Super Bowl: pay to play!

[xsabers]

He draws fans who finance the entire operation.




The viewership would not change dramatically based on who was performing. Certainly no one buys a ticket to see the half time act. A handful of the act's fans may tune in if they aren't football fans but there are no acts which could promise huge viewership increases. If there were, the NFL would be able to get more money for air time and would pay the mythical performers.



The half time act is exactly the same thing. They are not there to make viewers happy. They are there to pimp themselves.




I hate to be the one to tell you this but, everything you see on TV is an infomercial.




Heh heh. It's the freaking super bowl. No act can compete with that. The half time act will do next to nothing to increase viewership.



Whether the act benefits is the WHOLE point.




Side benefit? lol There are no side benefits. This is big business and has been calculated donn to the second.

What is the dollar value of 60 seconds of air time during the super bowl ?

How long is dedicated to the prime time half time show?



And the world should be full of rainbows unicorns and hot chicks



Again with the should be. I'm not arguing what should be done. I'm just pointing out how and why it's done this way. The decision on the spot will likely go to the highest bidder.




Sorry but, the real bottom line is that the NFL sells air time.


It's just business.


Let's break this down to your local band.

Let's say I'm a well known and hugely successful promoter in your town.

Let's say that I've organized a showcase festival every year for the last few decades and the crowds are always increasingly huge, say 20,000.

If you thought your band had the material and the skills to sell 2000 CD's at this event, netting $15,000, would you pay me $2000 to play there?

Ok, I appreciate your opinions. However, I am speaking from a position of first-hand knowledge. I have been involved with a Super Bowl production and have been in the meetings with the NFL and networks. I just recently spoke as an invited panelist at the NFL Security meetings and work regularly with the NFL and its partners. Trust me, they are aware that their halftime choices can be a boon or a bust to their ratings IN THAT TIME SLOT. Not all SB ads are billed equally. They are based on average ratings for each segment. A drop in ratings due to an uninteresting "highest bidder" show will not bode well for them selling that ad time the next year.

And to answer your question about the festival; every band performs live in order to sell more records. So in your scenario, why would any band expect to get paid for performing if they should also expect an increase in sales as a result? Why wouldn't they expect to pay for the privilege as you and the NFL seem to be advocating? Seems ridiculous to think of it that way. And the promoter gets to double dip? Ticket revenue AND payola from the bands? Seems like a great deal...for the promoter. I am so tired of the musicians being regulated to being some event component that is not worthy of their wages.

EDITED TO ADD: For a signed band to shell out $2000, for an optimistic bump of $15,000 in sales, means a lot less than a $13,000 profit. They still have costs that have to be covered. Crew members still get paid. Travel, lodging, per diems, etc... And then there's the label's cut which is a lot more than what the drummer will net. Most touring musicians are living on a thin margin as it is.

[Kazaamski]

Maybe we can go back to marching bands. :D

[NewTricks]

And to answer your question about the festival; every band performs live in order to sell more records. So in your scenario, why would any band expect to get paid for performing if they should also expect an increase in sales as a result? Why wouldn't they expect to pay for the privilege as you and the NFL seem to be advocating? Seems ridiculous to think of it that way.

Wait....which side ore you on? I'm confused



This isn't an emotional issue, it's simple math.

1) The air time at the SB half time has $x value.
2) The act has $y value.

If a performer and his representatives feel that x > y, they may bid on the spot and they would be counting on a projected return on the investment.

If they thought y equal to or greater than x, they would not put in a bid.

Most of the posters in this thread feel that the act has more value than the air time. Based on the fact that the spot is up for bidding, I don't agree.

[xsabers]

The airtime only has value if the programming is attractive to the audience. A poor choice results in a ratings dip for that segment. You are missing the point the the only reason the NFL books major acts is to boost interest. That's a completely different kind of relationship than they have with the commercial sponsors.

[SunDog]

It's a bad idea and a blunder on the part of the NFL. The first acts that they reached out to have turned them down which means if they pursue this they will end up choosing a lesser act that is willing to pay. The other thing that is going to put the kibosh on this is the agents. Peak ratings for last year's Superbowl came during the half-time performance. Try getting an artist to pay for raising your ratings. The NFL commissioner should go to a pay to play club and see the garbage acts that are willing buy $500 worth of tickets in order to get onstage. Next years Superbowl will feature Bill Gates kids garage band banging out Green Day songs cause daddy bought them the half-time slot.

[Kazaamski]

It's a bad idea and a blunder on the part of the NFL. The first acts that they reached out to have turned them down which means if they pursue this they will end up choosing a lesser act that is willing to pay. The other thing that is going to put the kibosh on this is the agents. Peak ratings for last year's Superbowl came during the half-time performance. Try getting an artist to pay for raising your ratings. The NFL commissioner should go to a pay to play club and see the garbage acts that are willing buy $500 worth of tickets in order to get onstage. Next years Superbowl will feature Bill Gates kids garage band banging out Green Day songs cause daddy bought them the half-time slot.

I don't see the problem here. The NFL sells the airtime. If no one buys, well that's the breaks. If Bill Gates wants to shell out a gazillion dollars and let his kids play, good for the NFL. "Worth" and "Value" are not discreet ideas, and only have merit between the selling party, and the purchasing party. The NFL says they halftime show has a value. It's up to the acts to either pay, or pass. Just like you do in the supermarket, or best buy, or the gun show.

[Russ]

Spend money to make money, right?

[SunDog]

I don't see the problem here. The NFL sells the airtime. If no one buys, well that's the breaks. If Bill Gates wants to shell out a gazillion dollars and let his kids play, good for the NFL. "Worth" and "Value" are not discreet ideas, and only have merit between the selling party, and the purchasing party. The NFL says they halftime show has a value. It's up to the acts to either pay, or pass. Just like you do in the supermarket, or best buy, or the gun show.

I just think that what they lose in ratings because of mediocre half-time shows will translate into lost advertising revenue. One band paying to play can't make up for tens of millions in lost income. The reason for the half-time show is to keep people glued to the set instead of grabbing a beer.

[Kazaamski]

I just think that what they lose in ratings because of mediocre half-time shows will translate into lost advertising revenue. One band paying to play can't make up for tens of millions in lost income. The reason for the half-time show is to keep people glued to the set instead of grabbing a beer.

But that's capitalism. If they lose ratings due to the pay to play, then next year it will be moot. Either, ratings are all black magic, sample sizes, and faith.