How to go to commercials during the Super Bowl

TV commercial breaks are the source of trouble for all NFL fans. They are already suspended from a game full of stops, attacking viewers coming, forcing the stadium fans and players to two and a half minutes, sometimes in the freezing cold.

But commercials were the lifeline of the NFL without them, and broadcasters couldn't afford billions of dollars, including rights fees, money spent on paying players' salaries.

Most games have 18 commercial breaks. There are some fixed timeouts, like the end of the first and third quarters and the two minute warning. The league and network will avoid teams taking a break if the game's opening drive ends immediately. If everything goes well, the final commercial will run with a 2-minute warning for the fourth quarter.

However, most commercial breaks are chosen in real time as league executives, network producers, and field staff are looking for a natural break in action. Finding them is more artistic than science, as all games unfold in different ways.

“Our fans know that there's a commercial break coming,” said Mike North, vice president of broadcast planning and scheduling in the NFL. Score; If you happen to be injured, hopefully it's a minor one. Or instant replay reviews of referees going to the sidelines. ”

Their decision will be seen on Sunday with over 100 million viewers watching the Super Bowl, with advertisers hoping for a 30-second commercial, some of which cost over $8 million Masu. Advertising is invaluable, so this year's network (Fox) adds two breaks during the game, bringing it to 20 total.

League, network and field staff will call for a minimum of four-quarters of commercial breaks per quarter, but take too many breaks to interrupt the flow of the game, and wait too long, and the game They are trying to balance the risks of cramming a break. The clock will check down.

The logistics that determine when to call a TV timeout requires a complicated phone tree in a three-hour game. The referee, who can start and stop the game and reverse requests for a break, communicates with the backjudge who is constantly in contact with two sideline officials standing near the 20-yard line. One of them wears a green hat, representing the league. The other is in orange gloves and works with the network.

They talk to North and other league officials at Pressbox, as well as producers of production trucks outside the stadium. Sometimes, it's clear to go to the commercial, like after the score. Also, the league and network will take a break after injuries and coaching challenges. The formula wearing orange gloves shows you want to break your network by crossing your arms with an “X”. The judge then blows whi and stretches his arms to form a T. This means that play will stop for about 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

Green Hat officials will hold the “:30” printed sign to indicate that the network wants to get a 30-second timeout instead of a full 2:20 break. Once the break is over, the referee spins his arm over his head three times, and the game clock restarts. If the team calls a timeout, but the network doesn't want to go to a commercial break, the official in orange gloves will turn his arms in the circle above his head.

Some commercial timeouts are based on the hunter. Early in the divisional round playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles, Rams coach Sean McVay challenged the call for an incomplete pass on the third down. Officials determined that the receiver had dropped the ball, but the replay was inconclusive, so North and NBC went for the commercial as they bet that the reviews were not quick. Once the break was over, the call was overturned and the Rams drive continued. North feels good when they can use their breaks seamlessly.

“As a producer, one of your primary responsibilities is to create the best possible flow for your audience at home,” said the longtime producer of Primetime NFL games on ABC, ESPN and NBC. One Fred Gaudelli said: “I've produced games for 35 years and have never played games when all the commercials didn't come in. They're going to come in. So don't sweat, do the best thing for the viewers. Sho.”

Once or twice a season, the referee resumes the game during a break, separating the network from the commercial. If the network is unable to play all the commercials, it will make up for it to advertisers later in the season. There is no such option in the Super Bowl. Because that's the final game of the year.

For decades, the network has timed out at any time. However, since the late 1990s, the NFL has regulated its length, frequency and placement. NFL standardized breaks include four 30-second commercials and 10 seconds or so, so that the network runs promotions for other shows, or announcers discuss the elements of the game .

In 2016, Commissioner Roger Goodell looked closely at the game to address complaints from viewers, but the league said on how the commercial break influenced the stadium's audience and fans' experiences. I took a comprehensive view.

I found that having to cram in 20 or 22 breaks per game leads to an unnatural stop. For example, the network routinely took commercial breaks after extra points, then returned to the stadium for kick-off, then back to the commercials. If there was a few seconds remaining punt in the first quarter, the league decided that there was always a break at the end of the quarter, so there was no need to take a commercial for a change of ownership.

So in 2017, the NFL reduced one of the five in-game breaks that took place per quarter, but the length of the break increased to 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

“These changes are aimed at providing more of what you want. It's a competitive game with less disruption and less distraction from the action,” Goodell wrote to a letter to fans explaining the move. I wrote it.

It turns out that there were few breaks, and the commercials attracted attention. The network also introduced a “double box” that shows advertisements on one side and a shot of the stadium in the other box. The league, among other things, does not break during slow comebacks or game-winning drives, allowing referees to review calls on tablets, as opposed to the big screen on the sidelines. I tried to improve it.

If a full break feels too confusing, the network will introduce analysts to discuss a controversial call or sideline reporter and provide updates on player injuries.

“We use natural downtime anyway, so people don't stand there with 'Why don't we play?'” says Hans, executive vice president of media distribution for the league. Schroeder said. “It's great for people in the stadium and great for those watching at home.”