# Why are there no commercials in overtime? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-commercials-in-overtime/171050 "2003-04-25T05:08:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-commercials-in-overtime/171050/1 "2003-04-25T05:08:47Z")
Okay, I’m watching this Stars-Ducks hockey game, in its fourth overtime period. They’ve played almost 2 1/3 hockey games already. it’s currently the fourth longest game in NHL history. But why don’t they have commercial breaks in overtime? Is is to just get the game over with faster? Couldn’t the players use a little rest, at least once a period? Maybe they just don’t take into consideration the rare occassions when making those rules? Is there any official NHL reason for this? By the way, this game is ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-commercials-in-overtime/171050/2 "2003-04-25T05:24:57Z")
Haha, because occasionally the universe gets something right. I was aware of this, but I’m not sure what the reason is. The fact that you can’t really sell ad space for a part of the game you don’t know you’re going to have helps - but I think the lack of commercials in OT is wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-commercials-in-overtime/171050/3 "2003-04-25T05:44:49Z")
There has to be something with the logistics also of hockey. There are commercials in overtimes/extra innings in basketball, football, and baseball. However in basketball and football, they don’t use designated television timeouts. And in baseball, you have natural breaks between half-innings. Nevertheless, they still have enough ads to show to fill up a 25-inning game. I assume that baseball teams sell ads for a whole season, so they can just show the ads over and over again, while a hockey broadcast for a national audience can’t sell ads that way. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-commercials-in-overtime/171050/4 "2003-04-25T21:31:02Z")
I’d imagine advertisers have already signed up for the entire playoffs, so the lack of ads to run shouldn’t be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-no-commercials-in-overtime/171050/5 "2003-04-25T21:37:06Z")
Having been AT the game until the bitter end (very bitter… I’m a Stars fan) I must say, I’m GLAD they didn’t have commercial breaks. As it was, I was there from 6pm Wednesday till 12:30 am Thursday. It was a fun game, though.