After an anticlimactic end to the 2013-2014 NFL season (shout out to my man Peyton - no need for subtlety on that one), fans can only pray that both teams will actually show up to play in Super Bowl XLIX.
With the big game a distant seven months away, it may be a little early for you to start loading up on wings and five-layer dip (although both are arguably essential components of the food pyramid year round).
But advertisers have already started to throw down mounds of moolah to cinch airtime during the most-watched television program of the year.
Record Price Tag
Fans aren’t the only ones crossing their buffalo sauce soaked fingers for a nail biter next February. With a 30-second commercial slot selling for a record-breaking $4.5 million, so are TV advertisers. Variety reports that this year’s price tag is a 12.5% jump from Fox’s going rate last year. But following the line of logic accompanying supply and demand (for all of you economics gurus), NBC’s prices will fluctuate in the coming months as the network tests the waters with potential advertisers.
Variety reported that NBC is selling over 40 30-second time slots, and half have already been sold to Super Bowl advertising veterans (can I get a resounding “hell yeah” for the Budweiser Clydesdales). And if you thought prices couldn’t get steeper, try this - CBS is expected to up the ante in 2016 with Super Bowl XLX.
Massive Audiences
Since Super Bowl XLIII attracted 111.5 million viewers, a cool $4.5 million for 30 seconds of fame is almost justifiable. While peeps can easily DVR their favorite programs or simply just catch the latest drama on Game of Thrones on Netflix, USA Today reports sports have largely remained a real-time, television-oriented activity.
Considering 1.5 million workers reported sick and another 4.4 million arrived late post-Super Bowl XVI, it’s safe to say advertisers are reaching massive audiences in one multi-million dollar swoop.
Remdawg's Season Predictions
Although NFL teams have just started getting back on their training camp grind, experts and fans alike have already started spewing their (often uninformed) season projections. Will the return of Reggie Wayne give the Colts the leg up (pun intended) on another potential AFC title? If RG3’s knee stays intact, will the Redskins’ defense be able to hang with its murderous offense? Or better yet, could the Giants possibly be worse this year?
On an unrelated note, I’m secretly hoping Jimmy Garoppolo’s face pops up somewhere along the line. I’ll always be a diehard G-men gal, but in terms of aesthetics, the Pats pick ‘em real good.
If you want to invite me to your Super Bowl XLIX party, give me a shout out in the comments below!