Eskimo

Honda becomes first sponsor to drop XFL

By Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY

Honda is sacking XFL for a loss.

The carmaker is yanking its ads because of concerns over extreme content, jiggling cheerleaders and falling TV ratings.

That makes Honda the first sponsor to pull its ads from the joint football start-up of wrestling company WWF and NBC.

"The programming is not consistent with what was promised," says Gerry Rubin, CEO of Honda's longtime ad agency Rubin Postaer and Associates in Santa Monica, Calif.

"We were promised this would be football, not the WWF," adds Chuck Bachrach, RPA executive vice president of media and programming. "But really they are merging the two. And giving us WWF on a football field."

XFL President Basil DeVito has no apologies: "Other than Honda, our advertisers are happy." The XFL is 70% sold out of ad time for the regular season and over 80% for its playoffs, he says.

Even though NBC ratings are off 60% from the Feb. 3 opener, other advertisers are taking a wait-and-see attitude. "We're watching it very carefully, but as long as it delivers the ratings we expect and content falls within our guidelines, we will continue to advertise," Burger King's Kim Miller says.

But XFL may have trouble luring holdout advertisers, such as more conservative Procter & Gamble.

"The severe drop-off in ratings raises questions about whether the XFL is under pressure to become more controversial to hype greater interest," P&G spokesman Tom Milliken says. "We'd rather not place our ads in a potentially controversial environment."

Persuading conservative Honda to run two ads in the first game was a coup for XFL. But trouble cropped up almost immediately.

Rubin, Bachrach and Honda executives attended the XFL opener in Las Vegas. The group was not impressed — either with the content or the crowd. "The beverage of choice was not martinis with olives," Rubin says. The parking lot wasn't overflowing with "import automobiles, either."

Bachrach discussed his concerns about the programming with NBC Sports executives after the opener. Honda then sat out weeks two and three to see whether programming would improve. But Honda and RPA executives say they were not thrilled to see WWF wrestler "The Rock" rail about the National Football League before the kickoff of an XFL game.

"That's not appropriate to open a game on national TV," Bachrach says.

When NBC attracted only a 3.8 rating Saturday night — below the 4.5 rating promised advertisers — Honda walked.

The good news: XFL's ratings over the three networks airing games each week — NBC, UPN and TNN — have met expectations. So the league does not have to cough up "make goods," free ads to make up for ratings shortfalls.

TL Daddy

XFL SUX! and what does this have to do with a TL???????????????

Red Hot TL

sorry, dude... not TL related.

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2000 Red Hot TL w/o nav
Burlwood Trim and Shift Knob
Wood Trim Set
Gutter Guard Grill
Nebraska Legal Darkest Tint
Goodyear Eagle HP Ultra Plus 225/55/16
Photos Of My RED HOT TL
Moderator on Acura-TL.com Forums

Shoofin

Well, last week, TV ratings went down 25%. This past weekend, TV ratings went down 75%. What does that tell you?
Ed

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Acura-TL.com - Forum Moderator

'99 TL Satin Silver/Ebony, Non/Nav, Comptech lowered, Comptech Air Filter Element, Inspire Tails, AEM Brake Pads all around, Comptech Axle Back Exhaust, "Guy Smiley" doll on the dash as my Co-driver...

Pics of my TL
Pics of my Miata! Wadya think?

adamyankee

Oh man!!! Now the Moderators are ganging up with each other. No one is safe

Red Hot TL

wrong, no member's safe

and yeah, XFL does suck... watched it once for about 3 minutes and turn off the TV and stand in the garage starring at my TL for about one hour...


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Moderator on Acura-TL.com Forums

2000 Red Hot TL w/o nav
Burlwood Trim and Shift Knob
Wood Trim Set
Gutter Guard Grill
Nebraska Legal Darkest Tint
Goodyear Eagle HP Ultra Plus 225/55/16
Photos Of My RED HOT TL

Atomix

It's ok if you're drinking while you're watching it...bc then you don't have the sense of mind to look around at your friends and realize that as a group, preferably sober, you could play football much better.....

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"Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb." --Dark Helmet

www.distributed.net

Acura3200

I watched the first week just to see what all the media generated hype was about. I watched about 1 1/2 quarters and that was it, haven't turned it on since. I can't say that I feel like I'm missing anything either.

Jason

Red Hot TL

I'd rather play Madden 2001 on PS2 than watching XFL...

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Moderator on Acura-TL.com Forums

2000 Red Hot TL w/o nav
Burlwood Trim and Shift Knob
Wood Trim Set
Gutter Guard Grill
Nebraska Legal Darkest Tint
Goodyear Eagle HP Ultra Plus 225/55/16
Photos Of My RED HOT TL

snook789

You play ? Bring it on, I'll kick your but

TLinKC

XFL R.I.P.

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'00 Firepepper Red TL

doopstr

I can't believe it's been 17 years since the XFL was a thing. McMahon just announced it's coming back in 2020!
Vince McMahon -- Gimmick-free XFL to return in 2020

Yumcha

I'll watch if Stone Cold plays and stuns someone as part of the play.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

It's funny how the NFL is using stuff the XFL debuted ("skycam", camera men walking onto the field with cameras after big plays, etc)...

More here: 15 years later, the NFL should thank the XFL for all those innovations

Yumcha

Operations suspended: https://www.tsn.ca/xfl-suspends-day-...ions-1.1465055