and some beer ads. It seems like a good time for the local station to broadcast their ads over the national ones, considering the large audience that is watching. I don’t know if they do that illegally, or if they have a contract saying how many commercials they can substitute. I’ve always wondered about that.
---
### Author:  [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-they-have-trouble-selling-commercial-spots-for-the-super-bowl/151141/9 "2003-01-27T07:00:09Z")
According to [this CNN report](http://money.cnn.com/2003/01/23/news/companies/superbowl_abc_adsales/), as of 3 days before the Super Bowl there were still advertizing spots available (though they planned on selling them out by game time). This is probably why there were so many ABC spots.