While the weekend in American sport saw the elimination of four NFL franchises (Broncos, Texans, Saints, and title-holder Packers) in the single-elimination hunt to reach the Super Bowl on 5 February, the event itself (Super Bowl XLVI) is getting ready to be one of the most profitable of all-time in broadcasting terms, with new services prepared and new records being broken ahead of the American ‘public holiday’ of Super Bowl Sunday.

While last year’s game in North Texas (which saw the Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers) secured a nation-wide record of 111m viewers on Fox, there could be a new set of viewing figures to incorporate (or note separately), as this year’s host network NBC have added the option of streaming coverage live on browsers (via NBC.com), while potential mobile device audiences can now access the event live, through an ’NFL Mobile’ app with Verzion.

The moves into new broadcasting mediums mark the first legal online streaming of a Super Bowl telecast in the USA, but it is likely that most eyes will not be drawn away from their TV sets, where the famed ‘Super Bowl ads’ have reached even higher costs.

While the 2011 broadcast sold 30-second slots at a rate of around $3m each, NBC, despite selling their full allocation slower than their rival did (end of November compared to Fox’s October), have made history by selling at an price of $3.5m for a half-minute slot, with at least one sale of 30 seconds reportedly coming in at $4m.

NBC Sports Group sales & marketing senior vice-president Seth Winter said of the current make-up of the buyers: “There are the usual companies that have supported it in the past. Automotive will be very healthy. Beverages will be very healthy. The movie and snack category continue to be healthy. There will be a few new players and some who have been there, who won’t be there.”

Winter added his opinion of the adverts he has seen so far: “Some of the things I’ve seen are astonishing. I think you’ll see a lot of ads that are humorous and action-filled, with a range of different types of executions. We haven’t seen everything yet; we don’t see everything until almost the week of the game.”

With the advertisers paying huge amounts just to get on-air, it can be expected that the slots will produce some high-quality adverts (an element which maintains the interest of non-sporting fans), with names that have signed up to air commercials including Audi, Doritos, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi, who will be using X Factor winner Melanie Amaro as the face of their campaign.

It could be suggested that ratings and readiness to buy adverts may be influenced a little by the teams involved in the showpiece american football game, with the New York Giants and the New England Patriots currently en route to the game in Indiana (host city of Indianapolis), and a potential re-match of their dramatic encounter in 2008, should they see off the San Francisco 49′ers and Baltimore Ravens (respectively) in their NFL divisional play-offs, which are being held next week. Now in its 46th running, will the latest Super Bowl be able to create new heights in American viewing figures and advertising revenue?

Crazy Matt Cazzy into all things hi-tech, gizmos and gadgets. If its just out, i want it. Loves watching tv on every device ever invented that can handle it

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