Super Bowl StatsThis table shows the TV viewership for Super Bowls from 1980–2003, as well as the cost of a 30-second ad for each Super Bowl. This data is best analyzed graphically.

Year Viewers (millions)Cost of a 30-second ad

(dollars)1980 76.2 222,0001981 68.29 324,0001982 85.24 324,0001983 81.77 400,0001984 77.62 368,0001985 85.53 525,0001986 92.57 550,0001987 87.2 600,0001988 80.14 645,0001989 81.6 675,0001990 73.85 700,000

1991 79.51 800,0001992 79.6 850,0001993 90.99 850,0001994 90 900,0001995 83.4 1,150,0001996 94.08 1,050,0001997 87.87 1,200,0001998 90 1,300,0001999 83.7 1,600,0002000 88.5 1,100,0002001 84.3 2,100,0002002 86.8 1,900,0002003 88.6 2,100,000

Super Bowl StatsThe viewership data (expanded to 2011) shows a somewhat steady increase, but with plenty of ups and downs. Also, viewership only recently passed the 100 million mark.

Super Bowl StatsOn the other hand, the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad has shown a steady and strong increase over the years. Last year it cost $3 million dollars for a 30-second ad!

Super Bowl Stats

Is there a relationship between TV viewership and

the cost of a 30 second ad?

Super Bowl StatsSurprisingly, there is not a strong correlation between viewership and the price of an ad. Recall that the viewership stats were uneven, while the cost-of-ad stats were steady. This is reflected in this graph.

Super Bowl Stats

Why does the TV viewership graph

show so many ups and downs?

Super Bowl StatsA Super Bowl is still, after all, a TV program and some teams are more popular than others. Let’s look at some examples.

Super Bowl StatsDuring the ‘85–’86 season the Chicago Bears generated such a popular following, well beyond the already big Chicago TV market, that their Super Bowl appearance against the Patriots was one of the highest-rated Super Bowls at the time.

Super Bowl StatsThe Dallas Cowboys are one of the most popular teams in the NFL, beyond the Dallas TV market. Dallas’ appearances in Super Bowls (as shown in the ’93, ‘94, and ’96) have resulted in high TV viewership.

Super Bowl StatsThe Pittsburgh Steelers are also one of the most popular teams in the NFL and their appearance in two Super Bowls (2006 and 2009) were part of a dramatic rise in TV viewership over the past seven years.

Super Bowl Stats

Why does the cost of an ad keep going up, in spite of any

drops in TV viewership?

Super Bowl StatsSuper Bowl ads reach a huge audience, by any TV audience measure. Even a year with lower viewership still has tens of millions of viewers. Advertisers often create the most memorable ads in TV history. For example, Apple Computer launched the Mac using this ad in the 1984 Super Bowl, an ad that aired only once!

http://youtu.be/qIUcNLTsyYo