The cost of a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl has soared to a record-breaking $7 million this year. Some advertisers are even shelling out $4 million for a pregame ad.
According to a research paper by BofA Securities, the price of a 30-second spot has skyrocketed 185 times since the first Super Bowl in 1967. Back then, an ad cost a mere $37,500.
This immense increase in cost, even when accounting for recent inflation, is staggering. If other Super Bowl staples had kept pace with this type of inflation, chicken wings would now cost $43 per pound (compared to 23 cents per pound in 1967), and a six-pack of beer would set you back a whopping $340.
Non-football items like a gallon of gas would be priced at $61 today if they had inflated at the same rate as the Super Bowl commercial, the S&P 500 index would be trading at 16,374, and the average price of a house would reach $4.2 million.
It's no surprise that Super Bowl commercial costs continue to rise. According to Nielsen, 93 out of the top 100 most-viewed shows in 2023 were NFL games, making it an incredibly lucrative opportunity for advertisers in a shrinking cable TV ad market.
This year's commercials are expected to lean toward light-hearted nostalgia. Kimberly Whitler, a marketing professor at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, explained that "serious is out" and advertisers have recognized that entertainment, enjoyment, and escapism are the key elements of a successful ad.
Last year's Super Bowl attracted a record-breaking 115.1 million viewers as the Kansas City Chiefs triumphed over the Philadelphia Eagles. This year, on February 11th at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, fans will watch the San Francisco 49ers battle it out against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
With the evolution of streaming services, there has been speculation about the future availability of the Super Bowl. The question remains: "Will a Super Bowl only be available on a streaming service? 'That's where this is all headed.'"
Sources: Super Bowl quarterback Brock Purdy made $870,000 this season — 16 college football players made more via NIL
Will a Super Bowl only be available on a streaming service? ‘That’s where this is all headed.’
