Sports

Super Bowl: Million-dollar Ads, Predictions and Parties

by Rob Walker | January 30, 2008 at 07:54 am

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While I'm not a huge football fan myself, I almost always end up at a Superbowl Sunday party. What can I say, I like free food and drinks!

Most people won't be getting ready for the game until the weekend, but some people are way ahead of the game. The advertisers have sold all of their airtime for commercials, selling its last 30-second spot (at around $2.7 million) on Sunday.

The game between the New England Patrios and New York Giants is the biggest annual sporting event in America.

News Corp.’s Fox network, seizing on advertisers’ demand for commercials viewers won’t skip, sold its last 30-second spot for the Super Bowl this Sunday.
“It’s the earliest we’ve ever sold the game out,” Fox Sports spokesman Lou D’Ermilio said Tuesday. Advertisers on the game include Anheuser-Busch Cos., Toyota Motor Corp., PepsiCo Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co.
Last year, the average price for a 30-second spot was $2.39 million. This year it’s up, according to www.superbowl-ads.com, to $2.7 million.

While I'm sure many side bets and friendly wagers are taking places as we speak, the government is warning certain states that gambling, even online, is illegal.

In America, the Washington State Gambling Commission has issued a special warning to potential online gamblers reminding them that all online gambling activity is illegal in the state.

Meanwhile the predictions are heating up, with wide receiver Plaxico Burress saying the Giants will win 23-17.

Members of the Giants, at least publicly, didn't wince when word got out that wide receiver Plaxico Burress boldly predicted a New York Giants victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday.

Not the only prediction out there, and some people are still surprised the Giants are even in it.

Few believed that the Giants were good enough to reach this point, even though they gave this week's opponent, the undefeated New England Patriots, an excellent contest in week seventeen.

Also, make sure your private parties are well stocked, or else this guy won't attend.

1) The Talker

The guy who insists on doing loud and obnoxious play-by-play, analysis, and prognostication through every televised moment -- and I'm just talking about the commercials. You can't talk over him, hear around him, or see through him.

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Amy Judd

at 21:25 on January 30th, 2008

I'm super excited about the Superbowl on Sunday! I predict New England will win, but it will be a close game... I am an Eli Manning fan however...

The ads are a great part of the Superbowl - remember that Britney Spears commercial with Bob Dole? I'm not a huge Britney fan by any means, but that song was quite catchy, and is still a very popular video on YouTube. I hope I see some commercials like that! :)