Upon Further Review – Super Bowl also a super money-maker
With the Super Bowl countdown under way, I figured it?s time to make my prediction. Who shall it be, the Bears or the Colts? Tossing all of my knowledge and wisdom about football out the door, I will go out on a limb and pick the Indianapolis Colts.
Ok, that?s not a big surprise to anyone, especially since the Colts are a seven-point favorite right now. But picking the Colts to win has nothing to do with who?s favored. My loyalty to the Colts goes all the way back to the days of Johnny Unitas, Norm Bulaich and Bubba Smith. Along with my loyalty to the University of Tennessee and Peyton Manning, that gives me all the reason in the world to pick the Colts.
The last time the Colts won a Super Bowl was in 1971 over the Dallas Cowboys in Miami. In 1971 tickets ranged in price from $10-25, this year tickets were sold starting at $275. All but one Super Bowl has been a sellout ? that being the very first one.
As the popularity of the game has grown, so has the amount of revenue the Super Bowl generates.
The Super Bowl isn?t just for football fans. It?s an event that for some strange reason draws people to one central location, usually a party. In recent years more and more women are turning on the television for the big game, with over 55 million tuning in last year.
There are a lot of folks who get together just to watch the new commercials. Advertisers pay big bucks for a 30-second spot. In 1971 a 30-second spot cost $72,000, this year a 30-second spot will cost you an estimated $2.6 million.
Now my theory on why so many women are joining their husbands in front of the tube is simple. It?s one of the few times they can share and be a part of the football thing without having to love football.
The Super Bowl provides a wide variety of entertainment all the way from the commercials, the game and the halftime show. It has something for everyone.
I know from my own experience, families seem to take time out of their busy schedule and congregate together on Super Bowl Sunday. Even my wife, who?s not a big NFL football fan enjoys Super Bowl Sunday. She even spends time preparing food and snacks for the entire day, what a women.
This year Billy Joel will kick off things off with the national anthem, and Prince will perform at halftime. And don?t forget about the pregame show.
800 million worldwide viewers are expected to watch this year?s game. Lets do a little math, shall we? The average family of four spends around $78 dollars for Super Bowl goodies, which would break down to $19.50 per person. 800 million times $19.50 comes to somewhere in the neighborhood of $15.6 billion spent on Super Bowl food. That?s a lot of food. There?s 8 million pounds of guacamole consumed on Super Bowl Sunday alone. OK, that?s sounds a little high and that?s a worldwide figure, but the Super Bowl does bring in a total revenue of around $5 billion. In America people spent $55 million on food for last year?s Super Bowl.
Electronic companies also take advantage of the Super Bowl with specials on big screen TV?s. Retailers use the big game to clear out their overstock Christmas inventories and close out old models. Besides Christmas, it?s the biggest weekend for selling televisions.
If you don?t already have one, go get that big screen, buy lots of food and do your part in contributing to this billion-dollar game.