NFL and Apple sign Super Bowl Halftime Show partnership

The National Football League (NFL) has roped in tech giant Apple as a new sponsor for the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The announcement comes after previous lead sponsor Pepsi stated that it would step down from its role as the presenter of the Halftime Show earlier this year. 

The five-year deal is reportedly worth US$50 million and will see the event renamed to “Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show”. The partnership will kick-off from Super Bowl LVII, which will be held on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.

The NFL has stated that the partnership will see Apple bring its “creativity and expertise to the most-watched musical performance of the year”.

Speaking about the partnership, Nana-Yaw Asamoah, senior vice president of partner strategy for the NFL. commented:

“We are proud to welcome Apple Music to the NFL family as our new partner for the iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show. We couldn’t think of a more appropriate partner for the world’s most-watched musical performance than Apple Music, a service that entertains, inspires, and motivates millions of people around the world through the intersection of music and technology.“

Oliver Schusser, VP of Apple Music & International Content and President of Beats, added:

“Music and sports hold a special place in our hearts, so we’re very excited Apple Music will be part of music and football’s biggest stage.

“We’re looking forward to even more epic performances next year and beyond with the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.“

The NFL earlier reported that last year’s Super Bowl, which featured Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent among other artists, saw a total of 120 million viewers.