February 9, 2024

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A powerful combination of factors is leading to record-level prices on the Super Bowl LVIII ticket resale market. … Fan sentiment is somewhat divided on the prospect of an all-streaming Super Bowl. … Ad costs for the Big Game continue to soar. … A lot of money will be spent on chicken wings and guacamole. … Potential player paydays this weekend are also super. … Plus: More on Taylor Swift Super Bowl coverage, the Patriots, Tom Brady, and the Pro Bowl Games.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

With an Average Get-In Price of $8,427, Vegas Is Setting Super Bowl Ticket Records [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Las Vegas has created a perfect storm for the Super Bowl LVIII ticket market.

A powerful combination of the NFL’s first visit to Sin City for its title game, the market’s perennial appeal to tourists, an attractive game matchup, an easy ability to attend [[link removed]] other nearby sports events, and the relatively small seating capacity of Allegiant Stadium has created a series of records for the game.

Following an initial surge [[link removed]] in market activity following the NFL’s conference championship games, the current average listing price of $9,458 for Super Bowl tickets is the most expensive figure at this point before the event, according to ticket aggregator TicketIQ. Perhaps even more notable, the average get-in listing price is $8,427, reflecting a much narrower price spread between lower-deck tickets and upper-deck ones than previous years. That figure is also the largest ever tracked by TicketIQ for a Super Bowl, and about 40% higher than any prior NFL title game.

On Location, the NFL’s official hospitality provider and a dominant force in the overall Super Bowl ticket market, similarly says it is poised to set a company revenue record for the event, though it declined to provide specific figures.

“It’s a new [Super Bowl] city, small stadium … designed with a lot of premium seating, and it’s, of course, Las Vegas,” Scott Jernigan, On Location’s chief commercial officer, tells Front Office Sports. “It adds up to people being super excited about this.”

Allegiant Stadium’s seating capacity of 65,000 is tied for the fourth-smallest among current NFL facilities. Then there’s the game matchup, which features the 49ers, whose in-market fan base is within easy reach of Las Vegas, and the Chiefs, an already-popular team burnished [[link removed]] this year by tight end Travis Kelce’s romantic relationship with pop star Taylor Swift.

StubHub, meanwhile, has seen Super Bowl ticket buyers from all 50 states and 16 countries beyond the U.S.

No Accident

On top of the Las Vegas–specific market factors, the higher overall pricing and smaller volatility for Super Bowl tickets is in part an outgrowth of several years of increasing market power by On Location. Since Endeavor acquired a majority stake in the company in early 2020, On Location has ramped up its presence at the Super Bowl, creating essentially what is now a managed market.

While tickets are still available through both independent and NFL partner outlets such as StubHub, the NFL through On Location oversees much of the ticket flow for the event through a controlled distribution of tickets, and very little of the overall inventory hits the primary market at face value. The Chiefs and 49ers each received about 17% of available tickets to distribute as they see fit, the host market Raiders received roughly 5%, and the other 29 teams received about 1% each. The league, with the aid of On Location, controls the rest.

On Location has further strengthened its position by frequently bundling [[link removed]] Super Bowl tickets with a variety of fan experiences, such as NFL legend meet-and-greets, tailgate parties, exclusive merchandise, and travel accommodations.

“Every year we get better. Whether it’s offering new experiences, what’s unique to the [host] market, what we’re working together with the league on, switching some of our credentials to digital for more last-minute business … that’s all driving our success,” says Jernigan.

Would Streaming the Super Bowl Be Worth It for the NFL?

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Breaking news this afternoon: Amazon is acquiring the rights to stream an NFL playoff game exclusively during wild-card weekend in 2025, according to The Wall Street Journal [[link removed]]. It appears Prime Video will take over the game that Peacock streamed this season, when the NFL drew 23 million viewers for the Chiefs’ victory over the Dolphins.

After that game wasn’t available on broadcast or cable TV, fans and media naturally started wondering what would be next. Perhaps a streaming Super Bowl? “Not in my time,” commissioner Roger Goodell said during his annual state-of-the-league press conference Monday.

But that didn’t stop the idea from dominating conversations in Las Vegas this week. Nearly every interview Front Office Sports reporter Michael McCarthy [[link removed]] did from Media Row this week included a question about a streaming Super Bowl. FOS also conducted a survey on a theoretical pay-per-view Big Game with the Harris Poll. Here’s what stood out most:

Seven in 10 self-described NFL fans (68%) said that if the Super Bowl were on pay-per-view they would try to find a way to watch the game without paying (watching with someone they know or finding an illegal stream). Almost one-third of fans (31%) would be only willing to pay less than $15. Three-quarters (76%) of likely U.S. adult PPV Super Bowl buyers said they would try to split the cost by inviting other people to watch the game with them.

Click here [[link removed]] to check out the full FOS–Harris Poll.

SPONSORED BY CISCO

How AI and Cybersecurity Are Transforming Sports

Join [[link removed]] our exclusive one-hour virtual summit [[link removed]] focusing on the future of cybersecurity and sports, presented by Cisco. This dynamic roundtable discussion will bring together industry pioneers and thought leaders to provide a firsthand look at how AI and cybersecurity are transforming professional sports—for leagues, teams, venues, and fans.

Reserve your spot [[link removed]] now and join us on Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. ET for a conversation about how cybersecurity is shaping the future of sports.

Ad-ding Up

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad has seen a remarkable ascent over the years. It began at $42,500 in 1967 and has since skyrocketed to $7 million for a spot over the last two years, illustrating a steady upward trajectory with occasional significant spikes.

1967: $42,500 1970: $78,200 1975: $107,000 1980: $222,000 1985: $525,000 1990: $700,400 1995: $1.2 million 2000: $2 million 2005: $2.4 million 2010: $3 million 2015: $4.25 million 2022: $6.5 million 2023: $7 million 2024: $7 million

This hefty price tag underscores the immense value (and prestige) tied to advertising during one of the most-watched TV events in the U.S., which also reflects the evolution of media consumption as well as marketing strategies over the years.

ONE BIG FIG Let’s Party

Wilmington News Journal

$17.3 billion

Amount projected to be spent on food, drinks, apparel, decorations, and other purchases for the Super Bowl on Sunday, according to a 2024 Super Bowl survey [[link removed]] from the National Retail Foundation and Prosper Insights and Analytics. It also noted that 112.2 million people are planning to throw or attend a party, and an additional 16.2 million plan to watch the game at a bar or restaurant.

SPONSORED BY CISCO

Game-Changing Tech Alliances

At first glance, the NFL and the tech industry may seem worlds apart. But behind the scenes there are a handful of surprising parallels, namely: the strategic depth and teamwork essential for success.

Few understand this overlap better than Cisco [[link removed]].

Before the 2023 NFL season, Cisco teamed up with the league to launch the NFL IT Apprenticeship Program, allowing one graduate from Cisco’s esteemed Networking Academy to work alongside some of the world’s best sports technologists.

This initiative marks a major step toward weaving Networking Academy’s technical education into the fabric of the NFL ecosystem—and the first of many steps.

To explore how the NFL and Cisco are empowering both professional and former players with technical career opportunities, read the full article here [[link removed]].

WEEKEND PRIZE POOL Supersized Payout

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Front Office Sports tees up every weekend sporting slate with a ledger of the purses and prize pools at stake. Here’s what’s up for grabs this weekend:

Super Bowl LVIII

When: Sunday Winning team: $164,000 per player Losing team: $89,000 per player Most Valuable Player: No cash prize

LIV Golf Las Vegas

When: Thursday to Saturday Total purse: $25 million First place (individual): $4 million Winning team: $3 million

PGA Tour, the WM Phoenix Open

When: Thursday to Sunday Total purse: $8.8 million First place (individual): $1.58 million STATUS REPORT Three Up, One Down

Syndication: USA TODAY

Taylor Swift coverage ⬆ Among the thousands of media members in Las Vegas to report at Super Bowl LVIII is Los Angeles Times columnist Amy Kaufman, who was dispatched specifically to chronicle Taylor Swift’s relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. “I’ll be covering Super Bowl LVIII, and by that I mean Taylor and Travis’s love story,” Kaufman wrote [[link removed]] this week.

Patriots’ spending ⬆ As New England continues to move forward from Bill Belichick’s tenure, team owner Robert Kraft has addressed the former coach’s notorious habit of not giving players large contracts—and the impact it had on the franchise. “They say we’ve been low spenders in the last 10 years, and that might be true, but we had a pretty good record,” Kraft said [[link removed]]. “We won three Super Bowls. But we never held back with any of the coaches we’ve had over the last 30 years. They’ve been able to get whatever they want. If cash spending became an issue for our family, and we couldn’t do it, then I would sell the team.” So … the wallet’s open now? Kraft: “I can assure our fans that spending will never be held back.”

Tom Brady ⬆ Brady may be getting closer to completing his deal to become a minority owner of the Raiders. Four months ago, The Washington Post reported [[link removed]] that the deal, which was announced last May, was being held up because Raiders owner Mark Davis was seeking to give Brady up to a 70% discount on the price of his investment. Now, Sportico reports [[link removed]] the valuation on Brady’s deal was recently raised to match the valuation the Raiders received in a separate transaction in 2023—a move that could conceivably push other NFL owners to greenlight the sale, with Brady getting about 7% of the Raiders.

Pro Bowl Games ⬇ Viewership for the NFL’s revamped all-star event dropped 8% from 2023, as Sunday’s telecast drew [[link removed]] a total audience of 5.79 million. That’s the lowest figure on record (outside of a taped virtual event in ’21) for the outing, which last year switched to a flag football format.

Conversation Starters One of the most popular PGA Tour events is the WM Phoenix Open. Friday’s play—which included the finish of part of the weather-postponed first round—was sold out. Check [[link removed]] out how fans entered the course when it opened. Allegiant Stadium’s grass field has gotten enough air and sun during the week in Las Vegas. The Super Bowl’s playing surface is set for Sunday. Watch [[link removed]] how officials rolled the field into the stadium. Nearly a year ago, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s future with the franchise was uncertain. But he waited out the team and received a record-setting contract. He then rewarded Baltimore by winning [[link removed]] his second NFL MVP award Thursday night. The NFL has added another international city to its regular-season schedule. Check [[link removed]] out where the league will play in 2025. Editors’ Picks The ‘Life-Changing’ Economy of Taylor Swift’s NFL Outfits [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]Appearing in Swift’s game-day wardrobe has been “life-changing” for small businesses. The NFL’s Long Road to Las Vegas Harmony [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Behind the scenes, a relationship was being forged for decades. Lionel Messi’s Week From Hell [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The Argentine soccer star’s Sunday DNP became the biggest absence of his career. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Sports Careers [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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