Special Report

What A Super Bowl Commercial Cost The Year You Were Born

Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

The Super Bowl is perennially the most watched television event in the United States, regularly drawing in over 100 million viewers through TV or online streaming. 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 commanded over $5 million for a 30 second spot.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed historical costs of a 30-second commercial spot in all 56 Super Bowls to determine the cost of a Super Bowl commercial the year you were born. Data came from Ad Age, a media company that reports on advertising.

While many casual viewers only watch the Super Bowl for the ads, other die-hard NFL fans watch it for the love of football. This year, the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals are set to duke it out in their quest to become Super Bowl champion. The Rams are loaded with high-profile stars like Odell Beckham Jr., Matt Stafford, and Aaron Donald searching for their first ring, while young Bengals QB Joe Burrow is hoping to lift Cincinnati to its first ever Super Bowl championship. These are the teams that have never won the Super Bowl.

Click here to see what a Super Bowl Commercial cost the year you were born

Jason O. Watson / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

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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Matt Sullivan / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

1968: Super Bowl II
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $54,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $391,000
> Matchup: Green Bay Packers vs. Oakland Raiders

Patrick Smith / Getty Images

1969: Super Bowl III
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $67,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $468,000
> Matchup: New York Jets vs. Baltimore Colts

NFL / WIkimedia Commons

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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Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

1971: Super Bowl V
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $72,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $446,000
> Matchup: Baltimore Colts vs. Dallas Cowboys

Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

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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Alex Wong / Getty Images

1973: Super Bowl VII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $103,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $599,000
> Matchup: Miami Dolphins vs. Washington Redskins

NFL / WIkimedia Commons

1974: Super Bowl VIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $107,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $566,000
> Matchup: Miami Dolphins vs. Minnesota Vikings

NFL / WIkimedia Commons

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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NFL / Wikimedia Commons

1976: Super Bowl X
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $125,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $555,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys

NFL / Wikimedia Commons

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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NFL / Wikimedia Commons

1978: Super Bowl XII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $185,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $730,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos

Focus On Sport / Getty Images

1979: Super Bowl XIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $222,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $802,000
> Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys

NFL / Wikimedia Commons

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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NFL / Wikimedia Commons

1981: Super Bowl XV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $324,300
> Adjusted for inflation: $919,000
> Matchup: Oakland Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles

NFL / Wikimedia Commons

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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Getty Images / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

1983: Super Bowl XVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,009,000
> Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. Miami Dolphins

Getty Images / Getty Images

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

Tony Duffy / Getty Images

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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Mike Powell / Getty Images

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

Steve Dykes / Getty Images

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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Rick Stewart / Getty Images

1988: Super Bowl XXII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,279,000
> Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. Denver Broncos

Rick Stewart / Getty Images

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

George Rose / Getty Images

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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Rick Stewart / Getty Images

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

Rick Stewart / Getty Images

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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Rick Stewart / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

1993: Super Bowl XXVII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $850,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,470,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills

George Rose / Getty Images

1994: Super Bowl XXVIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $900,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,518,000
> Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills

George Rose / Getty Images

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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Al Bello / Getty Images

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

Al Bello / Getty Images

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

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Doug Pensinger / Getty Images

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

Vincent Laforet / Getty Images

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

Tom Hauck / Getty Images

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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Elsa / Getty Images

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

Andy Lyons / Getty Images

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

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Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

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

Brian Bahr / Getty Images

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

Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images

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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Harry How / Getty Images

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

Eliot J. Schechter / Getty Images

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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Donald Miralle / Getty Images

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

Al Bello / Getty Images

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

Donald Miralle / Getty Images

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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Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

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

Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

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

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Al Bello / Getty Images

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

Christian Petersen / Getty Images

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

Rob Carr / Getty Images

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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Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

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

Al Bello / Getty Images

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

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Patrick Smith / Getty Images

2018: Super Bowl LII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,050,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,438,850
> Matchup: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots

Harry How / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

2019: Super Bowl LIII
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,250,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,727,750
> Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

2020: Super Bowl LIV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $6,031,200
> Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers

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Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

2021: Super Bowl LV
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $5,600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,600,000
> Matchup: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

2022: Super Bowl LVI
> Cost of a 30 second spot: $6,500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $6,500,000
> Matchup: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Rams

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