It would be extremely hard to distinguish the Super Bowl as a beloved event, because of people’s passion for sport, and the idea that it is simply a means of growing capital, if the amount of revenue it draws in wasn’t so overt. According to Statista, “The advertising revenue from the 2022 Super Bowl stood at a record $578 million U.S. dollars.” With these endorsed brand deals taking over, it becomes jarring and one wonders about the authenticity and legacy of the sport (Statista.com).
Conversations about the Super Bowl, after the event, typically start with, “Did you see that commercial? It was so funny!” This pushes the consensus that the Super Bowl has a brand heavy association. In fact, according to Statista, “The cost of an average 30-second ad spot during the Super Bowl broadcast was an estimated seven million U.S. dollars in 2023. The importance of Super Bowl commercials can be revealed in the fact that 17 percent of respondents in a survey in the United States stated that they only watched the game for the ads” (Statista.com). If people are only watching the game for the ads, is the event really about the sport?
Spice, a website regarding business strategies, breaks down the recipe for creating a catchy 60 minute ad between the breaks of the game, “Super Bowl marketing is more about creating a buzz, driving brand awareness, and recall. This is one ‘spot’ where you would want viewers to take notice of your brand. So, focus on getting your creative ad noticed and talked about rather than driving sales (which eventually will follow)” (spice.com). The cultivation of entertainment is driven by the force of the consumer being hungry to buy when met with brands excited to serve. Eyes on the screen with the intention of watching a football game tend to pivot when unrelenting amounts of advertisement start to rival the spectacle of the game. This romanticizes the infatuation with consumerism when it’s so highly regarded and is the only option in between plays. The distorting projection starts to create its own culture, depleting the original value of a once simple sport.
But is it just the commercials? The Street explains the stats of the Super Bowl, stating that, “Every year, the [National Football League (NFL)] makes tens of millions of dollars in merchandise sales both leading up to and during the game. This is on top of the league’s branded partnerships, which typically take a central position during the Super Bowl. While the NFL does not release specific numbers on its partnerships, the consulting firm IEG estimated that they were worth $1.8 billion” (thestreet.com). The sheer concept of holding fans’ focus on sales of merchandise that fans feel like they need to buy rather than keeping the audience entertained transcends the importance of seeing which team is the best at playing football.
Even the popular halftime show adds to the disposable novelty of endorsing brands when the artist’s performance has also commodified itself to sell. The show itself has the title of “Pepsi’s Halftime Show” and consists of one minute performances of the artist’s top selling songs. The artistic value has been constricted to producing the highest number of views, often to further promote record sales. Not only that, but it brings in a larger audience of those tuning in to watch the program. According to Time Out, “… the Super Bowl halftime show is almost as important — if not more — than the football game itself. Second to commercials, which attract their own fan base, the annual spectacle is what gets many non-sports fans to tune into the big game” (timeout.com). If fans are there for the halftime show, is it really about the game anymore?
History Teacher Andrew Zafuto explained his views on the culture of consumerism surrounding the Super Bowl: “The artists, the players, the whole thing is about revenue. That’s what consumerism is. The country is made on capitalism and the record companies and larger businesses funding advertisements are great at generating profit.” This established consumerism is the core of this nation and is specifically highlighted through the spectacle of the Super Bowl.