Funding Football: The Cost of the Big Game [Infographic]

The NFL's championship game has grown into one of the biggest and most watched events. The game itself and the week leading up to it are quite the spectacle and getting tickets has proven hard to come by. The first such game had empty seats and you could walk up to the box office and pay $12 to get in, which would be unheard of today. In fact, you simply can't just get tickets to the game at face value anymore. Fans typically pay at least three to four times the face value of tickets.

However, fans aren't the only ones who pay big bucks for the big game. The host city, advertising companies, and even the teams participating end up paying a ton of money, as well. Before the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots square off at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis this weekend, check out some facts on what kind of money is spent on NFL championship in our infographic below. You can see the full history of tickets prices and ad costs, or look at some more recent facts on how expensive the big game has become.

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Funding Football: The Cost of the Big Game Transcription

It's no secret that the NFL's annual championship game is one of the most expensive sporting events on the planet. For one Sunday every year, the country (even the world) stops to watch the spectacular event culminating with a new NFL champion. Even though the winning team gets to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and the entertainment is typically top-notch for the fans, the NFL is the biggest winner of the day. In recent history, the big game has generated more than $600 million for the league. From fans, team, cities, and businesses, here's our breakdown of some of the expenses associated with the most famous football game of the year.

Fan Costs

Tickets to the big game weren't always the hottest ticket around. In fact, there were several empty seats at the first game, which sold for under $100 in today's money. That's a vast difference from the near $2,000 average for today's game. However, getting tickets to the big game at face value nowadays is virtually impossible. The majority of tickets available to the public come as part of an expensive package with access to various pre-game and post-game experiences.

Average Ticket Prices from 1967-2018 (Face Value)*

*Historical prices pre-inflation

• 1967 (Super Bowl I) - $12
• 1968 (Super Bowl II) - $12
• 1969 (Super Bowl III) - $12
• 1970 (Super Bowl IV) - $15
• 1971 (Super Bowl V) - $15
• 1972 (Super Bowl VI) - $15
• 1973 (Super Bowl VII) - $15
• 1974 (Super Bowl VIII) - $15
• 1975 (Super Bowl IX) - $20
• 1976 (Super Bowl X) - $20
• 1977 (Super Bowl XI) - $20
• 1978 (Super Bowl XII) - $30
• 1979 (Super Bowl XIII) - $30
• 1980 (Super Bowl XIV) - $30
• 1981 (Super Bowl XV) - $40
• 1982 (Super Bowl XVI) - $40
• 1983 (Super Bowl XVII) - $40
• 1984 (Super Bowl XVIII) - $60
• 1985 (Super Bowl XIX) - $60
• 1986 (Super Bowl XX) - $75
• 1987 (Super Bowl XXI) - $75
• 1988 (Super Bowl XXII) - $100
• 1989 (Super Bowl XXIII) - $100
• 1990 (Super Bowl XXIV) - $125
• 1991 (Super Bowl XXV) - $150
• 1992 (Super Bowl XXVI) - $150
• 1993 (Super Bowl XXVII) - $175
• 1994 (Super Bowl XXVIII) - $175
• 1995 (Super Bowl XXIX) - $200
• 1996 (Super Bowl XXX) - $275
• 1997 (Super Bowl XXXI) - $275
• 1998 (Super Bowl XXXII) - $275
• 1999 (Super Bowl XXXIII) - $325
• 2000 (Super Bowl XXXIV) - $325
• 2001 (Super Bowl XXXV) - $325
• 2002 (Super Bowl XXXVI) - $400
• 2003 (Super Bowl XXXVII) - $500
• 2004 (Super Bowl XXXVIII) - $600
• 2005 (Super Bowl XXXIX) - $600
• 2006 (Super Bowl XL) - $700
• 2007 (Super Bowl XLI) - $700
• 2008 (Super Bowl XLII) - $900
• 2009 (Super Bowl XLIII) - $1,000
• 2010 (Super Bowl XLIV) - $1,000
• 2011 (Super Bowl XLV) - $1,200
• 2012 (Super Bowl XLVI) - $1,200
• 2013 (Super Bowl XLVII) - $1,250
• 2014 (Super Bowl XLVIII) - $1,500
• 2015 (Super Bowl XLIX) - $2,000
• 2016 (Super Bowl L) - $2,500
• 2017 (Super Bowl LI) - $2,500
• 2018 (Super Bowl LII) - $2,500

Recent History

Average Ticket Prices

• XLVI (2012)
  • Regular Season: $78.38
  • Championship Game (Face Value): $1,050
  • Championship Game (Secondary Market): $3,083
• LI (2017)
  • Regular Season: $99
  • Championship Game (Face Value): $1,775
  • Championship Game (Secondary Market): $4,944

Overall Consumer Spending

$14.1 Billion in 2017 - Average of $75 Per Person

• Beer: $600M
• Liquor: $110M
• Chicken Wings: $424M
• Legal Betting: $132M
• TVs Purchased: $8.6M

Average Cost for Two People to See the Big Game

*Based on estimates. Prices will vary.

• Tickets: $4,944
• Travel: $283
• Hotel (for 2 nights): $1,237
• Concessions: $150
• Total: $11,991*

Business Costs

Entertaining commercials have always been a part of the big game, but they come with a price tag. not only are companies paying up to (and sometimes over) $5 million to secure a 30-second ad spot during the game, they are spending additional money to put together a commercial. The commercials alone are a reason why some people watch, but in recent years, viewers have had the opportunity to watch some commercials online prior. The ads now have a life of their own on social media and YouTube that has changed the way companies target their audiences. In addition to spending big bucks on commercials, companies also pay to sponsor events related to the game, most notably Pepsi sponsoring the halftime show. Interestingly enough, the NFL pays the costs to produce the halftime entertainment, but the performer doesn't get paid.

Average Cost to Air a 30 Second Commercial from 1967-2017

• 1967 (Super Bowl I) - $42,000
• 1968 (Super Bowl II) - $54,500
• 1969 (Super Bowl III) - $55,000
• 1970 (Super Bowl IV) - $78,200
• 1971 (Super Bowl V) - $72,500
• 1972 (Super Bowl VI) - $86,100
• 1973 (Super Bowl VII) - $88,100
• 1974 (Super Bowl VIII) - $103,000
• 1975 (Super Bowl IX) - $107,000
• 1976 (Super Bowl X) - $110,000
• 1977 (Super Bowl XI) - $125,000
• 1978 (Super Bowl XII) - $162,300
• 1979 (Super Bowl XIII) - $185,000
• 1980 (Super Bowl XIV) - $222,000
• 1981 (Super Bowl XV) - $275,000
• 1982 (Super Bowl XVI) - $324,300
• 1983 (Super Bowl XVII) - $400,000
• 1984 (Super Bowl XVIII) - $368,200
• 1985 (Super Bowl XIX) - $525,000
• 1986 (Super Bowl XX) - $550,000
• 1987 (Super Bowl XXI) - $600,000
• 1988 (Super Bowl XXII) - $645,000
• 1989 (Super Bowl XXIII) - $675,000
• 1990 (Super Bowl XXIV) - $700,400
• 1991 (Super Bowl XXV) - $800,000
• 1992 (Super Bowl XXVI) - $800,000
• 1993 (Super Bowl XXVII) - $850,000
• 1994 (Super Bowl XXVIII) - $900,000
• 1995 (Super Bowl XXIX) - $1.15M
• 1996 (Super Bowl XXX) - $1.08M
• 1997 (Super Bowl XXXI) - $1.2M
• 1998 (Super Bowl XXXII) - $1.29M
• 1999 (Super Bowl XXXIII) - $1.6M
• 2000 (Super Bowl XXXIV) - $2.1M
• 2001 (Super Bowl XXXV) - $2.1M
• 2002 (Super Bowl XXXVI) - $2.3M
• 2003 (Super Bowl XXXVII) - $2.1M
• 2004 (Super Bowl XXXVIII) - $2.6M
• 2005 (Super Bowl XXXIX) - $2.7M
• 2006 (Super Bowl XL) - $2.7M
• 2007 (Super Bowl XLI) - $2.7M
• 2008 (Super Bowl XLII) - $2.7M
• 2009 (Super Bowl XLIII) - $3.1M
• 2010 (Super Bowl XLIV) - $2.7M
• 2011 (Super Bowl XLV) - $3M
• 2012 (Super Bowl XLVI) - $3.5M
• 2013 (Super Bowl XLVII) - $4M
• 2014 (Super Bowl XLVIII) - $4M
• 2015 (Super Bowl XLIX) - $4.5M
• 2016 (Super Bowl L) - $5M
• 2017 (Super Bowl LI) - $5.02M

Top Spender: 

Known for its iconic Budweiser commercials, Anheuser-Busch has consistently been the top spender in Super Bowl advertising over recent years. In 2017, they ran a total of 3-and-a-half-minutes worth of commercials with their most expensive, The Ghost of Spuds McKenzie, costing an estimated $14.7 million!

One Championship Game Commercial is Equivalent to...

• NCAA Final Four: 3.35
• CPF National Championship: 3.86
• Sunday Night Football: 7.45
• NBA Finals: 9.13
• MLB World Series: 10
• This is Us: 18.45
• The Voice: 24.13

Team Costs

Regardless of who is participating in the game, NFL teams shell out big bucks to their players. The average player salary is just over $2 million a year, but the money is actually more spread out than that makes it seem. A handful of players make $10-$20 million (or more) a year, while a much larger percentage (players on rookie contracts or league minimum salaries) earn less than $1 million annually. Since the 1994 season, every team has had to adhere to a strict salary cap that they can't exceed. No matter what, winning a championship doesn't come cheap.

Salary Cap for Each Team

• 1994: $34,608,000
• 1995: $37,100,000
• 1996: $40,753,000
• 1997: $41,484,000
• 1998: $52,388,000
• 1999: $57,288,000
• 2000: $62,172,000
• 2001: $67,405,000
• 2002: $71,101,000
• 2003: $75,007,000
• 2004: $80,502,000
• 2005: $85,500,000
• 2006: $102,000,000
• 2007: $109,000,000
• 2008: $116,000,000
• 2009: $123,000,000
• 2010: Salary was uncapped for the 2010 season
• 2011: $120,000,000
• 2012: $120,600,000
• 2013: $123,000,000
• 2014: $133,000,000
• 2015: $143,280,000
• 2016: $159,000,000
• 2017: $167,000,000

Recent History

Highest-Paid Player on Championship Teams

• XLVII:
  • Winning Team: Terrell Suggs
  • Losing Team: Patrick Willis
• XLVIII:
  • Winning Team: Zach Miller
  • Losing Team: Peyton Manning
• XLIX:
  • Winning Team: Tom Brady
  • Losing Team: Russell Okung
• L:
  • Winning Team: Peyton Manning
  • Losing Team: Charles Johnson
• LI:
  • Winning Team: Tom Brady
  • Losing Team: Matt Ryan
• LII:
  • Winning Team: Tom Brady
  • Losing Team: Alshon Jeffery

2017 Championship Game

Roster Bonuses:

• Winning Team: New England Patriots, $107,000
• Losing Team: Atlanta Falcons, $53,000

Championship Rings:

• $40,000 est: 283 diamonds set in a 10-karat white gold ring

City and Venue Costs

The location for the first championship game wasn't decided until a month before it happened. All in all, it was just another football game to be played. Today, venues for the big game are decided years in advance with multiple teams bidding to secure the rights to host. The whole week leading up to the game is a production in itself, with events for fans and media coverage.

Cost to Build a Stadium (Last Six Big Game Venues)

• XLVII (2013): Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA - $134 Million ($596 Million Adjusted)
• XLVIII (2014): Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ - $1.6 Billion
• XLIX (2015): University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ - $455 Million
• L (2016): Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA - $1.3 Billion
• LI (2017): NRG Stadium in Houston, TX - $352 Million ($491 Million Adjusted)
• LII (2018): US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN - $1.129 Billion

Cost to Host the Big Game

City Spending:

• Minneapolis, MN: $4.9 Million for increased security, police, and public works

List of Demands from NFL:

• Hotels for the teams
• 35,000 Free parking spaces
• Free access to 3 golf courses
• Free access to 2 bowling alleys
• 20 Billboards near the stadium
• Practice facilities for teams and fan events

Sources: Adage.com, CBS, ESPN, Fox, Kantar Media, NFL.com, Sports Illustrated, Spotrac.com, Statista.com, Tickpick.com, USA Today, USNews.com

After reading all those facts, is there anything that stands out to you? Do you think it'd be worth it to attend the big game? If you'd like to, you can pay the excessive amount on secondary markets or purchase tickets from the NFL that are part of a (just as expensive) "experience package" that includes access to other pre- and post-game events. Factor in travel and hotel, and you're looking at $12,000 in expenses for a trip to see a football game. You might be better off saving some money and buying a really nice TV and some NFL gifts instead.

Infographic designed by Cody Petersen