Special Report
What a Super Bowl Commercial Cost the Year You Were Born
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It is safe to say that no championship game in the over five decades of the event will be played in more unusual circumstances than Super Bowl LV. The event has never had fewer than 60,000 in attendance, but this year, due to COVID-19-related safety measures, there will be 25,000 fans in attendance, with another 30,000 cardboard cutouts to fill the empty seats in Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. This is certainly a disappointment for the Tampa fans who were hoping to be among those cheering on a Super Bowl contender in the team’s home stadium for the first time ever.
The Super Bowl is perennially the most watched television event in the United States. Last year’s event drew in 102.1 million viewers through TV or online streaming. It was the 11th most watched television event in the United States — behind nine other Super Bowls and the M*A*S*H series finale. And with people confined at home, it is safe to say the Super Bowl this year will once again be appointment viewing for a large segment of the American Population.
With such a large viewership, it’s not just the NFL’s biggest day — Major corporations shell out millions of dollars for just 30 seconds of air time, guaranteed to be watched by tens of millions of Americans and many millions more across the globe. The last few events reportedly each commanded at least $5 million for a 30 second spot, according to Ad Age, a media company that reports on advertising.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed historical costs of a 30-second commercial spot in all 52 Super Bowls to determine the cost of a Super Bowl commercial the year you were born. Data came from Ad Age.
Click here to see what a Super Bowl commercial cost the year you were born.
1967: Super Bowl I
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $40,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $300,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
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1968: Super Bowl II
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $54,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $391,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. Oakland Raiders
1969: Super Bowl III
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $67,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $468,000
> Matchup: New York Jets vs. Baltimore Colts
1970: Super Bowl IV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $78,200
> Adjusted for inflation: $510,000
> Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings
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1971: Super Bowl V
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $72,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $446,000
> Matchup: Baltimore Colts vs. Dallas Cowboys
1972: Super Bowl VI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $86,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $516,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins
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1973: Super Bowl VII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $103,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $599,000
> Matchup: Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Redskins
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1974: Super Bowl VIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $107,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $566,000
> Matchup: Miami Dolphins vs. Minnesota Vikings
1975: Super Bowl IX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $110,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $521,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings
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1976: Super Bowl X
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $125,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $555,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys
1977: Super Bowl XI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $162,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $683,000
> Matchup: Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings
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1978: Super Bowl XII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $185,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $730,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos
1979: Super Bowl XIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $222,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $802,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys
1980: Super Bowl XIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $275,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $872,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams
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1981: Super Bowl XV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $324,300
> Adjusted for inflation: $919,000
> Matchup: Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
1982: Super Bowl XVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $345,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $902,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
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1983: Super Bowl XVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,009,000
> Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. Miami Dolphins
1984: Super Bowl XVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $450,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,089,000
> Matchup: Los Angeles Raiders vs. Washington Redskins
1985: Super Bowl XIX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,169,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins
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1986: Super Bowl XX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $550,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,238,000
> Matchup: Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots
1987: Super Bowl XXI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $575,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,275,000
> Matchup: New York Giants vs. Denver Broncos
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1988: Super Bowl XXII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,279,000
> Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. Denver Broncos
1989: Super Bowl XXIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $675,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,375,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
1990: Super Bowl XXIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $700,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,355,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos
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1991: Super Bowl XXV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,466,000
> Matchup: New York Giants vs. Buffalo Bills
1992: Super Bowl XXVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,429,000
> Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. Buffalo Bills
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1993: Super Bowl XXVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $850,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,470,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills
1994: Super Bowl XXVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $900,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,518,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills
1995: Super Bowl XXIX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,150,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,887,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. San Diego Chargers
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1996: Super Bowl XXX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,085,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,733,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
1997: Super Bowl XXXI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,860,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. New England Patriots
[in-text-ad]
1998: Super Bowl XXXII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,292,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,972,000
> Matchup: Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers
1999: Super Bowl XXXIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $1,600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,402,000
> Matchup: Denver Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons
2000: Super Bowl XXXIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,100,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,069,000
> Matchup: St. Louis Rams vs. Tennessee Titans
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2001: Super Bowl XXXV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,099,000
> Matchup: Baltimore Ravens vs. New York Giants
2002: Super Bowl XXXVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,064,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams
[in-text-ad]
2003: Super Bowl XXXVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,150,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,919,000
> Matchup: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Oakland Raiders
2004: Super Bowl XXXVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,302,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,066,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers
2005: Super Bowl XXXIX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,104,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles
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2006: Super Bowl XL
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,110,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Seattle Seahawks
2007: Super Bowl XLI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,385,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,906,000
> Matchup: Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears
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2008: Super Bowl XLII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,700,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,155,000
> Matchup: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots
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2009: Super Bowl XLIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $3,000,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,505,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals
2010: Super Bowl XLIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $2,974,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,385,000
> Matchup: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts
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2011: Super Bowl XLV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $3,100,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,472,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
2012: Super Bowl XLVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $3,500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,809,000
> Matchup: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots
[in-text-ad]
2013: Super Bowl XLVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $4,000,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,285,000
> Matchup: Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers
2014: Super Bowl XLVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $4,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,429,000
> Matchup: Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos
2015: Super Bowl XLIX
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $4,400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,644,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks
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2016: Super Bowl 50
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $4,800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,998,000
> Matchup: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers
2017: Super Bowl LI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,050,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,130,000
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons
[in-text-ad]
2018: Super Bowl LII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,200,000
> Matchup: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots
2019: Super Bowl LIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,250,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,250,000
> Matchup: Los Angeles Rams vs. New England Patriots
2020: Super Bowl LIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,600,000
> Matchup: San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
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