Super Bowl juggernaut continues to defy trends

The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event in the United States. For one Sunday in early February, the eyes of almost every household in the country are transfixed on the televisions to watch the two best teams in the NFL battle it out for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The game has always been popular for sports fans, even with people who have no rooting interest in the contest. Viewing figures have been incredibly strong throughout the previous 53 editions of the Super Bowl, hovering around the 100-million mark even in bad years. There will be no doubt that the 54th game will be just as popular, with the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs poised to face off at Hard Rock Stadium.

NFL Popularity

It has proven not only to be a huge success in the States, but it has a growing interest right across the globe. The NFL has cracked the European market due to the popularity of the International Series playing in London at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. While its global reach towards China may not be as expansive as the NBA, it still remains one of the world’s most popular sports.

As a result, bidding for advertising on its most prestigious product can be a costly affair. Prices have steadily increased as NFL and television executives can rightly point towards the viewing figures for the event to highlight the dominance of the market that companies will enjoy by advertising on the Super Bowl. The NFL works with three television companies for the game, splitting a three-year rotation.

The Cost

Fox Sports will anchor Super Bowl LIV, and while advertising costs are in decline according to research conducted by Betway for general television, the Super Bowl remains impervious to its effects due to the spectacle and the enticing matches, which are always close, especially when studying the NFL lines for this year’s event. Fox will be charging up $5.6m for a 30-second spot in their advertising windows during the game, which is an increase of up to seven per cent from last season’s event.

It’s costly and it’s certainly not going to appeal to small and medium businesses, but the rarity especially in the modern era where there are so many streaming services to captivate audiences, holding down a period where there is a guaranteed viewership across a diverse range of age groups and genders is priceless to broad-spectrum companies that appeal to the masses.

Even US President Donald Trump has seen the benefit, putting down over $10m to secure a 60-second window to promote his brand ahead of the 2020 election later in the year. That move by the President highlights the value of Super Bowl advertising even by the highest office in the States.