Paul Wilson never ran a 10,000 meter race at the Olympics, but he sure must feel like it.
Wilson has supervised much of the work that NBCUniversal’s ad-sales team has had to do over the past two decade to make the company’s investment in the Olympics pay off. He is stepping down from his role as senior vice president of Olympics ad sales at NBCU, ending a streak of selling commercial inventory for the past ten editions of the Games, eight as the leader — making him directly responsible for $10 billion in ad revenue. During the pandemic, NBCU really had to work for its ad support, breaking down buys that sponsors had committed for the 2020 Games, then rebuilding them for 2021 after coronavirus forced a year’s delay of the Summer Games. There was even more work to do — the delay meant the Summer Olympics took place just six months before the 2022 Winter Games.
Wilson has supervised much of the work that NBCUniversal’s ad-sales team has had to do over the past two decade to make the company’s investment in the Olympics pay off. He is stepping down from his role as senior vice president of Olympics ad sales at NBCU, ending a streak of selling commercial inventory for the past ten editions of the Games, eight as the leader — making him directly responsible for $10 billion in ad revenue. During the pandemic, NBCU really had to work for its ad support, breaking down buys that sponsors had committed for the 2020 Games, then rebuilding them for 2021 after coronavirus forced a year’s delay of the Summer Games. There was even more work to do — the delay meant the Summer Olympics took place just six months before the 2022 Winter Games.
- 3/11/2022
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Rita Ferro, Disney’s president of ad sales, received the Frank Stanton Award for Excellence in Communication during a luncheon Wednesday in New York attended by a number of senior-level colleagues.
ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne, ABC entertainment chief Karey Burke and Direct to Consumer and International Chairman Kevin Mayer were among those paying tribute to Ferro in person. Videotaped salutes came from a range of notables, among them CEO Bob Iger, NBA great Kobe Bryant and Live co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest.
The annual lunch event benefits the Center for Communication, a non-profit organization promoting media education and career advancement. Founded by Stanton, the late president of CBS, the center will mark its 40th anniversary in 2020. Past editions have featured honorees including Ted Turner, David Nevins of Showtime/CBS, Vice Media co-founder Shane Smith, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Once free-wheeling, roast-y affairs held at the Pierre Hotel,...
ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne, ABC entertainment chief Karey Burke and Direct to Consumer and International Chairman Kevin Mayer were among those paying tribute to Ferro in person. Videotaped salutes came from a range of notables, among them CEO Bob Iger, NBA great Kobe Bryant and Live co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest.
The annual lunch event benefits the Center for Communication, a non-profit organization promoting media education and career advancement. Founded by Stanton, the late president of CBS, the center will mark its 40th anniversary in 2020. Past editions have featured honorees including Ted Turner, David Nevins of Showtime/CBS, Vice Media co-founder Shane Smith, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Once free-wheeling, roast-y affairs held at the Pierre Hotel,...
- 10/23/2019
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Rita Ferro, after a 2017 promotion to lead the consolidated ad-sales efforts of the Disney-ABC Television Group, will add ESPN to her portfolio.
Ed Erhardt, who spent 20 years as head of sales for ESPN, has announced his retirement in early 2019.
The moves were announced by direct-to-consumer and international chairman Kevin Mayer, to whom Ferro reports.
Already in charge of sales for cornerstone properties such as ABC, its eight owned local TV stations and the Disney cable networks, Ferro will now also oversee the entire ESPN multi-platform portfolio. She takes that heavy baton at a critical time for the network, which has long been a growth engine for Disney but has entered more uncertain territory this decade amid the re-bundling of the pay-tv landscape. Although still a dominant force in sports media, ESPN has shed video subscribers and seen some volatility in ratings in some dayparts.
Like its TV programming peers,...
Ed Erhardt, who spent 20 years as head of sales for ESPN, has announced his retirement in early 2019.
The moves were announced by direct-to-consumer and international chairman Kevin Mayer, to whom Ferro reports.
Already in charge of sales for cornerstone properties such as ABC, its eight owned local TV stations and the Disney cable networks, Ferro will now also oversee the entire ESPN multi-platform portfolio. She takes that heavy baton at a critical time for the network, which has long been a growth engine for Disney but has entered more uncertain territory this decade amid the re-bundling of the pay-tv landscape. Although still a dominant force in sports media, ESPN has shed video subscribers and seen some volatility in ratings in some dayparts.
Like its TV programming peers,...
- 9/5/2018
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
ESPN ad sales executive Ed Ernhart is set to retire in early 2019, with ABC’s Rita Ferro to add oversight of the sports media brand as lead of advertising sales for all of Disney.
Ernhart has led ESPN’s ad sales efforts for two decades, during which time ABC and ESPN have been sold separately. Moving forward, Ferro will handle all ESPN and Disney|ABC properties, including digital and the company’s eight owned local stations.
The shift comes after Disney reorganized its global advertising sales efforts into the newly created direct-to-consumer and international division, under the leadership of Kevin Mayer, earlier this year.
Also Read: How Will Edgier FX Shows Like 'Mayans Mc' Fit Inside Disney's 'Family-Friendly' Brand?
“Uniting our advertising sales efforts gives advertisers and marketers a one-stop shop for reaching audiences across all of The Walt Disney Company’s media properties, providing clients with the best and most...
Ernhart has led ESPN’s ad sales efforts for two decades, during which time ABC and ESPN have been sold separately. Moving forward, Ferro will handle all ESPN and Disney|ABC properties, including digital and the company’s eight owned local stations.
The shift comes after Disney reorganized its global advertising sales efforts into the newly created direct-to-consumer and international division, under the leadership of Kevin Mayer, earlier this year.
Also Read: How Will Edgier FX Shows Like 'Mayans Mc' Fit Inside Disney's 'Family-Friendly' Brand?
“Uniting our advertising sales efforts gives advertisers and marketers a one-stop shop for reaching audiences across all of The Walt Disney Company’s media properties, providing clients with the best and most...
- 9/5/2018
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Ed Erhardt doesn’t do sports coverage for ESPN, but he’s managed to make a few interesting calls of his own in the two decades he’s worked there.
During his time as the head of ad-sales at the Walt Disney owned sports-media giant, ESPN has unveiled the “double box,” a split-screen execution that allows viewers to watch live action even as an ad unfurls on screen. He has pushed advertisers to accept a single audience measure that takes into account both streaming and linear viewers – a dynamic that has accounted for ratings gains at ESPN. Under his aegis, ESPN launched its own in-house creative agency. He also was the first TV executive to place a cable network into TV’s glitzy “upfront” week, previously dominated by broadcasters. After ESPN appeared there in 2007, other cable networks tried to follow.
Sports programming often serves as a first place for new TV-commercial formats to surface,...
During his time as the head of ad-sales at the Walt Disney owned sports-media giant, ESPN has unveiled the “double box,” a split-screen execution that allows viewers to watch live action even as an ad unfurls on screen. He has pushed advertisers to accept a single audience measure that takes into account both streaming and linear viewers – a dynamic that has accounted for ratings gains at ESPN. Under his aegis, ESPN launched its own in-house creative agency. He also was the first TV executive to place a cable network into TV’s glitzy “upfront” week, previously dominated by broadcasters. After ESPN appeared there in 2007, other cable networks tried to follow.
Sports programming often serves as a first place for new TV-commercial formats to surface,...
- 9/5/2018
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
The Incredibles – that popular Pixar family of super heroes – have long sought to keep villainy at bay and justice on the rise. Now they are taking on a new mission: helping the Walt Disney Company increase its flow of ad dollars.
Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl and the rest of their clan figures prominently into a sweepstakes that launches this week with Clorox, and will be announced via promotional spots appearing on such Disney properties as “Good Morning America” and on cable’s Disney Channels and Freeform. The ads will surface on linear, digital, and social outlets.
Walt Disney has long worked out deals that attach advertisers to its popular films, but the company is attempting to boost the experience, according to Rita Ferro, president of advertising sales for ABC-Disney TV Group and Ed Erhardt, president of global sales and marketing at ESPN.
“We are starting to evolve how we expand...
Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl and the rest of their clan figures prominently into a sweepstakes that launches this week with Clorox, and will be announced via promotional spots appearing on such Disney properties as “Good Morning America” and on cable’s Disney Channels and Freeform. The ads will surface on linear, digital, and social outlets.
Walt Disney has long worked out deals that attach advertisers to its popular films, but the company is attempting to boost the experience, according to Rita Ferro, president of advertising sales for ABC-Disney TV Group and Ed Erhardt, president of global sales and marketing at ESPN.
“We are starting to evolve how we expand...
- 5/15/2018
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
ESPN’s pitch to advertisers next week is that it already has the most of what they want.
The Walt Disney-controlled sports-media giant intends to remind advertisers next week at the start of TV’s annual “upfront” presentations that 98% of the viewing of content across all its distribution points is done live. “It is C-five minutes,” says Ed Erhardt, the company’s president of global sales and marketing, making a reference to the industry’s typical ways of measuring commercial viewing. Advertisers typically pay based on “C3” and “C7,” or views of commercials up to three days or a week after they originally air.
In doing so, ESPN is backing away from taking swipes at digital counterparts – as it has done in campaigns timed to the upfront market in 2017 and in 2016 – and instead putting the focus squarely on its own offerings. Last year in May, ESPN ran an ad...
The Walt Disney-controlled sports-media giant intends to remind advertisers next week at the start of TV’s annual “upfront” presentations that 98% of the viewing of content across all its distribution points is done live. “It is C-five minutes,” says Ed Erhardt, the company’s president of global sales and marketing, making a reference to the industry’s typical ways of measuring commercial viewing. Advertisers typically pay based on “C3” and “C7,” or views of commercials up to three days or a week after they originally air.
In doing so, ESPN is backing away from taking swipes at digital counterparts – as it has done in campaigns timed to the upfront market in 2017 and in 2016 – and instead putting the focus squarely on its own offerings. Last year in May, ESPN ran an ad...
- 5/12/2018
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
ESPN is stuffing its ESPN+ subscription service with thousands of live sporting events and other programming — which won’t be available on its cable TV channels. And it’s also promising sports mega-fans who pony up $4.99 per month that they won’t be blasted with as many ads.
To be clear: The live games on ESPN+, which will include Mlb, NHL, Major League Soccer and PGA events plus international sports like soccer, cricket, and rugby, will have traditional ad breaks — just like on TV — delivered using dynamic ad-insertion technology.
However, ESPN+ subscribers will not see standard display ads or pre- and post-roll video ads anywhere on the ESPN App, ESPN.com or connected-tv platforms. Instead of those traditional ad formats, for ESPN+ the programmer is focusing on securing integrated brand sponsorships; the launch sponsor for ESPN+ is American Express.
The idea is to create an uncluttered and personalized viewing experience...
To be clear: The live games on ESPN+, which will include Mlb, NHL, Major League Soccer and PGA events plus international sports like soccer, cricket, and rugby, will have traditional ad breaks — just like on TV — delivered using dynamic ad-insertion technology.
However, ESPN+ subscribers will not see standard display ads or pre- and post-roll video ads anywhere on the ESPN App, ESPN.com or connected-tv platforms. Instead of those traditional ad formats, for ESPN+ the programmer is focusing on securing integrated brand sponsorships; the launch sponsor for ESPN+ is American Express.
The idea is to create an uncluttered and personalized viewing experience...
- 4/12/2018
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Not much change from last year in the basic business proposition that ABC offered to upfront advertisers today: Forget that it’s the No. 4 network in prime time for 18-to-49 year olds. Execs touted the “brand halo” (as entertainment chief Paul Lee put it) that Disney and its properties offer ABC. “When you bring them all together they are as unstoppable a force as The Force,” Disney-abc Television Group President Anne Sweeney said in a forced reference to the parent company’s acquisition of Star Wars creator Lucasfilm. Sales President Geri Wang and Espn sales chief Ed Erhardt shared the stage to illustrate ways advertisers can mix and match appeals to women and men, for example via New Year’s programming on ABC and games on the sports network. Wang added that ABC offers more original programming than other networks which “creates great moments for your brands.” Related: ABC 2014 Schedule:...
- 5/13/2014
- by DAVID LIEBERMAN, Financial Editor
- Deadline TV
Despite troubling indicators that suggest the economic recovery might have lost forward momentum, media buyers and network executives are confident that the TV advertising marketplace will remain robust through year's end. After that, it's anyone's guess.
In the waning hours of an upfront that saw clients commit to about $18 million in national broadcast and cable inventory, buyers had intimated that scatter would begin to dry up during the third and fourth quarters. This has not been the case, however, as pricing continues to come in at about 20% above upfront levels.
Buyers and sellers have begun the process of converting holds to orders, and though time remains, early indications seem to support the notion that there won't be an inordinate amount of breakage.
"So far, just about everything seems to be holding up," one national TV buyer said. "If I had to put a number on it, I'd say maybe 5% won't stick.
In the waning hours of an upfront that saw clients commit to about $18 million in national broadcast and cable inventory, buyers had intimated that scatter would begin to dry up during the third and fourth quarters. This has not been the case, however, as pricing continues to come in at about 20% above upfront levels.
Buyers and sellers have begun the process of converting holds to orders, and though time remains, early indications seem to support the notion that there won't be an inordinate amount of breakage.
"So far, just about everything seems to be holding up," one national TV buyer said. "If I had to put a number on it, I'd say maybe 5% won't stick.
- 8/30/2010
- by By Anthony Crupi, Mediaweek
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Even the B-flat drone of the vuvuzelas hasn't tempered America's enthusiasm for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and as the tournament heads into the third round of the group stage, ratings are at a 16-year high.
Through the first 14 matches of the World Cup, Espn and ABC have delivered an average crowd of 3.35 million viewers, marking a 64% increase from the same period in 2006, when the nets drew 2.9 million fans. The initial portion of the round-robin stage was distinguished by the much-anticipated June 12 U.S.-England tie, which drew 13 million viewers on ABC, making it the most-watched first round World Cup game in U.S. broadcast history.
Spanish-language broadcaster Univision also drew a big crowd last Saturday, serving up 4.11 million viewers with its coverage of the 1-1 Yanks-Brits match. The Group C battle stands as Univision's second most-watched U.S. World Cup match ever, trailing only the U.S.-Mexico round-of-16 showdown...
Through the first 14 matches of the World Cup, Espn and ABC have delivered an average crowd of 3.35 million viewers, marking a 64% increase from the same period in 2006, when the nets drew 2.9 million fans. The initial portion of the round-robin stage was distinguished by the much-anticipated June 12 U.S.-England tie, which drew 13 million viewers on ABC, making it the most-watched first round World Cup game in U.S. broadcast history.
Spanish-language broadcaster Univision also drew a big crowd last Saturday, serving up 4.11 million viewers with its coverage of the 1-1 Yanks-Brits match. The Group C battle stands as Univision's second most-watched U.S. World Cup match ever, trailing only the U.S.-Mexico round-of-16 showdown...
- 6/21/2010
- by By Anthony Crupi and Mike Shields, Mediaweek
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Another sign that advertising is in recovery mode: The upfront marketplace for NFL spots -- as well as those for college football, which normally doesn't begin until July -- could wrap up by week's end. Sellers agreed they were close to completing their pro-football upfronts but emphasized that they would have some so-called "scatter" units for in-season sale.
In fact, buyers said the NFL market actually kicked off in May before the start of the primetime upfront. This, in large part, was because of strong demand from automakers General Motors, Ford and Toyota as well as financial services and retail marketers, many of which have decided to spend more after pulling back last year because of the recession.
"The autos are back with a vengeance," said John Bogusz, executive vp sports sales and marketing at CBS.
Buyers said the NFL also commanded early attention because viewing of games last season...
In fact, buyers said the NFL market actually kicked off in May before the start of the primetime upfront. This, in large part, was because of strong demand from automakers General Motors, Ford and Toyota as well as financial services and retail marketers, many of which have decided to spend more after pulling back last year because of the recession.
"The autos are back with a vengeance," said John Bogusz, executive vp sports sales and marketing at CBS.
Buyers said the NFL also commanded early attention because viewing of games last season...
- 6/20/2010
- by By Steve McClellan, Mediaweek
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New York -- A push into social gaming, a new nightly ESPNU signature show at midnight, an ESPN Deportes show modeled after SportsNation, the unveiling of the full 3D soccer World Cup schedule for ESPN 3D and new iPhone apps -- those were some key news nuggets from the ESPN upfront presentation here Tuesday morning.
The event once again took place at Nokia Theater in Times Square, but instead of it being hosted by the SportsCenter team as in recent years, SportsNation anchors Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle served as hosts. Their ESPN2 show had been unveiled at the sports powerhouse's upfront last year.
In addition to such execs as Espn and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer, executive vp content John Skipper and Ed Erhardt, president customer marketing and sales, Robert Iger, CEO of parent company Walt Disney was also in attendance.
Guest appearances included Nascar driver Jeff Gordon, Monday Night Football...
The event once again took place at Nokia Theater in Times Square, but instead of it being hosted by the SportsCenter team as in recent years, SportsNation anchors Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle served as hosts. Their ESPN2 show had been unveiled at the sports powerhouse's upfront last year.
In addition to such execs as Espn and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer, executive vp content John Skipper and Ed Erhardt, president customer marketing and sales, Robert Iger, CEO of parent company Walt Disney was also in attendance.
Guest appearances included Nascar driver Jeff Gordon, Monday Night Football...
- 5/18/2010
- by By Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As the World Cup ads say, one game changes everything.
ESPN is counting on that maxim to justify its biggest marketing blitz to date for a single event, designed to position the sports nicher as a burgeoning soccer powerhouse and in the process prove that the sport has reached critical mass in the U.S. -- a mass worthy of the monthlong global sports extravaganza.
Meanwhile, Univision, with a long track record covering soccer as Spanish-language U.S. rightsholder for the World Cup, already knows it's true. It will use this summer's event to make further inroads with marketers who might not have opened their wallets for the broadcaster in the past and generally still pay lower CPMs than to the network's English-language peers.
Both networks say ad revenue around the World Cup has been brisk.
But rights fees also are up, and...
ESPN is counting on that maxim to justify its biggest marketing blitz to date for a single event, designed to position the sports nicher as a burgeoning soccer powerhouse and in the process prove that the sport has reached critical mass in the U.S. -- a mass worthy of the monthlong global sports extravaganza.
Meanwhile, Univision, with a long track record covering soccer as Spanish-language U.S. rightsholder for the World Cup, already knows it's true. It will use this summer's event to make further inroads with marketers who might not have opened their wallets for the broadcaster in the past and generally still pay lower CPMs than to the network's English-language peers.
Both networks say ad revenue around the World Cup has been brisk.
But rights fees also are up, and...
- 5/6/2010
- by By Paul J. Gough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New York -- Despite a laggard economy and tepid ratings for the sport in 2009, advertisers have returned to Major League Baseball telecasts this season, and baseball's TV rights holders are close to selling out commercial time on their first few months of games, both at the national and local levels.
Fox is virtually sold out for April and May, buoyed by a doubling in automotive ad dollars and a 75% hike in financial advertising compared with this time last season for its Saturday afternoon games and two primetime contests. Turner has taken in 15%-20% more ad dollars than it did last year for its Sunday afternoon Mlb games.
Espn, which televises the most games nationally, also is pacing ahead of last year. Its telecast of the Home Run Derby the night before the All-Star Game is almost sold out. And Mlb Network, in its second year, added 30 new advertisers this season...
Fox is virtually sold out for April and May, buoyed by a doubling in automotive ad dollars and a 75% hike in financial advertising compared with this time last season for its Saturday afternoon games and two primetime contests. Turner has taken in 15%-20% more ad dollars than it did last year for its Sunday afternoon Mlb games.
Espn, which televises the most games nationally, also is pacing ahead of last year. Its telecast of the Home Run Derby the night before the All-Star Game is almost sold out. And Mlb Network, in its second year, added 30 new advertisers this season...
- 4/5/2010
- by By John Consoli, Mediaweek
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Former CBS "Early Show" co-host Hannah Storm will join ESPN in August as one of the central anchors for the channel's new Monday-Friday daytime SportsCenter block.
ESPN announced at its upfront presentation Tuesday at the Nokia Theatre that the new 6 a.m.-3 p.m. live "SportsCenter" will bow Aug. 11, just in time for the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Storm will anchor the 9 a.m.-noon "SportsCenter". Other hosts will be announced later.
"Over the next nine months there's a lot going on with 'SportsCenter, ' " ESPN ad sales chief Ed Erhardt said.
Also launching in the summer is SportsCenter.com, which will give viewers interactivity with anchors with chats and email and other features. ESPN also previewed the redesign of ESPN.com, which will debut soon with additional digital content and other features.
The 1 a.m. ET "SportsCenter" will originate from ESPN's new Los Angeles studio across from the Staples Center. And the usual Bristol, Conn., studio will get an extreme makeover with new studios and graphics starting in April.
ESPN announced at its upfront presentation Tuesday at the Nokia Theatre that the new 6 a.m.-3 p.m. live "SportsCenter" will bow Aug. 11, just in time for the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Storm will anchor the 9 a.m.-noon "SportsCenter". Other hosts will be announced later.
"Over the next nine months there's a lot going on with 'SportsCenter, ' " ESPN ad sales chief Ed Erhardt said.
Also launching in the summer is SportsCenter.com, which will give viewers interactivity with anchors with chats and email and other features. ESPN also previewed the redesign of ESPN.com, which will debut soon with additional digital content and other features.
The 1 a.m. ET "SportsCenter" will originate from ESPN's new Los Angeles studio across from the Staples Center. And the usual Bristol, Conn., studio will get an extreme makeover with new studios and graphics starting in April.
- 5/13/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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