Neal Pilson Quotations

Women typically control the remote in prime time. Maybe men determine what is watched on a Sunday afternoon, but women generally pick what is viewed at night. 'American Idol' might be able to beat the Olympics for a night or two, but for the full run of the Olympics that (the popularity with women viewers) is what gives you the quality of the audience, and the value to the advertisers.

There are more channels, more networks and frankly, the most important thing, NBC is in a different position with respect to competition. They don't have the top shows on television. They have to program against the top shows. The fact that 'American Idol' beats NBC isn't that surprising.

NBC's ratings are so much better than what they were getting with their primetime, so it's a net benefit to them. I think they will hit their ad guarantees.

NBC's ratings are so much better than what they were getting with their prime time, so it's a net benefit to them. I think they will hit their ad guarantees.

I don't think it's a question of coverage -- it's a question of the change in the television landscape.

He was the most talked about television personality of all time. Whether you loved him or hated him, people wanted to hear what he had to say.

Golf ratings are up with or without Tiger. Nobody's going to argue the point that he impacts ratings. At the same time, golf is a highly profitable, highly successful sport. This isn't a doomsday scenario for golf.

I would suggest that the Nancy Kerrigan story was viewed for what it was - it was a criminal act to one of the future, anticipated stars of the Games. She then stages a comeback. And both of them make the Olympic team? I mean, we got a 48 rating for the short program and a 44 rating for the long program. That was a much more negative story than Miller.

I think the game in some ways sums up the American experience. I think a lot of people see their daily lives and the history of the country in the NFL because the game is also linked to the personality and the attitude of the country. There's a high degree of teamwork, an emphasis on toughness.

I think the game in some ways sums up the American experience, ... I think a lot of people see their daily lives and the history of the country in the NFL because the game is also linked to the personality and the attitude of the country. There's a high degree of teamwork, an emphasis on toughness.

I think arena football (revenue-sharing model) is a trend in regards to sports that don't have competitive leverage to get guaranteed rights fee,

Some of the folks in pools tune in who wouldn't watch the tournament except they have a piece of the action. It helps generate additional casual viewers.

I think historically, work stoppages do have a short-term impact on television ratings. We've experienced that with all of the sports, even the NFL. In the long term, the ratings eventually return to what we might characterize as normal levels.

Weaker sports are going to have more problems in a weak economy. The big sports tend to take up most of the money. An advertiser with a limited budget is not going to buy women's soccer if the choice is that or college football.

The decision is made on the merits, not based on U.S. television interests, ... The reason why bidding took place before the selections was to take that factor (U.S. television money) out of the games selection process. If the networks were able to vote, they'd vote to know the cities before they bid.

This Rose Bowl had it all - the hype of two undefeated teams, major media market representation and a game down to the wire. It's everything a network could hope for in a big game.

There is actually more video from those events than can be presented on television. And also, much of what happens takes place during non-peak television-viewing hours.

This year's ratings could be as good, or better, than last season.

The players have to recognize that the NHL has defined resources and that they are what they are. The uncertainty of not having a future television deal has at least been resolved.

The principal thrust of advertising is reaching a specific audience. A sports audience is not necessarily a 'Friends' audience.

ESPN has these avenues that can generate revenue and hence they've become a more potent rights bidder. It's going to force their competitors to develop the same type of distributions, or seek new partners, so they can match up to ESPN.

There's no question baseball disrupts the launches of entertainment schedules, ... And beyond ratings, the most important issue for baseball is whether there's a perceived competitor to Fox. But right now I don't see a strong competitor to Fox.

You only know whether you're there after saturation happens. At this point, there seems to be sufficient sponsor support.

You only know whether you're there after saturation happens, ... At this point, there seems to be sufficient sponsor support.

This is a difficult time for CBS. They're the innocent party in this controversy. They have an obligation to the affiliates and to the viewers to show the tournament. In the overall framework of CBS and Viacom, it's not a major hit, but they will be foregoing the sponsor revenue.

This is a difficult time for CBS, ... They're the innocent party in this controversy. They have an obligation to the affiliates and to the viewers to show the tournament. In the overall framework of CBS and Viacom, it's not a major hit, but they will be foregoing the sponsor revenue.

They generally attract a mixed audience of men and women.

They're a very unique property. The Masters understands that the revenue potential is limited by reasons of their decisions, and they've never negotiated the rights fees they might otherwise be entitled to.

They're a very unique property, ... The Masters understands that the revenue potential is limited by reasons of their decisions, and they've never negotiated the rights fees they might otherwise be entitled to.

It's the proverbial leak in the dike. Does that (Japan trip) make it more likely? Yes.

It makes the channel a major factor in sports television. They are now the authoritative, 24/7, TV/video platform for golf.

It may or may not be good business. They may find they are so restrictive in terms of information and access that they find the public is losing interest in their sport because the public can't get access to it.

It's hard to measure. But a lot of viewers, when they gauge their satisfaction with coverage, include the announcing team as they look back to say if they enjoyed a broadcast.

It's not an empty threat. This will have a ripple impact across all manner of pro and college sports. I think in this situation the professional leagues and major college associations have to line up with ESPN in Washington or wherever necessary.

It's not an empty threat, ... This will have a ripple impact across all manner of pro and college sports. I think in this situation the professional leagues and major college associations have to line up with ESPN in Washington or wherever necessary.

It's an accepted strategy that has been widely used. You buy a premium product, and the increase in subscribers more than offsets the cost. Golf is a strong TV sport. I think you'll see the channel grow in subscriber base over the next two to five years.

The interest will allow them to maintain their viewer base to the extent Lance participates in the channel. They can't be the Lance Armstrong Channel once he leaves competitive cycling.

In sports, a significant majority of viewers are tuning into an event. But we all believe that announcers do make a difference, and we compensate them accordingly. You can not take an amateur and put them on a major sports property without cringing.

If history is any guide, there seems to be an insatiable appetite for sports content in an immediate format. While people may not watch an entire event, people will know they can catch the end of the game just after 11 o'clock, or the start on Monday Night Football on their way home from work.

I don't see it turning into Major League Baseball or NFL football. But it's still a growing segment of televised sports that works well as an economic unit.

I don't think they had any difficulty adding a third sponsor, even though we're in a soft economy.

The concern is if there is any question about the integrity of the game or the sport, it would have a horrendous effect on the whole financial structure of sport itself.

The league has huge concerns about being associated with gambling, so I understand banning the Las Vegas ad, even if I don't agree with it.