Super Bowl Commercial Cost: Startup & Ongoing Costs

A Super Bowl ad costs more than any other slot on U.S. television, and the price tag is only one part of the bill. The network charges for the airtime, and the brand pays separately to create the commercial, license any music or talent, and promote it around the game.

The figures here are airtime prices reported by trade and sports outlets. Networks negotiate individual deals, so what any one advertiser paid may differ from the numbers below.

For Super Bowl LX, which aired on NBC, the average 30-second spot was priced at $8,000,000. The top-priced slots were reported at $10,000,000.

The group above also lists Super Bowl LXI, which ABC and ESPN will carry. Pricing for that game is described in reports, and it is worth reading each line carefully.

Two different kinds of numbers appear for the next game. One is the asking price, and the other is the price at which spots reportedly sold.

• Asking price. Disney's initial ask for Super Bowl LXI was $10,000,000, according to Awful Announcing. An ask is an opening position in a negotiation, not a final price.
• Reported sale prices. One outlet reports sales at $8,000,000 – $9,000,000. Another reports units thought to have sold at $8,000,000 – $9,000,000. Both use wording that signals the figures come from sources and not from official announcements.

Reports of this kind rely on people familiar with the deals, and the final prices may differ from what is printed. When a headline says the game "sold out" at a price, the number is usually an estimate of what most buyers paid. Early buyers and last-minute buyers can pay different rates, and large advertisers who buy in bulk may negotiate packages that include other programming.

Several reasons are commonly given for the price.

• Audience size. The game draws one of the biggest live audiences in the country, and live audiences are hard to find in an era of streaming and skipped ads.
• Attention. Viewers often watch the ads on purpose, which is unusual for television.
• Scarcity. There are a limited number of slots, and networks sell them in advance.
• Social and press value. A commercial can generate coverage and online views that extend its reach after the game.

These are explanations, not guarantees. A high price does not mean every ad pays off, and many brands judge the return in terms they can measure only partly.

The network price covers the broadcast only. A brand also budgets for:

• Production. Creative development, filming, editing, and effects.
• Talent and music. Celebrity fees and licensing can be large.
• Media around the game. Teasers online, social posts, and paid promotion in the weeks before kickoff.
• Agency and legal fees. Clearances and approvals are part of the process.

No figures for these items appear in the sources used here, so the total for any single advertiser is unknown. If you are planning an ad, get quotes from agencies and production companies instead of relying on a general number.

Not every advertiser needs a national spot. Options that may cost less include local or regional broadcast ads, streaming placements, social and influencer content tied to the game, and sponsorship of watch parties or local events. Prices differ by market and format, so check with the sellers.

Networks generally sell Super Bowl spots in advance of the game, and the price depends on demand. When interest is strong, networks may raise the ask; when buyers are fewer, they may discount or add bonus packages. That is why the same game can show a range of prices across sources. Check the most recent reports when you read this page, because new deals can change the numbers.

Super Bowl price stories get repeated quickly, and details drop out along the way. When you see a number, check four things. Is it an average or a top price? Is it for a 30-second spot or a different length? Is it an ask, a reported sale, or an official rate? And which game does it refer to? Mixing up any of these produces a figure that sounds precise and means little.

The numbers on this page carry the wording used by the outlets that published them. Where an outlet said a price was reported or thought to have sold, this page does the same. If you need a firm number for a budget, ask the network's sales team or a media buyer, since they see actual contracts.