Number Planning to Watch Super Bowl Up – Taylor Swift?

Super Bowl LVIII could be the most-watched in the game’s history with 72 percent of Americans saying they will tune in to the sports and entertainment extravaganza. That number is up six points from 66 percent in 2023, nine points from 63 percent in 2022 and 14 points from 58 percent in 2021. 

On which device, if at all, will you be watching the 2024 Super Bowl this year?

Asked if they thought the presence of Taylor Swift had anything to do with their decision or the decision of anyone in their household to watch the big game, 21 percent of Americans said yes. Among the vaunted 18-34 year-old demographic that number almost doubled to 41 percent. 

"From a marketing perspective, the NFL and its advertisers couldn’t do any better," said marketing Professor Daniel Ladik, chief methodologist for the poll. "The viewership for this game is on a seemingly inexorable march toward more viewers, and this year Taylor Swift may be playing the role of drum major – at least for 18-34 year olds, a market that almost everyone covets."

Will you or anyone in your household’s decision to watch the game be influenced by Taylor Swift’s attendance at the game? 

Chiefs or 49ers?

More Americans say they will be rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs (28 percent general population - 38 percent of NFL fans - 36 percent of sports fans - 39 percent of avid fans) than the San Francisco 49ers (23 percent general population - 31 percent of NFL fans - 31 percent of sports fans - 35 percent of avid fans). Swift is well known to be a strong supporter of the Chiefs. 

These were among the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted last month among 1,509 adults across the country. The poll featured a national representative sample from YouGov weighted on U.S. Census Bureau figures for gender, age, ethnicity, education, income and geography and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.

Game, halftime or commercials? 

Slightly less than half of those watching say they look forward most to the game itself at 49 percent. The halftime show and commercials combine as favorites for 46 percent (halftime 25 percent, commercials 21 percent) and the remaining 5 percent of those who will be watching say they do not know or hold no opinion. 

Which part of the Super Bowl broadcast do you look forward to the most, the game, the halftime show, or the commercials? 

Is halftime too long? How about entertainment extravaganzas for other sports?

Given that 25 percent say they most look forward to the big game’s halftime, perhaps unsurprisingly only 29 percent say the Super Bowl halftime is too long (it is 10 minutes longer than the usual NFL halftime length), while 49 percent say it is not too long. In fact, satisfaction with the Super Bowl half time show is so high that 35 percent of the general population and 44 percent of sports fans think that other sports should add major entertainment extravaganzas to their championship games. 

"The NFL has leveraged their sport well into the realm of popular entertainment," said Professor Charles Grantham, director of the Center for Sport Management within Seton Hall’s Stillman School of Business, which sponsors the Poll. "The Super Bowl is a cultural spectacle that approaches an unofficial public holiday that actually spurs the economy after the post-Christmas lull. Although logistically challenging, other leagues may wish to begin likewise leveraging their championships." 

Do you think the Super Bowl halftime is too long? 

Do you think other sports should add major entertainment extravaganzas to their championship games? 

How will you watch? Second screen viewing rises again.

TV still reigns as the device of choice for Americans, with 52 percent of those queried saying it will be their only means of viewing. The interesting trend, however, is the rise of what is known as second-screen viewing, with 14 percent saying they will do so. Only 8 percent said they would use a second screen in 2021, 9 percent in 2022 and 12 percent in 2023.

For 2024, if we look only at those Americans who say they will be watching the game, 19 percent (nearly one in five) say they will be viewing a second screen. 

"With Super Bowl advertising costs of roughly $7 million per 30 seconds, the second screen opens additional opportunities for both content and advertising – at entry price points that are more approachable," said Ladik. "From 8 percent of Americans in 2021 to 14 percent this year marks an increase of 75 percent in just four years. That’s significant. Then consider that that equates to nearly one in five viewers of the game – and that’s extraordinary." 

On which device, if at all, will you be watching the 2024 Super Bowl this year?

Nearly 3/4 pay more attention to Super Bowl commercials, more than half to discuss on social media.

One might ask why companies would be willing to pay $7 million for a 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl and the following numbers may provide some answers:

A. 21 percent of those who say they will be watching the Super Bowl said the commercials are what they most look forward to. 
B. A whopping 73 percent say they pay more attention to commercials during the Super Bowl. 
C. 53 percent say they are likely to discuss or comment on social media about the best and worst commercials.  
D. 32 percent say they are more likely after watching an "entertaining commercial" to buy a product advertised or watch a program promoted during the Super Bowl.

I pay more attention to the commercials during the Super Bowl compared to commercials on other TV shows.

Compared to non-Super Bowl commercials, I am more likely to buy a product advertised or watch a program promoted during the Super Bowl since I watched a more entertaining commercial.

I am likely to discuss and/or comment on the best and worst Super Bowl commercials on social media.

Sports betting on the big game slightly down.

Although in 2024 there are more states in America in which it is legal to place a bet on a sporting event, the number of respondents who said they will place a wager on the game is slightly down this year. In 2024, of those who will be watching the game 27 percent said they will bet. That number was 29 percent in 2023 and just 22 percent in 2022. As for informal betting – office pool boxes or squares – it is also down slightly to 31 percent of those who will be watching. The number was 34 percent in 2023 and 28 percent in 2022. Note, this does not reflect spending amounts, merely the number of those who say they will be watching and betting on the game. 

Thinking about your plans for the Super Bowl, will you be participating in a friend/family member’s informal Super Bowl betting pool? (i.e., boxes or squares)

Note: These numbers represent only those who will watch the Super Bowl.

Thinking about your plans for the Super Bowl… Will you be placing a bet or wager? (e.g., betting on the outcome of the game, on the winning team, etc.)

Note: these numbers represent only those who will watch the Super Bowl.

Questions, breakdowns and additional charts may be found below; click here for an online version of this release.

About the Poll

The Seton Hall Sports Poll, conducted regularly since 2006, is performed by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. This poll was conducted online by YouGov Plc. using a national representative sample weighted according to gender, age, ethnicity, education, income and geography, based on U.S. Census Bureau figures. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S residents. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research and its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to CNBC, NPR, Yahoo Finance, Fox News and many points in between.  

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