Q4 a Nonstarter: TV Sports Feeling Recession

After a three-day sell-off that wiped out nearly $1 trillion in market value, the Dow last Thursday pulled a Brett Favre, rallying in midday trading to end the day up 552.6 points to 8,835.25. Trouble is, like the veteran quarterback, the Street tends to be maddeningly erratic.

The economy suffers from a similar volatility, and the downturn has begun to have a chilling effect on the TV sports marketplace.

Once thought to be the sole recession-proof property on television, big-ticket sports are showing signs of vulnerability in the fourth quarter, with ad sales down as much as 15 percent, according to a number of media buyers and network execs.

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