Source: Cooper Neill / Getty
Hey Siri, who’s performing at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime show? We don’t know the answer yet, but we know that Apple Music will sponsor the big show.
Per The Verge, Apple Music will begin its partnership with the NFL by sponsoring the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, replacing long-time sponsor Pepsi.
In a recent press release, the NFL announced the Emmy Award-winning Super Bowl LVI halftime show in February featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent drew 120 million viewers.
The specifics of Apple Music and the NFL’s deal have not been disclosed, but according to the New York Times, the NFL was looking for around $50 million for a new home for its sponsorship deal.
The Verge also reports Apple is looking to secure a package of Sunday NFL games.
Per The Verge:
As well as agreeing to sponsor the Super Bowl’s halftime show, Apple is reportedly in talks with the NFL for the rights to a package of Sunday football games, according to the NYT.
The league has apparently held talks with Google, Amazon, and ESPN to broadcast the games, but discussions with Apple are thought to be in their most advanced stages. The NFL is reportedly asking $2.5 billion for the package, a steep increase over the roughly $1.5 billion its current NFL Sunday Ticket deal with DirecTV is thought to be worth.
Apple Is Looking To Bolster Apple TV+ With Sports Content
The company that Steve Jobs built is looking to keep pace with other companies who are like Amazon, who are diving into the world of professional sports. Apple TV already has deals with Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer to stream games on Apple TV+. Amazon already has an agreement with the NFL to stream Thursday Night Football games on Prime Video.
We are intrigued to see how Apple Music will influence what the NFL describes as “the most-watched musical performance of the year.”
Super Bowl LVII and its Apple Music-sponsored halftime show go down on February 12th, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona.
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Photo: Cooper Neill / Getty