Have you ever wondered how popular the Super Bowl is here in the USA. Well here it is.
Television coverage and ratings
For many years, the Super Bowl has had a very large television audience in the U.S., and it is often the most watched television program of the year. The game tends to have high Nielsen television ratings which usually come in around a 40 rating and 60 share (i.e., on average, 40 percent of all U.S. households, and 60 percent of all homes tuned into television during the game). This means that on average, 80 to 90 million Americans are tuned into the Super Bowl at any given moment. It is also estimated that 130-140 million tune into some part of the game.[5] NFL press releases have stated that recent Super Bowls have been available to potential audiences of approximately one billion worldwide, although independent studies suggest that the average global viewership is just over 100 million – the vast majority of whom are U.S. viewers.[6]
The highest-rated game according to Nielsen was Super Bowl XVI in 1982, which was watched in 49.1 percent of households (73 share) or 40,020,000 households at the time. Super Bowl XVI is #4 on Nielsen's list of top-rated programs of all time, and 3 other Super Bowls (XII, XVII, and XX) made the top 10.[7] Super Bowl XLII in 2008 holds the record for total U.S. viewership, attracting an average audience of 97.5 million and ranking second only to the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983. Although the proliferation of cable and satellite television has undercut broadcast ratings somewhat in recent years, the game is still sufficiently popular that a number of networks actually schedule original programming during the game, such as independently produced halftime entertainment, simply to take advantage of a large audience already in front of the television. Other networks air reruns or syndicated programming to avoid wasting a potentially highly rated new episode.
Following Apple Computer's 1984 commercial introducing the Macintosh computer, directed by Ridley Scott, the broadcast of the Super Bowl became the premier showcase for high concept or simply extravagantly expensive commercials.[citation needed] Famous commercial campaigns include the Budweiser "Bud Bowl" campaign, and the 1999 and 2000 dot-com ads. Prices have increased each year, with reports citing a record US$2.7 million for a 30 second spot during Super Bowl XLII in 2008. A segment of the audience tunes in to the Super Bowl solely to watch the creative commercials.
[edit] Super Bowl on TV
Network  |
Number broadcast |
Years broadcast |
Future scheduled telecasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC*[›] | 7 | 1985, 1988, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2006 | |
| CBS | 16 | 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992, 2001, 2004, 2007 | 2010 |
| FOX | 5 | 1997, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008 | 2011 |
| NBC | 15 | 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998 | 2009, 2012 |
^ *: Not currently broadcasting NFL.
The first Super Bowl was simultaneously broadcast by CBS and NBC.
The network that airs the Super Bowl typically takes advantage of the large audience to air an episode of a hit series (Friends, Grey's Anatomy, Survivor, The Simpsons, Malcolm in the Middle, Criminal Minds, House, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The X-Files, and Alias) or to premiere the pilot of a promising new series (Brothers and Sisters, Airwolf, The Wonder Years, Family Guy, Davis Rules, The A-Team, American Dad, and Homicide: Life on the Street) in the lead-out slot, immediately following the Super Bowl and the post-game coverage. Note: Fox bundled the Family Guy and American Dad premieres with an episode of The Simpsons.
[edit] Entertainment
Early Super Bowls/NFL Championships featured a halftime show consisting of marching bands from local colleges or high schools. But as the popularity of the game increased, so did the potential of exposure. This has led to the trend of popular singers and musicians performing during its pre-game ceremonies, the halftime show, or even just singing the national anthem of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner".[8] For example, Super Bowl XLI in 2007 featured Cirque du Soleil, Romero Britto, and Louie Vega during the pre-game ceremonies; Billy Joel performed the Star Spangled Banner; and Prince played during the halftime show. Unlike regular season or playoff games, thirty minutes are allocated for the Super Bowl halftime.
One especially memorable performance came in 2002, when U2 performed. During their second song, "Where the Streets Have No Name," the band played under a large projection screen which scrolled through all the names of the victims of 9/11.
The halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 generated controversy, when Justin Timberlake removed a piece of Janet Jackson's top, exposing her right breast with a star-shaped ring around the nipple. Timberlake and Jackson have maintained that the incident was accidental, calling it a "wardrobe malfunction." The game was airing live on CBS, and MTV (at the time, a corporate sister company of CBS within Viacom) produced the halftime show. Immediately after that moment, the producer cut to a very wide-angle shot and cut to a commercial break. However, video captures of the moment in detail circulated quickly on the Internet. The NFL, embarrassed by the incident, permanently banned MTV from doing another halftime show in any capacity. This also led to the FCC tightening controls on indecency and fining CBS and CBS-owned stations a total of US$550,000 for the incident. The fine was later reversed in July, 2008.
Except for Super Bowl XXXIX, the famous "I'm Going to Disney World/Disneyland" advertising campaign took place at every Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXI. Typically, Disney ran the ad several times during the game showing several players from both teams practicing the catch-phrase. The campaign had been restarted for Super Bowl XLI.
[edit] Venue
Twenty-five out of forty-two Super Bowls have been played in one of three areas: New Orleans, Louisiana (nine times), the Greater Miami (nine total), and the Greater Los Angeles (seven total). The three "big" hosts are then followed by Tampa, Florida and San Diego, California, both having hosted the Super Bowl three times.
Miami has been selected to host Super Bowl XLIV in 2010, Arlington, Texas in 2011, and Indianapolis in 2012. Although Hurricane Katrina damaged the Louisiana Superdome and the city of New Orleans, it was renovated. Some city officials have stated that they would like to put in another bid sometime in the future. The last time the Los Angeles area hosted the game was Super Bowl XXVII in 1993. The league's two teams vacated the city in 1995: the Raiders moved back to Oakland, California, and the Rams moved to St. Louis, Missouri. (No Super Bowl has ever been held in an area which lacks an NFL team: hence Los Angeles would be an unlikely choice as long as it lacks a team.)
Only twice have home teams appeared in the game. Interestingly, neither team played in its usual home stadium. The San Francisco 49ers played Super Bowl XIX in Stanford Stadium rather than Candlestick Park, and the Los Angeles Rams played Super Bowl XIV in the Rose Bowl rather than the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The only other Super Bowl venue which wasn't the home stadium to an NFL team at the time was Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas: the Houston Oilers used to play there, but they moved to the Astrodome several years prior to Super Bowl VIII. Super Bowl IX was the last NFL game played at its venue: the New Orleans Saints' last season at Tulane Stadium was 1974, and the game was played there (and not at the newly built Louisiana Superdome) at the end of the season in early 1975. Tulane Stadium was the first of three Super Bowl venues to have been demolished: it was torn down in 1979. The others are Tampa Stadium (demolished in 1999) and the Miami Orange Bowl (demolished 2008).
Only three Super Bowls have been played in northern cities; two in the Detroit area (Super Bowl XVI, in Pontiac, and Super Bowl XL), and one in Minneapolis (Super Bowl XXVI). However, both were played inside domed stadiums. There has never been a Super Bowl scheduled to be played outside in cold temperatures. The northernmost Super Bowl played outdoors has been Super Bowl XIX in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Super Bowl XLVI will also be played in a northern city, Indianapolis, Indiana. The new Lucas Oil Stadium has a retractable roof, which presumably will not be retracted when the game is played in February 2012. However, there is some speculation that if the NFL Players Association and team owners do not reach a new Collective Bargaining Agreement before the 2012 NFL season, a lockout could occur, which may preclude Indianapolis from hosting that year's Super Bowl event. If this does occur, it is not clear whether Indianapolis' successful Super Bowl-hosting bid will simply be pushed back one year (to 2013), or scratched altogether.
On March 5, 2006, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, a "cold weather" city, was awarded the rights to host Super Bowl XLIX in 2015. However, the game was contingent on the successful passage of two sales taxes in Jackson County, Missouri on April 4, 2006. The first tax would have funded improvements to Arrowhead, home of the Chiefs and neighboring Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball team. The second tax would have allowed the construction of a "rolling roof" between the two stadiums.[9] However, the second tax failed to pass. With increased opposition by local business leaders and politicians, Kansas City eventually withdrew its request to host the game by May 25, 2006.[10] Before that, Super Bowl XLIV, scheduled for January 2010, was withdrawn from New York City's proposed West Side Stadium, also to have been a retractable roof facility, because the city, state, and proposed tenants New York Jets could not agree on funding. The game was then awarded to Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
[edit] Selection process
The location of the Super Bowl is chosen by the NFL well in advance, usually three to five years before the game. Cities place bids to host a Super Bowl. Candidate cities are evaluated in terms of stadium renovation and ability to host a Super Bowl.[11] Then the NFL owners meet to make a selection on the site. The sites for the next four Super Bowls have been determined, up to Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. On October 16, 2007, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suggested that a future Super Bowl might be played in London, probably at Wembley Stadium.[12] The game has never been played in a region which lacks an NFL franchise. (Eight Super Bowls have been played in Los Angeles, but none since the Los Angeles Raiders and Los Angeles Rams both relocated elsewhere in 1995.)
[edit] Home team designation
The designated "home team" alternates between the NFC team in odd-numbered games (the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI in February 2007), and the AFC team in even-numbered games (the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII in February 2008).[13][14] This alternation was initiated with the first Super Bowl, when the Green Bay Packers of the NFL were the designated home team.
Since Super Bowl XIII in January 1979, the home team is given the choice of jerseys, colored or white. Formerly, the designated home team was specified to wear their colored jerseys; this resulted in Dallas donning their less familiar blue jerseys for Super Bowl V.
While most of the home teams in the Super Bowl have chosen to wear their colored jerseys, there have been four exceptions; the Cowboys twice (XIII & XXVII), the Washington Redskins (XVII), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (XL). The Cowboys (since 1965) and Redskins (since the arrival of coach Joe Gibbs in 1981) have traditionally worn white jerseys at home. Meanwhile, the Steelers, who have always worn their black jerseys at home since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, opted for the white jerseys after winning three consecutive playoff games on the road, wearing white. The Steelers' decision was contrasted with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. The Patriots had worn white jerseys at home during the 1985 season, but after winning road playoff games against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins wearing red jerseys, New England opted to wear red for the Super Bowl as the designated home team.
Generally the "home team" holds its practices the week before the game at the host team's practice facility and the "away team" practices at a nearby college or other practice facility in the area.[citation needed] For example, for Super Bowl XLII, the "home" New England Patriots practiced at the Arizona Cardinals practice facility, and the "visiting" New York Giants practiced at nearby Arizona State University.[citation needed] However, whenever the Super Bowl has been held in New Orleans, the NFC team has practiced at the facilities of the New Orleans Saints, an NFC team, regardless of whether the NFC team has been the designated home or visiting team. The AFC team has generally practiced at Tulane University for those same games.
[edit] Stadiums to host the Super Bowl
italics indicate a now-demolished stadium
Future Super Bowl host stadiums
2009 - Raymond James Stadium, Tampa (2)
2010 - Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida (5)
2011 - Dallas Cowboys New Stadium, Arlington, Texas (1)
2012 - Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana (1)
2013 - Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina (1)
[edit] Cities/Regions to host Super Bowl
| Name |
# hosted |
Years hosted |
|---|---|---|
| South Florida | 9 | 1968, 1969, 1971, 1976, 1979, 1989, 1995, 1999, 2007 |
| New Orleans | 9 | 1970, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1997, 2002 |
| Greater Los Angeles Area | 7 | 1967, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1987, 1993 |
| Tampa | 3 | 1984, 1991, 2001 |
| San Diego | 3 | 1988, 1998, 2003 |
| Houston | 2 | 1974, 2004 |
| Detroit | 2 | 1982, 2006 |
| Atlanta | 2 | 1994, 2000 |
| Phoenix area | 2 | 1996, 2008 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | 1 | 1985 |
| Minneapolis | 1 | 1992 |
| Jacksonville | 1 | 2005 |
Future Super Bowl host cities/regions
2010 - South Florida (10)
2011 - Arlington (Dallas-Ft.Worth Metro) (1)
2012 - Indianapolis (1)
2013 - Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina (1)
