The Super Bowl is not only America’s most-watched sports event of the year, it is usually among the most-viewed events of any kind in the United States. And that’s why advertisers trip over themselves to pay ever-increasing costs for a spot during the big game.
To determine what a Super Bowl commercial costs the year you were born, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on the cost of a 30-second ad spot for every Super Bowl in NFL history from Nielsen. Costs for a 30-second ad spot were adjusted for inflation using Consumer Price Index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Official Game results came from ESPN.
Average pricing for advertising on the broadcast of the Super Bowl LVII – pitting the Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles – is between $6 million and $7 million for 30 seconds, according to Fox Sports executive vice president of advertising sales Mark Evans.
Some of the ads themselves have been memorable: Apple’s nod to George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984” in 1984; banged-up Steelers lineman Joe Greene tossing his jersey to a starstruck boy in a Coca-Cola ad; a Snickers spot featuring Betty White; a McDonald’s ad of Michael Jordan and Larry Bird in a basketball shooting duel….
Click here to learn how much it cost to buy a commercial at every Super Bowl in history
Besides the commercials and the game itself, people tune in to watch the halftime show that has featured some of music’s most famous performers – including Katy Perry, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, and the various rap and hip-hop artists who headlined the halftime show in 2022. (See who has performed at every Super Bowl halftime show.)
The rising viewership of the Super Bowl is in contrast to the declining interest in other annual television events such as awards shows. For advertisers, the big game is one of the few remaining opportunities to reach a television audience that isn’t fragmented.
Source: Robert Riger / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1967: Super Bowl I
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $42,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $372,390
> Total television viewership: 26.8 million
> Game result: Green Bay (35), Kansas City (10)
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1968: Super Bowl II
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $54,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $458,325
> Total television viewership: 39.1 million
> Game result: Green Bay (33), Oakland (14)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1969: Super Bowl III
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $55,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $438,584
> Total television viewership: 41.7 million
> Game result: New York Jets (16), Baltimore (7)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1970: Super Bowl IV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $78,200
> Adjusted for inflation: $589,836
> Total television viewership: 44.3 million
> Game result: Kansas City (23), Minnesota (7)
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1971: Super Bowl V
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $72,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $523,889
> Total television viewership: 46.0 million
> Game result: Baltimore (16), Dallas (13)
1972: Super Bowl VI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $86,100
> Adjusted for inflation: $602,813
> Total television viewership: 56.6 million
> Game result: Dallas (24), Miami (3)
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Source: Nate Fine / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1973: Super Bowl VII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $88,100
> Adjusted for inflation: $580,696
> Total television viewership: 53.3 million
> Game result: Miami (14), Washington (7)
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1974: Super Bowl VIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $103,500
> Adjusted for inflation: $614,397
> Total television viewership: 51.7 million
> Game result: Miami (24), Minnesota (7)
Source: Sylvia Allen / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1975: Super Bowl IX
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $107,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $582,046
> Total television viewership: 56.1 million
> Game result: Pittsburgh (16), Minnesota (6)
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1976: Super Bowl X
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $110,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $565,765
> Total television viewership: 57.7 million
> Game result: Pittsburgh (21), Dallas (17)
Source: Focus on Sport / Getty Images
1977: Super Bowl XI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $125,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $603,661
> Total television viewership: 62.0 million
> Game result: Oakland (32), Minnesota (14)
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1978: Super Bowl XII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $162,300
> Adjusted for inflation: $728,495
> Total television viewership: 78.9 million
> Game result: Dallas (27), Denver (10)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1979: Super Bowl XIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $185,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $745,746
> Total television viewership: 74.7 million
> Game result: Pittsburgh (35), Dallas (31)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1980: Super Bowl XIV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $222,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $788,464
> Total television viewership: 76.2 million
> Game result: Pittsburgh (31), Los Angeles Rams (19)
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Source: Focus On Sport / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1981: Super Bowl XV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $275,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $885,370
> Total television viewership: 68.3 million
> Game result: Oakland (27), Philadelphia (10)
1982: Super Bowl XVI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $324,300
> Adjusted for inflation: $983,503
> Total television viewership: 85.2 million
> Game result: San Francisco (26), Cincinnati (21)
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Source: Getty Images / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1983: Super Bowl XVII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,175,321
> Total television viewership: 81.8 million
> Game result: Washington (27), Miami (17)
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Source: Getty Images / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1984: Super Bowl XVIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $368,200
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,037,108
> Total television viewership: 77.6 million
> Game result: Los Angeles Raiders (38), Washington (9)
Source: George Rose / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1985: Super Bowl XIX
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $525,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,427,917
> Total television viewership: 85.5 million
> Game result: San Francisco (38), Miami (16)
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Source: Focus On Sport / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1986: Super Bowl XX
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $550,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,468,615
> Total television viewership: 92.6 million
> Game result: Chicago (46), New England (10)
Source: George Rose / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1987: Super Bowl XXI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,545,713
> Total television viewership: 87.2 million
> Game result: New York Giants (39), Denver (20)
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Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images
1988: Super Bowl XXII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $645,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,595,625
> Total television viewership: 80.1 million
> Game result: Washington (42), Denver (10)
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Source: Rick Stewart / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1989: Super Bowl XXIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $675,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,593,082
> Total television viewership: 81.6 million
> Game result: San Francisco (20), Cincinnati (16)
Source: Rick Stewart / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1990: Super Bowl XXIV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $700,400
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,568,290
> Total television viewership: 73.9 million
> Game result: San Francisco (55), Denver (10)
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Source: George Rose / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1991: Super Bowl XXV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,718,972
> Total television viewership: 79.5 million
> Game result: New York Giants (20), Buffalo (19)
Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images
1992: Super Bowl XXVI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $850,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,773,035
> Total television viewership: 79.6 million
> Game result: Washington (37), Buffalo (24)
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Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1993: Super Bowl XXVII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $850,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,721,500
> Total television viewership: 91.0 million
> Game result: Dallas (52), Buffalo (17)
Source: George Rose / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1994: Super Bowl XXVIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $900,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $1,777,257
> Total television viewership: 90.0 million
> Game result: Dallas (30), Buffalo (13)
Source: George Rose / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1995: Super Bowl XXIX
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $1,150,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,208,355
> Total television viewership: 83.4 million
> Game result: San Francisco (49), San Diego (26)
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Source: George Rose / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1996: Super Bowl XXX
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $1,085,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,023,777
> Total television viewership: 94.1 million
> Game result: Dallas (27), Pittsburgh (17)
Source: Rick Stewart / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1997: Super Bowl XXXI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $1,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,188,075
> Total television viewership: 87.9 million
> Game result: Green Bay (35), New England (21)
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Source: Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
1998: Super Bowl XXXII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $1,291,100
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,318,079
> Total television viewership: 90.0 million
> Game result: Denver (31), Green Bay (24)
Source: Al Bello / Getty Images
1999: Super Bowl XXXIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $1,600,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $2,810,612
> Total television viewership: 83.7 million
> Game result: Denver (34), Atlanta (19)
Source: Tom Hauck / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2000: Super Bowl XXXIV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,100,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,568,963
> Total television viewership: 88.5 million
> Game result: St. Louis (23), Tennessee (16)
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Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2001: Super Bowl XXXV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,635,466
> Total television viewership: 84.3 million
> Game result: Baltimore (34), New York Giants (7)
Source: Al Bello / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2002: Super Bowl XXXVI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,578,883
> Total television viewership: 86.8 million
> Game result: New England (20), St. Louis (17)
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Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2003: Super Bowl XXXVII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,200,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,499,136
> Total television viewership: 88.6 million
> Game result: Tampa Bay (48), Oakland (21)
Source: Donald Miralle / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2004: Super Bowl XXXVIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,302,200
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,566,704
> Total television viewership: 89.8 million
> Game result: New England (32), Carolina (29)
Source: Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2005: Super Bowl XXXIX
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,596,375
> Total television viewership: 86.1 million
> Game result: New England (24), Philadelphia (21)
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Source: Harry How / Getty Images
2006: Super Bowl XL
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,629,154
> Total television viewership: 90.8 million
> Game result: Pittsburgh (21), Seattle (10)
Source: Doug Benc / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2007: Super Bowl XLI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,385,365
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,366,848
> Total television viewership: 93.2 million
> Game result: Indianapolis (29), Chicago (17)
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Source: Harry How / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2008: Super Bowl XLII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,699,963
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,669,980
> Total television viewership: 97.5 million
> Game result: New York Giants (17), New England (14)
Source: Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2009: Super Bowl XLIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $3,000,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,092,371
> Total television viewership: 98.7 million
> Game result: Pittsburgh (27), Arizona (23)
Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2010: Super Bowl XLIV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,757,906
> Total television viewership: 106.5 million
> Game result: New Orleans (31), Indianapolis (17)
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Source: Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2011: Super Bowl XLV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $2,948,649
> Adjusted for inflation: $3,836,315
> Total television viewership: 111.0 million
> Game result: Green Bay (31), Pittsburgh (25)
Source: Al Bello / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2012: Super Bowl XLVI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $3,442,752
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,388,349
> Total television viewership: 111.3 million
> Game result: New York Giants (21), New England (17)
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Source: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2013: Super Bowl XLVII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $3,765,130
> Adjusted for inflation: $4,729,989
> Total television viewership: 108.7 million
> Game result: Baltimore (34), San Francisco (31)
Source: Jeff Gross / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2014: Super Bowl XLVIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $4,084,864
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,049,743
> Total television viewership: 112.2 million
> Game result: Seattle (43), Denver (8)
Source: Andy Lyons / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2015: Super Bowl XLIX
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $4,283,129
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,288,562
> Total television viewership: 114.4 million
> Game result: New England (28), Seattle (24)
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Source: Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2016: Super Bowl 50
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $4,800,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,852,929
> Total television viewership: 111.9 million
> Game result: Denver (24), Carolina (10)
Source: Tom Pennington / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2017: Super Bowl LI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $5,399,873
> Adjusted for inflation: $6,447,046
> Total television viewership: 111.3 million
> Game result: New England (34), Atlanta (28)
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Source: Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2018: Super Bowl LII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $5,235,379
> Adjusted for inflation: $6,101,621
> Total television viewership: 103.4 million
> Game result: Philadelphia (41), New England (33)
Source: Harry How / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2019: Super Bowl LIII
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $5,199,916
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,952,434
> Total television viewership: 98.2 million
> Game result: New England (13), Los Angeles Rams (3)
Source: Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2020: Super Bowl LIV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $5,400,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $6,106,143
> Total television viewership: 100.5 million
> Game result: Kansas City (31), San Francisco (20)
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Source: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2021: Super Bowl LV
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $5,500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $5,940,150
> Total television viewership: 95.2 million
> Game result: Tampa Bay (31), Kansas City (9)
Source: Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
2022: Super Bowl LVI
> Cost of a 30-second ad spot: $6,500,000
> Adjusted for inflation: $6,500,000
> Total television viewership: 99.2 million
> Game result: Los Angeles Rams (23), Cincinnati (20)
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