If you own a business, there's no greater investment than purchasing some commercial time during the Super Bowl. The problem is, most businesses can't afford it. After all, we're talking prime real estate here. If we were to put this into property terms, think of a home in Hidden Hills, Brentwood or if you're on the East Coast, Hudson Yards.
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According to USA Today, if you're looking for 30 seconds of TV time during a commercial break of the Super Bowl, it's going to run you approximately $8 million. That's roughly $266,666 per second. USA Today did note that some companies have paid north of $10 million for the same amount of air time heading into the 2026 Super Bowl.
Why? Because not all airtime is made the same. Some commercials will get more eyeballs by default. Others may come at a time when fans take a toilet break or refill the snack bar.
Another interesting point is that 2026 is the most expensive Super Bowl from an advertising standpoint in history. In recent years (2023-2025), that same 30 seconds averaged $7 million.
Talk about inflation!
It won't be long before the lowest-cost ad space tops $10 million annually.
How Have the Super Bowl's Advertising Costs Changed Over the Years?
When the first Super Bowl began in 1967, the cost of a 30-second commercial sat at $37,500. If we factor for inflation, in today's prices, that would be around $369,000. Honestly, that's a total steal.
It wasn't until 1974, for Super Bowl 8, that a 30-second commercial broke the hundred thousand mark, costing $103,500. Adjusting for today, that is the equivalent of $681,000. Again, a bargain.
Prices continued to rise over the years, breaking the half-million-dollar mark in 1985. That's when a 30-second spot cost $525,000. That's around $1.5 million if we factor for inflation and equate it to today's money. Companies would jump at that price now.
It wasn't until 1995 that the commercial space crossed the $1 million threshold for the first time. In 2000, it broke the $2 million mark. And, in 2011, we entered $3 million territory, and so forth.
Still, if you want your brand seen, the Super Bowl is the place to make that happen. Let's just hope your company has some deep pockets.
