Jack Terry

Host

Pay To Play? The NFL Halftime Show

Aug 20, 2014·14 visitors

Steve Johnson

Cohost

Stage· 49 messages

Aug 20, 2014

Jack and Steve tawk about the latest development involving just how much money the NFL wants to make during the Super Bowl.

Jack Terry · 7:00 PM

Good afternoon Steve! How are you today?

Steve Johnson · 7:00 PM

I'm doing great Jack. Back from a great vacation and ready for the football season to start.

Jack Terry · 7:01 PM

I know you are, which is why I thought of you this afternoon when I saw the latest news from the NFL.

Steve Johnson · 7:01 PM

You mean that Johnny Football is now known as Johnny Backup?

Jack Terry · 7:01 PM

Ha. I said "news" Steve.

Steve Johnson · 7:01 PM

Just kidding. What's on your mind?

Jack Terry · 7:02 PM

Well, it seems like picking the halftime entertainment for Super Bowl XLIX has just gotten a lot more interesting.

Steve Johnson · 7:02 PM

Oh, you mean the pay to play/ I've been hearing this rumor for quite some time.

Jack Terry · 7:03 PM

Exactly.

Steve Johnson · 7:03 PM

I'm not that surprised to hear that it's a possibility. Think of how much the commercials go for during the Super Bowl.

Jack Terry · 7:04 PM

The figure that I read is that the halftime show, if were all commercials, would cost $100 million.

Steve Johnson · 7:04 PM

That's about right.

Jack Terry · 7:04 PM

So why is the NFL asking for that money, and not the network that is airing the game? They're the ones who get paid for the airtime, not the NFL.

Steve Johnson · 7:05 PM

That's a good question. I never thought of it that way.

Jack Terry · 7:05 PM

And are the bands getting paid for their appearance in the first place?

Steve Johnson · 7:06 PM

They actually don't get paid. It's the same reasoning behind why the NFL wants them to pay. The international exposure is viewed as payment enough.

Jack Terry · 7:07 PM

Yes, but someone has to pay for the expenses for the band: transportation, lodging, setting up and tearing down. Does the band cover that?

Steve Johnson · 7:07 PM

That actually comes out of the pocket of the NFL.

Jack Terry · 7:09 PM

So why not just make the bands pay for that then? Otherwise the ban will be paying the NFL, who will just turn around and put that money back into Super Bowl XLIX. I understand that they will be saving money, but they won't be making any.

Steve Johnson · 7:09 PM

It's fuzzier than even that. Think about this: who makes the most money off of the Super Bowl anyway?

Jack Terry · 7:09 PM

I have a feeling you're setting me up for a trick question.

Steve Johnson · 7:10 PM

You know me too well.

Jack Terry · 7:11 PM

Well, the obvious answer would be the network televising the game, because they are the ones who sell all the advertising. And if that's the obvious answer, then it's probably wrong.

Steve Johnson · 7:11 PM

probably.

Steve Johnson · 7:12 PM

There are, of course the ticket sales that all goes to the NFL, but that is only a drop in the bucket of the big money maker.

Jack Terry · 7:12 PM

The premium that the network pays to air the Super Bowl in the first case.

Steve Johnson · 7:13 PM

Exactly. The television package in generalgenerates hundreds of millions of dollars a year for the league.

Jack Terry · 7:14 PM

Only hundreds of millions?

Jack Terry · 7:14 PM

Try 3.2 billion, with a B.

Steve Johnson · 7:15 PM

WOW! I knew it wasa lot, but I didn't think it was that much!!

Jack Terry · 7:16 PM

Which begs the question: with the NFL making that much money, will any artist be willing to pay a percentage of their future tour income (that's what the NFL is looking for) in order to play the Super Bowl?

Steve Johnson · 7:17 PM

That depends on who the band is. The list that the NFL is looking at is Coldplay, Rhianna and katy Perry. Personally I can't see any of them being interested in such athing.

Jack Terry · 7:17 PM

That doesn't make sense at all. Rhianna and katy Perry already seem popular enough to not really need that kind of exposure.

Steve Johnson · 7:18 PM

I know. I mean, how much bigger can they get?

Jack Terry · 7:18 PM

And I'm sorry, but I can't see Coldplay even considering such an idea. I mean, this is a band that has routinely given away it's music for free and still is one of the most profitable bands in the world.

Steve Johnson · 7:19 PM

I think it shows just how much ego and hubris the NFL has, in thinking that bands would be lining up to do this.

Jack Terry · 7:20 PM

It's a Catch-22 I think. The bands that could benefit from it probably either can't afford it or aren't on the leagues radar, and the ones that could afford it and the league knows about are already too big to need it.

Steve Johnson · 7:20 PM

Yup.

Jack Terry · 7:20 PM

So, do you think it happens?

Steve Johnson · 7:21 PM

In a word, no. Because of the nebulous amount of money they would have to pay, like you said a percentage of future tour earnnings, most people would be scared off anyway.

Jack Terry · 7:21 PM

It's just crazy.

Steve Johnson · 7:22 PM

It's the NFL and it's Super Bowl XLIX. they think they're the biggest bully in the playground.

Jack Terry · 7:22 PM

Personally I'd love to see Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters. Especially after their great #ALS #IceBucketChallenge!!

Steve Johnson · 7:22 PM

That was brilliant! Makes me want to watch the movie "Carrie" again.

Jack Terry · 7:22 PM

The original.

Steve Johnson · 7:23 PM

Of course.

Jack Terry · 7:23 PM

Steve, as always thanks for your insight. Be sure to join me tomorrow when I team up with JD for our weekly NFL tawk.

Steve Johnson · 7:23 PM

11am. I never miss it! great tawk jack!

Jack Terry · 7:23 PM

You too Ateve! Be well.