• Loading stock data...
Friday, February 7, 2025

$7 Million Self Investment

  • The singer invested $7 million of his own money into the show.
  • Halftime shows have previously been valued around $13 million.
The Weeknd

The Weeknd spent $7 million of his own money to make the Super Bowl 55 halftime show “what he envisioned.” 

The Toronto native just wrapped up one of the best years in music industry history. 

His “Blinding Lights” single was the No. 1 radio song of 2020 with 3 billion impressions and has spent a record-setting 47 weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. 

Despite the commercial success, the singer did not receive any Grammy nominations. “The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency,” he tweeted at the time.

His Super Bowl audience will far exceed the Grammys. Last year’s Fox broadcast of the Super Bowl halftime show attracted about 103 million viewers, more than five times that of the 2020 Grammys.

Halftime shows have previously been valued around $13 million. With only about 22,000 fans watching in-person this year, The Weeknd wanted to make the show more of a “cinematic experience.”

PepsiCo replaced its traditional Super Bowl ad slot this year with a massive lead-in campaign to the halftime show, which it has sponsored for 10 years.

“I do think though consumers now are really looking for optimism and kind of a bit of escapism,” Pepsi VP of Marketing Todd Kaplan told CNBC. “We’re really going to take the experience from 12 minutes into six weeks,” he added about The Weeknd’s campaign.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jan 31, 2013, New Orleans, LA, USA; General view of the downtown New Orleans skyline and Benson Tower and Mercedes-Benz Superdome in advance of Super Bowl XLVII between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers.

The Battle for the Super Bowl: Can New Orleans Still Host the..

New Orleans’s Super Bowl future is up against tough competition from newer stadiums.
Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles helmets at the Caesars Superdome prior to Super Bowl LIX.

Amid ‘Record’ Super Bowl Betting, Market’s Two Largest Forces Still Reign

FanDuel and DraftKings still dominate the ever-expanding space.
A Fox Sports camera records on the sideline prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

Fox Seeks Dismissal of Sex Abuse Lawsuit, While Bayless, Taylor Deny Wrongdoing

Skip Bayless and Joy Taylor deny the allegations made against them.
Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; FOX broadcaster and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady looks on before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Tom Brady Cagey About Scope of Role With Raiders

Brady was approved as a minority owner in the Raiders in October.

Featured Today

‘Ultimate Throwback’: The Unimpeachable Cool of Hartford Whalers Gear

Nostalgia and street cred have driven a consistent frenzy for merch.
January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44), before a 2024 NFC divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium.
February 1, 2025

The New WAGs: Sports Wives Building Business Empires

Athletes’ wives and girlfriends are bucking stereotypes and cashing in.
Feb 3, 2019; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears mascot dances on the court during a stoppage in play in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Haas Pavilion.
January 31, 2025

The Toll of Bicoastal Travel on New ACC Members Cal and Stanford

Cal and Stanford face missed flights, chaotic sleep schedules, and academic demands.
January 28, 2025

It’s Starting to Pay to Be Good at Cornhole

American Cornhole League players made $7.7 million in 2024.

Super Bowl Ticket Prices Crash As Hotel Rooms See Historic Rate Hike

Prices sink by about 30%, due in part to a lodging crunch.
September 8, 2024

US Open Breaks Attendance Record

Top-seeded Jannik Sinner beat No. 12 Taylor Fritz in straight sets Sunday.
October 8, 2024

NBA GMs Rank Salary-Cap Apron As Rule That Needs to Change Most

Schedule changes finished second with 17% of the vote.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Sponsored

Mastercard’s Foodies & Fairways: Where Golf Meets Gourmet at the TOUR Championship

This year’s TOUR Championship in Atlanta isn’t just about world-class golf—it’s also a celebration of local flavors.
July 18, 2024

Loyal WNBA Fans Hit With Enormous Season-Ticket Price Hikes

Some season-ticket holders are seeing their prices doubled.
July 16, 2024

CONMEBOL, Hard Rock Stadium Continue Trading Blame Over Copa Disaster

Each blames the other for the security madness at Sunday’s final.
July 15, 2024

Colombian Soccer Federation President Arrested in Copa Madness

The 71-year-old on the FIFA Council was arrested alongside his son.