Media buyers are deep into negotiations with the broadcast and cable networks for ad time on NFL football, and they report that advertising demand is brisk, although not quite as robust as it was last year.

Buyers say several ad categories are snapping up inventory, including automotive, which has been slashing budgets elsewhere. Prices are trending up in line with network primetime television, which saw prices increase in this year's upfront market by mid- to high-single-digit percentages over last year.

Advertisers in 2007 spent just over $3 billion on football on broadcast and cable TV, not counting college games, up 2.3 percent from 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

It’s likely spending will be up about as much in 2008, an impressive gain in this far weaker economy.

"Things are moving along pretty well for NFL sales," says David Campanelli, vice president and director of national television at Horizon Media.

"Last year, demand was through the roof. This year it’s similar but not huge increases over last year. So it’s solid, but it’s not gangbusters."

Football has a lot going for it, not the least of which is that ratings last season were pretty good on most networks that carry NFL games.

Fox’s coverage on Sundays averaged 17.1 million viewers, its best delivery since 1995. And the network’s Super Bowl coverage in February pulled the most viewers ever – an average 98 million people.

CBS’s national games pulled a 13.6 household rating, up from a 12.3 in 2006, according to a Magna Global analysis of Nielsen ratings.

"High ratings in this day and age always entice advertisers," says Larry Novenstern, joint director of newcast at Optimedia. "But it’s like buying stock – will ratings go up or down? Any salesperson worth their weight would never say ratings are going down, so we go from there."

NBC football was slightly down, however, and ESPN’s "Monday Night Football" was down to a 7.8 rating among men 18-49, from an 8.5 rating in 2006.

"In comparison to primetime, football ratings rival it and beat it in some cases and it’s real consistent," says Campanelli. "That’s not the case with broadcast primetime. There are some shows you can rely on, but you can buy a primetime schedule and five of the shows get canceled and replaced with reality."

Media buyers say advertisers also like football because it’s one of very few TV outlets where it’s easy to reach men, particularly younger men who are notoriously difficult to track down on TV.

Football’s ratings are pretty consistent year to year and the content, generally speaking, doesn’t raise any concerns with advertisers that shy away from risqué or controversial programming.

Among other things, football has pretty much sidestepped controversies about drugging that have rocked other sports in recent years.

"It’s very attractive to know what you’re getting," says Campanelli. "Football is a known commodity and it’s a stable commodity. So if primetime can get [price] increases, then football should, too."