NFL: Apple to Sponsor Super Bowl Halftime Shows


The NFL is continuing to modernize its partnerships by striking a deal with Apple to sponsor the Super Bowl halftime show.

On the night of February 13, 2022, what did 120 million people around the world have in common? They were all graced with a memorable NFL Super Bowl halftime performance by musical legends Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar. While this concert marked a reunion of sorts for many of these artists — and the ultimate nostalgia binge for children of the 90s — it also proved to be the end of an era.

After 10 years of sponsoring the Super Bowl halftime show, Pepsi was benched. This left the NFL looking for a new title sponsor for what is probably the most widely-viewed 15-minute musical event each year.

As part of the search, the NFL made it clear that it sought another tech-focused brand to keep the league on the cutting edge. The $1 billion Thursday Night Football deal with Amazon is already showing positive results, as the Chiefs-Chargers game averaged over 13 million viewers.

On September 23, the NFL announced that this search for a new halftime partner had come to an end. Apple signed a 5-year $50 million deal to sponsor the event.

2023’s Super Bowl LVII will take place in Glendale, AZ, with the headlining act to be named later. Though this hasn’t stopped speculation about who could be grabbing the mic this season.

While this new sponsorship deal may not alter the immediate fan experience of the halftime show, aside from a few more Apple commercials bookending the concert, this new deal offers an opportunity to promote across multiple social platforms. In its press release on Friday, the NFL said:

Over the coming months, fans can expect to see exclusive details and sneak peeks leading up to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show by following @AppleMusic on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.

The NFL is banking on this infusion of new technology and season-long engagement to bring the halftime show to an entirely fresh set of fans in this latest effort to grow the game.



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