Is there a need for a Super Bowl Half-Time Show?

[Mark Giardina]

Curious what others have to say on this subject.

 

[KeithE4]

You have to take a trip to the john sometime, right? ;D

 

[TheBigA]

Need? Is there a need for the Super Bowl itself? Depends on who you ask.

The whole thing is a day-long commercial, and the halftime show (sponsored by Bridgestone) is part of that. Those of us in the media create content that attracts audience to whom we sell products. The half-time show is one example of that process. But the pre-game tailgate party is another.

Think of all the people employed who present that halftime show. The dancers, the lighting people, the grips and gaffers who move the stage to the middle of the field, and the audio trucks (yes plural) who capture the sound.

It's big business. It's show business. And when the halftime is over, radio DJs will have lots of things to talk about. So yes, there's a need for the half time show. And the NFL has begun expanding smaller versions of it into the playoffs, and even in some featured regular games.

 

[landtuna]

Need? Is there a need for the Super Bowl itself? Depends on who you ask.

If anyone is asking me.....no. No half-time, in fact, no Stupid Bowl. Back in the day when it was the championship game between two competing conferences it meant something. Now it is just a playoff and not usually a very good one at that. Certainly not generally the pinnacle of performance you would expect from the "two best teams in the NFL".

Consider a comparison with the Stanley Cup Playoffs or even the World Series and football comes up short every time. It is one giant commercial I can live without.

 

[TheBigA]

Consider a comparison with the Stanley Cup Playoffs or even the World Series and football comes up short every time. It is one giant commercial I can live without.

You're in the minority. Those of us in the radio biz sell audience, and the NFL grabs mass audience better than baseball or hockey. Fewer games means the price per game is higher. Too many games in hockey, basketball, and baseball.

 

[whit979]

I think there are a lot of people who enjoy the halftime show, but music is such a diversified thing that it's impossible to please everybody. For every one person who is looking forward to seeing Madonna in this year's show, there are probably 2 or 3 who aren't, and that's probably about the same every year.

 

[TheBigA]

I think you're right, but those who don't like her will watch and hope she falls.

Plus you never know when you might get a wardrobe malfunction.

 

[Nate Wesley]

I'm surprised that there hasn't been more of a serious push to counter-program against the extended football halftime. It's the one part of the game broadcast where you are most likely to get channel surfing; the headliner may be a legitimate turnoff to a large part of the audience, regardless of talent or the act's actual halftime performance.

I remember the WWE scoring well with a showing well-hyped, pre-taped wrestling match (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson vs "Mankind" Mick Foley) on USA Network in 1999. I had completely forgotten about Fox hyping a special In Living Color that grabbed 20 million viewers in 1993. Outside of MTV running Beavis & Butthead specials in the early 90s, the only perennial counter-programming that seems to have stuck is Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl.

I can see why most musical acts might be hesitant to do a half-hour 'counter concert' during that timeslot, but you could certainly load up with live or taped stunt content to promote in that spot. Maybe a simulcast with several co-owned channels (just thinking out loud--Michael Jordan vs Charles Barkley in a live game of H-O-R-S-E on TNT/TBS/NBA TV, Fox News & Fox Business doing a 30 minute interview with Warren Buffett, TVLand/Nickelodeon/BET/Centric simulcasting a specific episode of The Cosby Show, etc.).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_counterprogramming

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Curious what others have to say on this subject.

yes, time for a potty break is needed

 

[Morpheux]

It all depends on who is on. When the Rolling Stones were on? Beer run.

 

[landtuna]

Consider a comparison with the Stanley Cup Playoffs or even the World Series and football comes up short every time. It is one giant commercial I can live without.

You're in the minority. Those of us in the radio biz sell audience, and the NFL grabs mass audience better than baseball or hockey. Fewer games means the price per game is higher. Too many games in hockey, basketball, and baseball.

The OP provided two benefits from the Super Bowl - employment for a bunch of people and the ability of radio/TV to sell inventory. I provided a third frame of reference from the viewers perspective and it wouldn't be considered a benefit.

There are most probably hundreds of thousands of fanatic football fans who tune in for the actual game but there are millions who tune in for the hoopla and commercials. There are even more who get together outside the stadium to party and may or may not see the entire game. That is my perspective.

The Super Bowl may be a huge commercial success and economic engine for the network broadcasting it, the players, the league and all the hot wing and pizza joints in the USA. But for a football purist it is American Idol - a shoddy, glitzy extravaganza where the actual game plays but a small part.

My 2 cents and YMMV of course.

 

[Markxxx]

I would think Me-TV or some similar channel would run a marathon of football themed shows. Almost every sitcom runs a football themed show or two.

 

[TheBigA]

I provided a third frame of reference from the viewers perspective and it wouldn't be considered a benefit.

Correction: You provided "A" viewer's perspective. Yours.

Broadcasters aren't in the business of entertaining individuals. The goal is to reach millions.

Your comparison to Idol is appropriate. The viewership will be comparable. And no surprise that NBC will follow the SB with the season premiere of The Voice. Brilliant programming, if you ask me.

 

[TheRob]

Halftime for me is a time to refuel on food and beverage. I don't care for the entertainment. I went to the Orange Bowl a few years ago. ZZ Top performed at halftime. It took ten minutes to set up the stage for the band to perform one song, and that was it.

 

[landtuna]

And no surprise that NBC will follow the SB with the season premiere of The Voice. Brilliant programming, if you ask me.

Yeah. The few viewers that are not yet drunk, asleep or praying to the porcelain pony are SURE to hang around for yet another repetitious disaster from EN-BEE-CEE.

 

[TheBigA]

Yeah. The few viewers that are not yet drunk, asleep or praying to the porcelain pony are SURE to hang around for yet another repetitious disaster from EN-BEE-CEE.

I predict they'll win the night and week. And may get two of the top shows of the year.

 

[mjlarochelle]

I've watched the Super Bowl the past four years, but I never bother with the half-time show. Some years I've changed the channel, other years I've been at sports bars and I end up just chatting with the other guys I'm with.

 

[johnnya2k6]

I had completely forgotten about Fox hyping a special In Living Color that grabbed 20 million viewers in 1993.

That was in 1992 and yes, changed the face of Super Bowl halftime shows forever after the "Winter Magic" one had us switching to Fox right away. Michael Jackson came in the following year.

 

[ixnay]

And no surprise that NBC will follow the SB with the season premiere of The Voice. Brilliant programming, if you ask me.

Yeah. The few viewers that are not yet drunk, asleep or praying to the porcelain pony are SURE to hang around for yet another repetitious disaster from EN-BEE-CEE.

Will The Voice be preempted if the SB goes into a second OT period? No SB has gone into OT, but hyping programming that follows it is the chance the SB telecaster takes.

ixnay

 

[imhomerjay]

Considering the odds are slim of one OT, speculating about two is beyond pointless.