The Real Super Bowl Winner Will Be Tampa

Despite a dip in the economy, Super Bowl XLIII is expected to generate more than $150 million for the host area of Tampa Bay

By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek

1. Super Bowl XLIII: Officially a Bunny Burner

Even though there's about a 20% to 25% reduction in Super Bowl events this year in Tampa Bay—even Playboy canceled its über-exclusive annual party—there will always be a significant premium attached to the Super Bowl, and regardless of greater economic conditions, the premier event's host communities will always benefit.

While some Super Bowls can have a $300 million to $400 million economic impact on a city, PricewaterhouseCoopers, in a recent study, is forecasting a financial windfall of roughly $150 million for Tampa. According to the study, hospitality and tourism activities surrounding Super Bowl XLIII will generate approximately $150 million in direct spending, nearly $45 million less than the past two events, held in Glendale, Ariz., last year and Miami in 2007. Super Bowl XXXVII, played in Tampa Bay in 2001, produced slightly more than $140 million in direct spending to the area.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers study predicts that business and personal spending cutbacks will result in fewer overall visitors and media representatives, a shorter average length-of-stay per visitor, and tightly held wallets by those who do visit the region. The study, however, does not factor in such indirect impacts as a concession company's purchase of goods from local suppliers, and an uptick in local employment.

While spending is down 20% from previous years, the ability of Tampa Bay and surrounding communities to nonetheless generate $150 million in direct spending is a testament to the economic might of the Super Bowl.

From a regional sponsorship and entertainment perspective, Super Bowl XLIII still provides an abundance of high-profile activation opportunities. Over 250 Super Bowl XLIII-related events are taking place in the Tampa Bay region, including the announcement of this year's Home Depot Neighborhood MVP program winner, designed to recognize NFL players who are making a positive impact in their local communities through charitable programs and contributions.

Celebrities, as usual, will not be in short supply. Among others, Diddy is hosting his annual "Good Life" party in St. Petersburg, while Pamela Anderson's "Athletes and Angels" party is scheduled to take place near downtown Tampa. Maxim magazine, which will have the hottest Super Bowl party stage all to itself this year in Playboy's absence, is holding its party at the Ritz Ybor club in trendy Ybor City.

Jennifer Hudson, making her first public appearance since the killings of her mother, brother, and nephew, will sing the national anthem on game day, while Bruce Springsteen is taking his turn at the game's halftime show.

As has been widely reported, for the first time this year some Super Bowl tickets come with a face value price of $1,000. About 17,000 of those club and suite section tickets have been distributed; 53,000 more with a face value of $800 have been split up between the participating teams (35%); the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5%); the other 29 NFL teams (1.2%); and 25.2% to the NFL for sponsors, business partners, charities, and the media. In response to the down economy, the NFL has also set aside 1,000 tickets with a $500 face value.

As of Sunday night, Super Bowl XLIII tickets for sale on StubHub ranged from $1,475 for a nosebleed seat to $4,995 for a club level, 25-50 yard line seat.

2. Super Bowl XLIII—The Ads

Regardless of which teams are in the championship game, the Super Bowl has always been appointment viewing for America and the world, drawing by far the single largest television audience of the year to whatever network has been fortunate enough to land the rights—NBC this year—meaning that between 80 million and 90 million Americans are tuned in to the Super Bowl at any given time, with peaks watched by 140 million or more. By contrast, last week's daytime, workweek inauguration of President Barack Obama was watched by 37.8 million viewers, spread over more than a dozen network and cable outlets.