Every year, the Super Bowl is the most-watched event on American television. Viewership usually is more than double the most-watched game in the regular season. That means plenty of people are there to experience the game as a pop culture event. Mike Greenberg pointed out that meant that Rihanna was just as important to Super Bowl LVII as Patrick Mahomes.
“It’s millions and millions of other people last night that considered the football game something they were just sitting through to watch the Rihanna concert,” he said on Monday’s edition of #Greeny on ESPN Radio. “That is true, and that is not exclusive to non-sports fans.”
The NFL pivoted from new acts to established rock and pop stars following the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” in Super Bowl XXXVIII when Justin Timberlake ripped Janet Jackson’s top exposing her breast.
Following years of disinterest, the league welcomed more modern hitmakers back to the event in 2011. Greenberg said that has changed the appeal of the halftime show and the appeal of the Super Bowl in general.
“The halftime show has never been bigger or more valuable and Rihanna was terrific,” he said.
While it may be tempting to say that the people who are particularly excited for the halftime show do not care about the Super Bowl, Mike Greenberg saw with his own eyes that is not true. Sports fans watching the Super Bowl in his home expressed their excitement to see Rihanna perform.
“I got two 24-year-olds in my house last night. My nephew and one of his buddies in my house last night, and they are both as big of sports fans as you can possibly be and had money on a million different things in the game last night and everything else, but they were both also really looking forward to Rihanna and loved every second of it.”
The Super Bowl halftime show is an invaluable platform. An article in Forbes last week explained that while Apple foots the production costs for the show, no performer is paid to provide halftime entertainment. The appeal is all of the eyeballs and ears on the event. The exposure has translated into significant leaps in streams and ticket sales for past performers.
