American football’s NFL has proposed that musicians should have to pay to perform at the coveted Super Bowl Halftime Show.
The proposal received a “chilly reception” from Coldplay, Katy Perry and Rihanna, the three musicians under consideration for the 2015 show, according to the Wall Street Journal newspaper.
Traditionally the NFL has not paid a performance fee to the stars of the show, although it does cover expenses for the act and the entourage.
The Halftime Show, which takes place on the pitch in the break between the second and third quarters in the NFL’s showpiece game, always attracts one of the largest global television audiences of the year.
A record audience of 115.3 million viewers tuned in for the 2014 Halftime Show on February 2 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bruno Mars taking to the stage.
According to data measurement company Nielsen, musicians who perform at the Halftime Show regularly experience a significant spike in album sales and paid digital downloads due to the exposure of the performance. Several acts have used the Halftime Show as a platform to launch a new album.
It has been reported that the NFL has proposed a revenue-sharing arrangement whereby the league would receive a portion of additional album sales income as an alternative to a flat fee from the performers.
NFL spokeswoman Joanna Hunter said that the league’s priority was to “put on the best possible show” for fans.
“When we have something to announce, we’ll announce it,” she added.
In June, Variety magazine reported that the NBC network is asking advertisers to pay $4.5m for a 30-second spot during the 2015 Super Bowl – a record figure and a 12.5-per-cent increase on the Fox network’s advertising rate card for the 2014 game.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show has attracted the biggest names in the music business over the years, with performers including The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, The Rolling Stones, U2, Tina Turner, Phil Collins, Aerosmith, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Paul McCartney, Madonna and Michael Jackson.
The 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show will take place on February 1 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
