The NFL had been looking for someone to pay up to $50 million per year to attach its name to the Super Bowl halftime show. And the NFL has found what it was looking for.
Late Thursday, the league announced at Apple Music will become the new presenting sponsor of the intermission period for the most-watched event on the annual TV calendar.
According to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, it’s a five-year deal worth roughly $50 million per year.
As the Hollywood Reporter explained last year, the league is looking for ways to make the halftime show bigger than just the halftime show, “taking different aspects of it making it stand way outside of the 12 minutes.”
The extra content could include “documentary footage around the preparations for the show or behind-the-scenes access, or footage from dress rehearsals or bonus performances.” The bonus content means more engagement from fans, and greater value for the sponsor.
That will begin right away; per the release, “fans can expect to see exclusive details and sneak peeks leading up to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show by following @AppleMusic on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.”
The musical performers for Super Bowl LVII have not yet been announced. Super Bowl LVI will be a though act to follow. The production featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar recently won the Emmy for best live variety special. It was the first time a Super Bowl halftime show has won an Emmy.