In this issue of Math in the News we look at stats from Super Bowl past.

2. Cost of a 30-second ad
Year Viewers (millions) (dollars)
1980 76.2 222,000
1981 68.29 324,000
1982 85.24 324,000
1983 81.77 400,000
1984 77.62 368,000
1985 85.53 525,000
1986 92.57 550,000
1987 87.2 600,000
1988 80.14 645,000
1989 81.6 675,000
1990 73.85 700,000
1991 79.51 800,000
1992 79.6 850,000
1993 90.99 850,000
1994 90 900,000
1995 83.4 1,150,000
1996 94.08 1,050,000
1997 87.87 1,200,000
1998 90 1,300,000
1999 83.7 1,600,000
2000 88.5 1,100,000
2001 84.3 2,100,000
2002 86.8 1,900,000
2003 88.6 2,100,000
Super Bowl Stats
This table shows the TV viewership for Super Bowls from 1980–2003, as well as
the cost of a 30-second ad for each Super Bowl. This data is best analyzed
graphically.

3. Super Bowl Stats
The viewership data (expanded to 2011) shows a somewhat steady increase, but
with plenty of ups and downs. Also, viewership only recently passed the 100 million
mark.

4. Super Bowl Stats
On the other hand, the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad has shown a steady and
strong increase over the years. Last year it cost $3 million dollars for a 30-second
ad!

5. Super Bowl Stats
Is there a
relationship between
TV viewership and
the cost of a 30
second ad?

6. Super Bowl Stats
Surprisingly, there is not a strong correlation between viewership and the price of
an ad. Recall that the viewership stats were uneven, while the cost-of-ad stats were
steady. This is reflected in this graph.

7. Super Bowl Stats
Why does the TV
viewership graph
show so many ups
and downs?

8. Super Bowl Stats
A Super Bowl is still, after all, a TV program and some teams are more popular
than others. Let’s look at some examples.

9. Super Bowl Stats
During the ‘85–’86 season the Chicago Bears generated such a popular following,
well beyond the already big Chicago TV market, that their Super Bowl appearance
against the Patriots was one of the highest-rated Super Bowls at the time.

10. Super Bowl Stats
The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most popular teams in the NFL, beyond the
Dallas TV market. Dallas’ appearances in Super Bowls (as shown in the ’93, ‘94,
and ’96) have resulted in high TV viewership.

11. Super Bowl Stats
The Pittsburgh Steelers are also one of the most popular teams in the NFL and
their appearance in two Super Bowls (2006 and 2009) were part of a dramatic rise
in TV viewership over the past seven years.

12. Super Bowl Stats
Why does the cost
of an ad keep going
up, in spite of any
drops in TV
viewership?

13. http://youtu.be/qIUcNLTsyYo
Super Bowl Stats
Super Bowl ads reach a huge audience, by any TV audience measure. Even a year
with lower viewership still has tens of millions of viewers. Advertisers often create
the most memorable ads in TV history. For example, Apple Computer launched the
Mac using this ad in the 1984 Super Bowl, an ad that aired only once!