The NFL has just announced that Apple Music will be taking over from Pepsi as the sponsor of the iconic Super Bowl halftime show - a spectacle that draws one of the biggest single TV audiences of the year.
We are proud to welcome Apple Music to the NFL family as our new partner for the iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Nana-Yaw Asamoah (SVP of Partner Strategy for the NFL)
The NFL has just announced that Apple Music will be taking over from Pepsi as the sponsor of the iconic Super Bowl halftime show - a spectacle that draws one of the biggest single TV audiences of the year.
The league stated that more than 120 million viewers tuned in to watch the Super Bowl LVI halftime show in February 2022 and it seems Apple Music are looking to take advantage of the blockbuster event.
The last performance hosted Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar - a lineup that will be hard to top. In previous years, the Pepsi shows have featured the likes of The Weeknd, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Bruno Mars. Bigger names are hard to find, but with the music industry connections Apple has curated, everyone is on the edge of their seat for 2023's lineup announcement.
The New York Times reported that the NFL had been in the market for a sponsorship deal worth around $50 million and although the exact terms of the contract were not made public, the multi year deal brings together two titans of industry in hopes to deliver some of the greatest shows the world has ever seen.
We couldn't think of a more appropriate partner for the world's most-watched musical performance than Apple Music, a service that entertains, inspires, and motivates millions of people around the world through the intersection of music and technology.
Nana-Yaw Asamoah
Pepsi announced back in May this year that it would not return as the halftime show’s sponsor. This signals the end of a 10-year deal which helped capture the younger generations by giving platforms to the more modern era of music. The Pepsi deal moved the performances away from a roster of mostly rock artists like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, to usher in a new group of artists that appealed to a brand new audience.
The new partnership comes as a wave of companies try to broaden horizons by looking to the sports industries for new opportunities. Apple Music have already inked deals with broadcast Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball games on Apple TV Plus. While Amazon struck a deal to stream NFL's Thursday Night Football to its Prime users.
Rumours are already stirring about how Apple and the NFL will advance their partnership heading forward - perhaps we'll see exclusive game coverage on Apple TV, or exclusive tracks released on Apple Music for the halftime shows?
In any case, the handshake brings plenty of opportunity for both parties to widen their reach and deliver quality shows for years to come.
We're looking forward to even more epic performances next year and beyond with the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Oliver Schusser (VP of Apple Music and Beats)
Who do you think will be taking the stage next year? Let us know your predictions on Twitter and Instagram.
