ABC Sells Out Ad Inventory for the Oscars

hollywoodreporter.com:

The Academy Awards have sold out ... of TV advertising space. It isn't much of a surprise, but The Walt Disney Co. says it has sold out all of its ad inventory for Sunday's Oscars broadcast.

While there are doubts about the potential TV ratings, the Oscars remain one of the most watched (non-NFL) live events on TV, making them a big draw for marketers, many of whom are willing to pay top dollar.

Last year's broadcast averaged 23.6 million viewers. In particular, the awards show is a popular place to debut new movie trailers for upcoming theatrical releases.

And with movie theaters reopening across the country, ABC will roll out a new format for those previews, with the stars of upcoming movies sharing their favorite moviegoing experience.