Super Bowl 50: sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon

Super Bowl 50: sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon
By Euronews
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In this edition of News+ we focus on Super Bowl 50 - the highlights of the NFL game and the huge opportunities to make money through TV adverts, ticket sales and more.

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In this edition of News+ we focus on Super Bowl 50 where the Denver Broncos were crowned as the stunning winners after demonstrating to the Carolina Panthers that nobody can beat their defence.

The Super Bowl is not just the top US sporting event, but also an economic phenomenon. Well over 100 million people in the United States watch the game on television, which presents a unique opportunity for advertisers.

Broncos down Panthers

The Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers in a defensive-minded encounter in Santa Clara, California to win Super Bowl 50 for the franchise’s third title and a second crown for their star quarterback, 39-year-old Peyton Manning.

Peyton on the #SB50 postgame stage. Go Broncos</a>! <a href="https://t.co/F5lDknqFTX">https://t.co/F5lDknqFTX</a></p>&mdash; Levi&#39;s® Stadium (LevisStadium) 8 Février 2016

Manning’s counterpart and this season’s MVP Cam Newton struggled in the showpiece match and gave up three turnovers, including one that led to a touchdown.

With neither side establishing any kind of rhythm kicking proved vital – Graham Gano’s 44-yard kick that crashed off the upright aptly summed up the game for the misfiring Panthers.

Denver were only slightly better in attack.

CJ Anderson effectively killed off the game in the fourth quarter – the ensuing conversion a formality – as the Denver Broncos bucked their way to the title.

Such was the nature of the game Broncos linebacker Von Miller was named the Super Bowl’s MVP – only the 10th defensive player to win the award.

Miller said: “I think it’s great. Whenever you’re doing something for your buddies, it means a little bit more. As human beings, we’re selfish, but when you’re doing something for somebody else, that’s when the magic happens. It wasn’t just for Peyton. We’ve got a long list of guys that have been deserving.”

What an epic day. #SB50pic.twitter.com/85wON7GKiM

— Levi's® Stadium (@LevisStadium) 8 Février 2016

Whilst the Panthers were left hunting their first Super Bowl crown the Bronco’s and their fans were left celebrating a third title and first since back-to-back triumphs in 1997 and 1998 – celebrations that swept through the bars and streets of the Colorado Capital.

Show me the money

The adverts that are shown in the commercial breaks during the Super Bowl have become a cultural phenomenon, as highly anticipated as the game itself.

Given that the Super Bowl consistently breaks records for the most-watched broadcast in the US, businesses vie for slots.

Buying time for just one 30 second commercial this year cost around $5 million (4.49 million euros) – that is $160,000 a second (144,000 euros).

In this high-stakes, high-budget game of commercials, companies pull out all the stops hoping for a sales boost from something memorable that will get people talking.

The aim is to repeat the success of a Star Wars themed Volkswagen ad from 2011 which was one of the first to be put on YouTube before the game, and which has since racked up has over 64 million views.

The Super Bowl ad battle starts weeks before the game when brands post commercials or shorter teasers online. This year’s spots were viewed more than 374 million times before kickoff, according to research firm iSpot.tv.

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The revenue from TV advertising is just part of an estimated $620 million (557 million euros) total spent on the event.

Like advertising slots, the opportunity to see the game live is much prized and therefore pretty pricey.

Stadium tickets sold for between $850 (764 euros) and $1,800 (1,617 euros), but many of those got resold and the price on the so-called secondary market averaged $4,500 (4,044 euros) – the highest ever.

Another commercial winner was the rideshare app Uber. With the game being played near its headquarters city of San Francisco it was a major sponsor and in return got access to special pick-up and drop-off points nearer the stadium.

And Super Bowl also provides a huge boost to food companies as it is the second highest day of food consumption in the US after the Thanksgiving holiday.

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What a night. A #SB50#PepsiHalftimepic.twitter.com/gVghUMqioX

— Coldplay (@coldplay) 8 Février 2016

.ladygaga</a> sang the National Anthem before <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SB50?src=hash">#SB50</a> and brought the house down.<br><br>WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/O5ER9hxEpM">https://t.co/O5ER9hxEpM</a> <a href="https://t.co/qXSSDlB2wI">pic.twitter.com/qXSSDlB2wI</a></p>&mdash; NFL (NFL) 8 Février 2016

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