From the halftime show, to amazing game strategies to memorable commercials, the Super Bowl is a spectacle that must be seen. As the Super Bowl has passed and we all celebrate or mourn the outcome of the game we must acknowledge the impact that the Super Bowl has on the local and national economy. The event is used by brands to help advertise their products and services. Over 120.25 million people tuned in for last year’s Super Bowl game, making the Super Bowl one of the highest viewership for a one-day event. Advertisers use the event due to its sheer size of the audience, opportunity to leave a lasting impression, user engagement and tons of celebrity collaborations occur. However, the Super Bowl also helps local communities
This year, the Super Bowl was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans is a popular destination already for both Americans and anyone traveling to the U.S. Mardi Gras is one of their most popular festivals that occurs every year and is one of Louisiana’s biggest events to occur. Mardi Gras has a significant impact on New Orleans, with over $900 million of spending by spectators, and generates $891 million, which is more than 3.07%of New Orleans Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
New Orleans hosting the Super Bowl will have an economic impact on their local economy. With thousands of people traveling to New Orleans to witness the game, they will spend money at restaurants in larger numbers, hotel reservations and visiting local stores waiting for the game to begin. The local economic impact that will occur by the Super Bowl is at least $500 million, but the final figure could be larger.
Furthermore, the Super Bowl creates jobs with jobs for security staff, stadium workers, increase of hospitality staff and event planners. Also, local transportation services, such as Uber, Lyft, taxis and public transit, will benefit since the demand will increase during that period. Restaurants and bars also thrive. Historically, bars and restaurants have broken a record number of sales leading up to the event.
Although it benefits the city hosting the Super Bowl, other cities and towns see a surge in local business activity. Both Kansas City and Philadelphia bars and restaurants saw a surge of 40% to 50%increase in revenue. Watch parties, which are common during the Super Bowl, increase spending on food.
Americans spend over $15 billion on food and drinks for Super Bowl parties. Supermarkets during Super Bowl weekend see an increase of snack sales which is about 35% to 40%during that one weekend. Alcohol consumption increases within the two weeks leading up to the game which equals more than 50 million cases of beer, and liquor sales increase by 15%to 20%. Ready to go drink sales increase to 30% to 40%over the recent years.
Though there are a few that say that the Super Bowl hurts local communities, it has been statistically shown to be a significant factor on the growth amongst local communities. The local economy thrives during the Super Bowl, and it helps the host city for multiple years after the event with notability and infrastructure to last the next one hundred years.
