Football, ‘Idol’ Have Priciest Commercials

Simon Cowell might have expected “The X Factor” to equal or surpass “American Idol” in viewers but the Fox sales department and ad buyers knew better. Thirty-second spots in “The X Factor” have been selling for about $320,000 for Wednesday’s performance shows and a little over $280,000 for what will become the results show on Thursday, according to Ad Age. The same spots in “Idol” are in the half-million dollar range. But that still isn’t the priciest commercial on TV. That honor goes to Sunday Night Football on NBC. Spots in the game are selling for about $512,000. However, Ad Age points out, “Idol” commercials can climb to about $600,000 as the show reaches it climactic stages.