The Super Bowl is a massive event on the US sports calendar and in advertising. Millions of people watch the event on TV, so brands have a fantastic chance to get in front of all those eyeballs. The Super Bowl and other NFL games also offer a massive opportunity to get the brand in front of sports fans gathered in one place, rather than advertising across different platforms to capture them all. Then there’s the Super Bowl, one of the few events where people sit and watch the ads.
So, NFL games are a stellar opportunity for brands to get their marketing messages out, and they’re happy to pay handsomely for advertising on TV. Below is a look at NBC Universal (NBCU) and how this media and entertainment company has secured a record amount of revenue from NFL advertising slots, at the industry’s investment in NFL advertising, how much money is being spent, and what this all means for the future of NFL advertising.
NBC is raking in the revenue from advertising space
Just before the 2025-26 season started, NBCU announced it was experiencing its highest-grossing season ever. The company has sold all its ad inventory for the Super Bowl, which takes place on February 8, 2026, and 90% of its NFL inventory outside of the Super Bowl. “Sunday Night Football” will have over 150 partners, including 40 new ones.
Originally, the company had gone to market seeking $7 million for Super Bowl slots. However, it was looking for $8 million for 30-second commercial slots and an $8 million match for its other sports companies. The amount was as much as Fox had asked for the previous year. Until NBC releases its final numbers, Fox holds the record for Super Bowl ad revenue, earning $800 million from Super Bowl 59 advertising.
The industries investing heavily in NFL advertising
The primary sectors spending big on NFL advertising are the retail, auto, insurance, tech, and quick service restaurant (QSR) sectors. However, the finance and pharmaceutical industries are also increasing their investments, and, according to NBC Universal, there has also been high demand from entertainment and alcoholic drinks companies.
Sportsbooks have also spent large amounts of money on commercial slots, knowing people could go to their websites after seeing them, check the point spreads of future games, and engage with the sport and the sportsbook further down the line. The companies spent approximately $22.6 million on 66 minutes of national TV ads during live NFL games in just two weeks in 2024.
Interestingly, brands in some industries that have previously been in Super Bowl advertising pulled out of advertising during the 2025 event. L’Oreal’s NYX Professional Makeup opted for the social media route, and e.l.f Beauty, which had advertised in the last two years, skipped the 2025 Super Bowl. Advertising of mobile phone plans was also eerily absent from it.
Big money
The money spent by sportsbooks on just 66 minutes of advertising is a drop in a much bigger ocean of cash that companies are prepared to stump up for exposure to the NFL’s vast fan base. Last year, on the Fox broadcast network, more than 10 Super Bowl commercials sold for $8 million each. Prices for Super Bowl advertising can increase by around $100,000 as inventory runs out and the event approaches. However, the jump in price can be as much as $500,000, according to reports.
It’s not just companies wishing to advertise on TV, spending huge sums. The networks themselves are also investing massive amounts to offer advertising space. NBC pays the NFL $2 billion for a package that includes Sunday Night Football and the opening game. The league’s domestic media deals are worth more than $120 billion.
The future of NFL advertising
TV networks’ success in attracting revenue from commercial slots and monetizing the NFL in other ways means the league itself may charge more for media rights when deals end. The higher cost could trigger increased prices for advertising slots during NFL games.
However, advertisers have found that advertising via NFL streaming-exclusive games is more effective than linear advertising on TV and cable. It’s been found to be 66% more effective, in fact.
This means network broadcasters could have less bargaining power than they’d like when selling advertising slots. Brands have shown they’ll either pay handsomely for commercial slots during the Super Bowl or save money and market via other channels. In the future, they may bypass TV, which creates leverage to push for cheaper commercial slots during NFL games.
Commercial slots during NFL games have generated record revenue for NBCU, as advertisers are willing to pay for valuable exposure to a huge NFL fanbase. However, for all the advantages TV offers, it isn’t the only channel open to brands, who may look to advertise via other avenues if the investment is worth it.
