Jimmy Boyd in 
The Super Bowl has become a larger than life event. When the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the San Francisco 49erss in Super Bowl LIV all eyes will be on the big game. Most will be tuned in to see who wins on the field. As you know, that’s not all that’s worth watching.
For the majority of the year, most of us will do whatever we can do to avoid commercials. Not so much in the Super Bowl. This is the one time, where we get excited for a break in the action. Given how many people are tuning in, advertisers pull out all the stops.
They hype around commercials started with Super Bowl XVII. That was the year Apple introduced the “1984” commercial. It advertised the Macintosh computer by playing George Orwell’s Book “1984.” Since that point, the creativity has only got better.
How Much Does it Cost for a 30 Second Commercial During the Super Bowl?
So much attention is given to commercials, they remain a topic of conversation for several days after the event. Online and print media alike now go as far as critiquing the best and worst Super Bowl ads.
In recent years, Budweiser has been both the king of beers and the king of creative Super Bowl ads.
Ever wonder what a commercial slot during the Super Bowl costs? This year FOX will broadcast the game and are offering up 30 seconds of air time for $5.6 million. It’s a new record, breaking last year’s mark of $5.3 million.
There was an incredible demand for the 77 commercial slots for this year’s big game. In fact, FOX sold out of spots before Thanksgiving. It was the first time in more than five years they sold out early and the first time they have been sold out prior to December since Super Bowl XLVII in 2013.
The $5.6 million asking price is basically double the price it cost for the same 30 seconds back in 2008 ($2.7 million) and nearly 6 times the price compared to 1995 ($1,000,000).
What’s interesting is the price had plateaued not that long ago, as we saw the same $5 million cost from 2016-2018 .
How Super Bowl Commercial Prices Have Increased Over the Years
It’s crazy to think about how much companies are willing to spend on advertising for this one day of the year. Pretty crazy to think that up until 1973 it didn’t even cost six figures to run a 30 second ad in the Super Bowl and it wasn’t until 1995 that we hit the $1 million mark.
By the year 2000 prices were up to $2 million, hitting the $3 million mark in 2009, $4 million mark in 2014 and the $5 million mark in 2016.
But if you think that’s a lot of money, it’s nothing compared to how much is bet on the Super Bowl.
You also have to keep in mind that the asking price is just to get the 30-second slot time. It doesn’t factor in the cost of producing the commercial, which for most companies is at least another $1 million.
Here’s a detailed look at how prices have inflated over the years.
History of Super Bowl Commercial Prices (Yearly Cost/30 Seconds)
| Year | Cost |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5,600,000 |
| 2019 | $5,300,000 |
| 2018 | $5,000,000 |
| 2017 | $5,000,000 |
| 2016 | $5,000,000 |
| 2015 | $4,500,000 |
| 2014 | $4,000,000 |
| 2013 | $3,800,000 |
| 2012 | $3,500,000 |
| 2011 | $3,000,000 |
| 2010 | $2,800,000 |
| 2009 | $3,000,000 |
| 2008 | $2,700,000 |
| 2007 | $2,600,000 |
| 2006 | $2,500,000 |
| 2005 | $2,400,000 |
| 2004 | $2,250,000 |
| 2003 | $2,100,000 |
| 2002 | $1,900,000 |
| 2001 | $2,050,000 |
| 2000 | $2,100,000 |
| 1999 | $1,600,000 |
| 1998 | $1,300,000 |
| 1997 | $1,200,000 |
| 1996 | $1,100,000 |
| 1995 | $1,000,000 |
| 1994 | $900,000 |
| 1993 | $850,000 |
| 1992 | $800,000 |
| 1991 | $800,000 |
| 1990 | $700,000 |
| 1989 | $675,000 |
| 1988 | $600,000 |
| 1987 | $575,000 |
| 1986 | $550,000 |
| 1985 | $500,000 |
| 1984 | $450,000 |
| 1983 | $400,000 |
| 1982 | $345,000 |
| 1981 | $324,300 |
| 1980 | $275,000 |
| 1979 | $222,000 |
| 1978 | $185,000 |
| 1977 | $162,000 |
| 1976 | $125,000 |
| 1975 | $110,000 |
| 1974 | $107,000 |
| 1973 | $103,500 |
| 1972 | $86,000 |
| 1971 | $72,000 |
| 1970 | $78,200 |
| 1969 | $67,500 |
| 1968 | $54,000 |
| 1967 | $40,000 |
