No sport is built for television better than professional football – the NFL – and no sporting event dominates the ratings the way the Super Bowl does. It is the peak of the advertising year (30 seconds will cost $3 million this year) and the pregame, halftime, and postgame are as important as the game (sometimes more so when the game is a dud). It is not above the recession as General Motors and Fed Ex have already pulled advertisements, but for the most part, the NFL’s show piece remains largely intact, year to year. However, there are a few changes that have worked and few areas the Super Bowl needs to take a look at for future extravaganzas.
The Pre-Game
Actually, this is a place where a great change has already occurred with the rise of the NFL Network, the league's own television brand. The Super Bowl is not just for the fans of two teams; it appeals to all football fans from the super-engaged, X’s and O’s watcher to the casual, office-pool Super Bowl partygoer.
For many years, the NFL and the networks broadcasting or covering the event struggled with analysis paralysis. If there’s too much about the game’s dynamics and matchups, casual fan turns away and if there is not enough, X’s and O’x fan turns away (more frequently to sports talk radio). With the excellent coverage of the NFL Network (some of their coverage is also streamed live on the Internet), football enthusiasts can get their fill of matchups and breakdowns while the networks can focus on the human interest elements and events surrounding the Super Bowl.
I commend the television networks, the NFL and the NFL Network for the broad ranging coverage. They have, in effect, taken a user-friendly sport and made it more user friendly. Bravo!
The Half-Time Show
After the now infamous wardrobe malfunction at the halftime of Super Bowl XXXVIII, the NFL has rolled through the senior division of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame for the halftime show. They include Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and this year, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
Kevin Cowherd of The Baltimore Sun wrote an interesting article about how this hit parade is “boring” to younger generations. I won’t waste space regurgitating his points, but I am convinced the well is tapped on what the NFL considers “acceptable” halftime acts. I went through a laundry list in my head thinking about this and couldn’t think of one classic act that could or would do the gig. So, that leaves the NFL with a choice: either go younger or go different.
Article comments
1 - Salsa_Shark_In_Alabama
Sorry Jay, but Madden is a joke. The old fogies of rock are really played out. Why can't the NFL having some more racially diverse talent at the HT show or in the broqdcast booth instead of the standard white only crowd?
2 - El Bicho
"the senior division of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame"
is there a junior division?
I agree with Salsa about Madden. He's lame.
3 - Joe Hub
Im old and this half time show Sucks
The Who should do before dinner music
at the local old folks home. When the voice
goes, just shut up .
4 - J. Newcastle
And this was written a year ago...funny how things don't change