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Advertisers such as FedEx Corp., Salesgenie.com and General Motors Corp. are sitting out the Super Bowl, leaving NBC Universal Inc. with eight 30-second spots to fill for the 2009 game, the Associated Press said.

The network has sold about 59 of 67 spots for Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1 in Tampa, Florida, said Brian Walker, senior director of communications at NBC Sports, AP reported.

By September, 85 percent of the $3 million 30-second slots were sold, AP said. Usually, 60 percent of advertising time is bought by then, it said.

Anheuser-Busch Cos. Ltd. bought 10 spots and may combine some into 60-second advertisements, Chief Executive Officer Bob Lachky told the news service.

Regulars including prepackaged goods and beverage companies and almost every major movie studio have bought time, Walker said. He declined to identify them, AP said.

(Source: Bloomberg)