If it weren’t for the biggest sporting event on planet Earth, just where would ad revenue be for the just-completed 2017-18 broadcast season?
Thanks to World Cup coverage on Telemundo, ad revenue from Hispanic television networks stayed flat, at $2.1 billion, according to Standard Media Index and AccuTV data.
Subtract the World Cup, and the situation is grim for Spanish-language TV.
When equivalizing for the soccer world’s biggest tournament of nations, held in Russia, ad revenue falls by 5%.
Notes SMI CEO James Fennessy, “The World Cup managed to help Hispanic TV keep volumes at 2017 levels. When we back this out we see a fairly substantial fall in revenues for the just completed Broadcast Year.”
Telemundo saw significant upside this Broadcast Season largely due to the World Cup. The soccer tournament brought in $122 Million for the network, bringing the overall revenue to $647 Million, which amounts to 16% year-over-year growth.
Univision, on the other hand, saw a 9% drop in ad revenue this season. The “embattled” network has faced a tough year that includes a carrier dispute with DISH Network and discarding plans for an IPO, SMI notes.
Still, Univision is the largest Hispanic TV Network by volume: It brought in $975 million this year, SMI reports.
Here’s the bad news: Univision decreased in market share from 49% in 2016-17 to 45% in 2017-18 season. Telemundo gained market share from 26% last season to 30% this season.
Paid Unit Costs
Prime-time demanded the highest commercial prices at an average of $3,753.
Overall, Univision, Telemundo, and UniMas charged the most of the Hispanic networks.
The most expensive program this year was Copa Mundial de la FIFA: Homenaje al Campeón on Telemundo, which cost $197,000 for a 30-second spot.
That’s followed by Univision’s Premio Lo Nuestro 2018 at $133,000 and Premios Juventud 2018 at $113,000.
Top Advertisers
Among the Top 30 advertiser subcategories, there were some significant swings in spend this season. The top 30 subcategories make up 88% of the spend on the Hispanic Networks.
Hospitals & Medical Centers increased spend the most, by 71%.
Meanwhile, Department Stores decreased spend the most, dropping some 57%.
Advertiser Subcategories with the Largest Increases in Spend During the 2017-18 Season, Among the Top 30 Subcategories
Advertiser Subcategory | YoY Increase in Spend |
Hospitals & Medical Centers | 71% |
Business Services | 67% |
Skin Care | 46% |
Miscellaneous Goods | 32% |
OTC Medicines & Remedies | 27% |
Advertiser Subcategories with the Largest Decreases in Spend During the 2017-18 Season, Among the Top 30 Subcategories
Advertiser Subcategory | YoY Increase in Spend |
Department Stores | -57% |
Travel Services & Websites | -27% |
Specialty Retailers | -27% |
Motion Pictures | -19% |
Oral Care | -15% |