The NFL’s Super Bowl Demands Are Crazier Than You Think

By Joe Pompliano – Huddle UP

The Super Bowl is the world’s most commercially successful sporting event.

With a record 127.7 million people watching last year’s game, NBC will generate more than $700 million this year in advertising revenue from commercials alone. Dozens of luxury suites have already been sold for $1 million or more, and the San Jose airport expects 150 private jets, each paying a $10,000-$20,000 special-event fee just to land.

But everyone knows that stuff. What people don’t understand is how the NFL actually determines which city hosts its biggest game. Spending billions to build world-class stadiums certainly helps, with SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles) and Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas) hosting Super Bowls in 2022 and 2024. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg — with more cities than ever interested in hosting the NFL’s Super Bowl, the league has used its leverage to create one of the most lopsided business deals in sports today.