As fans, our biggest worries might be whether the Seahawks or the Patriots will take home the win, or whether the halftime show will top last year’s performance. But behind the scenes, a massive financial and logistical process is working to make Super Bowl LX happen in Santa Clara. Let’s break down exactly how much it costs and who bears each cost.
The four leading players in this financial game of football are the NFL, the City of Santa Clara, the Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) and Levi’s Stadium. The NFL runs the show, the City of Santa Clara handles local logistics, the Host Committee coordinates fan experiences and reimburses the city and Levi’s Stadium keeps the venue game-ready. Other participants, such as broadcasters, sponsors and fans, also contribute indirectly, but we’ll keep it simple and focus only on these four.
1. NFL: $55 Million
Of the four, the NFL bears the highest cost, around $55 million. Their main job is to manage the event planning and logistics for the Super Bowl.
- About $25 million goes toward game day production, including staging, broadcast integrations, on-field crew and operational staff.
- Another $11 million covers the halftime show, including staging and lighting, setup, teardown and overall production.
- Since most of us watch from home, broadcasting is key, $14 million is spent on live feeds, commentary, network systems and international distribution.
- Finally, around $5 million is dedicated to security systems, including credentialing, intercoms and other critical infrastructure.
That adds up to roughly $55 million, including smaller expenses such as trophies and rings.
2. City of Santa Clara: $7 Million
Next, the City of Santa Clara will spend around $7 million to handle local responsibilities, including security for the nearly 70,000 in-person attendees.
- About $3 million goes toward event staffing, including security, ushers, volunteers and support staff, as well as overtime.
- Vendors play a key role in the fan experience, with $1.5 million spent on permits, inspections and coordination.
- Months of planning meetings account for roughly $500,000, and booking the Santa Clara Convention Center for pre-game activities adds about $600,000.
The remaining funds cover miscellaneous expenses, bringing the city’s total to around $7 million.
3. Bay Area Host Committee: $12 Million
Third, the Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) primarily reimburses the City of Santa Clara for its $7 million in expenses. On top of that, the BAHC spends about $5 million on fan events during Super Bowl week, covering hotels, venues, security and concert setups.
4. Levi’s Stadium: $6 Million
Lastly, we have Levi’s Stadium, the beautiful venue for the event. While owned by the City of Santa Clara, the 49ers manage day-to-day operations. Contractually, if the Host Committee can’t raise enough funds to reimburse the city, the remaining balance falls to the stadium owners.
Beyond that, the main expenses are $5 million for game-day operations, including concessions, utilities, parking and staffing, and $1 million for team hospitality, covering locker rooms, hotel coordination and premium suites to keep players, families and staff comfortable.
Super Bowl is a “SUPER” Big Expense
Overall, while most of us are only worrying about the cost of our Super Bowl snacks, nearly $100 million is quietly being spent behind the scenes to ensure the biggest event of the year runs smoothly and that fans everywhere have an unforgettable experience.
