Although the NFL managed to get in all of its games without a single cancellation (just postponements), franchises are still projected to lose approximately $100 million in revenue each for a league wide total of $3-4 billion. Regular-season viewership fell 8% on average and Super Bowl advertising spots dropped in price for the first time in years.
It’s no surprise to anyone that it was a different kind of season, and Super Bowl LV will follow suit. For the first time in 37 years, there will be no Budweiser commercial. Other major brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have similarly declined to advertise this year. Attendance will be limited to approximately 38% of the stadium’s full size (major media outlets have reported anywhere from 22,000 to 25,000 fans) and 72% of Americans say they won’t attend a Super Bowl party this year.
In attendance will be 7,500 vaccinated healthcare workers who are there on an all-expense-paid trip. Fans will all receive a KN95 mask, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and a COVID-19 safety card, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told PolitiFact. Tampa’s mayor has also mandated masks outdoors in areas downtown and near the stadium, and the Tampa airport was offering testing for anyone who wanted it.
Last year, the economic impact in Miami was reported at $570 million. However, Tampa could get less than half of that.
Ticket prices for Super Bowl LV
You might expect ticket prices to skyrocket with reduced capacity, but the week prior to the game saw the lowest get-in price drop below the $5,506 average cost of a ticket to the past five Super Bowls, according to WalletHub.
According to ticketing app Gametime, immediately after the teams were set for Super Bowl LV following the conference championship games ticket prices were as follows:
- Lowest get-in price per ticket: $9,767
- Median get-in price per ticket: $11,869
- Most expensive ticket: $21,113
However, by February 3rd, the get-in price on Gametime dropped to $4,965. At the time of this publishing, the lowest get-in price (without fees) was $4,500 per ticket if bought in a four-pack. According to Gametime, the lowest get-in price last year at the same time was approximately $6,800 for a single ticket (there was no pack structure available at that time). Gametime says the $4,500 per ticket price is up a few hundred from the past two days.
The median ticket price for today is $8,300, which is up slightly from the past two days. This is only slightly less than last year’s median ticket price of $8,500 in the same timeframe.
Betting on Super Bowl LV
One industry that’s seeing increases this year for the Super Bowl is the gaming industry. The American Gaming Association expects Super Bowl LV will generate the largest legal single-event betting handle in history. That’s thanks in no small part to the states that have legalized sports betting. To date, 26 states (plus Washington, D.C.) have launched legal sports betting or passed legislation and 12 states that have legalized mobile sports betting. A total of 36 million more Americans can legally bet on the Super Bowl this year thanks to new states coming into the fold.
The American Gaming Association projects 23.2 million Americans will bet a total of $4.3 billion on this year’s game. A record 7.6 million will bet with online sportsbooks, a 63% increase year-over-year.
The players’ money
Players from both the Buccaneers and Chiefs will earn money for today’s game, win or lose. The winners’ share is $130,000, which will make each player’s total $250,000 when combined with prior postseason round shares.
Players on the losing team will each earn a $65,000 share, making their total $185,000 each when combined with other postseason round shares. Some players, such as wide receiver Mike Evans and edge rusher Shaquil Barrett, have even agreed to take some pay cuts to help out their team’s economic situation while others have decided to donate some of their earnings to both charity and the socioeconomic cause.
Individual players may also have bonuses included in their contracts. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is set to earn $2.25 million if he leads his team to a win, $1.75 million of which he’s already earned by making it to the Super Bowl. His counterpart, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, is still under his rookie contract. Once his contract extension begins in 2022, he can earn $1.25 million if the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl and an additional $1.25 million if he’s named the NFL MVP.
The Buccaneers Antonio Brown also has an incentive baked into his contract. He can earn $750,000 with a win today as long as he plays 35% of the snaps.
How advertising looks different
With many major companies experiencing blows to their revenue over the past year, several perennial advertisers will be missing during the broadcast tonight. Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Audi and Hyundai all chose to sit this one out.
As a result of the economic climate, ViacomCBS was seeking $5.5 million per 30 seconds, down from the $5.6 million Fox received last year. Although that’s not a major decrease, it does mark the first time in years prices dropped. Variety reported CBS was “virtually sold out” last week, which is in contrast to past years when ads were sold out months in advance.
In a release, Budweiser said for the first time in 37 years it would forego its in-game airtime and reallocate it to support COVID019 vaccine awareness and education throughout the year. Instead, the brand launched a digital film, “Bigger Picture” narrated by actress, writer, and director Rashida Jones.
Also, fans can check out Budweiser’s social media during commercial breaks to relive some of the most popular Clydesdale-centric spots Budweiser has aired during the Super Bowl in previous years. Several new advertisers are investing in ads during the big game this year, including DoorDash Vroom and State Farm. The spot from State Farm will run during the first half of the Super Bowl and feature MVP quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Mahomes alongside Jake from State Farm and some surprise guests.
Other brands like Buffalo Wild Wings are activating around the game without investing in the in-game ad spots. If the game goes into overtime, fans in the United States and Canada can redeem six free boneless or traditional wings at Buffalo Wild Wings on February 22 from 4-7 p.m. local time for dine-in or in-person takeout.
While fans both in Tampa and watching on television around the country may notice a few differences this year, the NFL is celebrating a successful culmination to a complete season that just last summer looked to be in serious jeopardy.