While Super Bowl LIX may not have impressed on the field, it certainly shone off of it. One day after Fox announced it had set a Super Bowl viewership record for Sunday’s game (albeit with several key caveats), the network revealed that it generated over $800 million in advertising revenue for the Big Game, encompassing ads sold on Fox, Fox Deportes, and Tubi. Last month, reports indicated that the network had sold certain 30-second ad spots for over $8 million each, marking a record-high price for a Super Bowl commercial.
“The clear winners Sunday night were the Eagles, the NFL, and Fox,” stated Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch. “Congratulations to our teams at Fox Sports and Tubi for a record-breaking and historic Super Bowl LIX.” However, the network’s achievement wasn’t without a share of controversy. Fox faced immense criticism for airing an ad featuring disgraced rapper Kanye West in three major markets where it owns channels. Following a week of praising Hitler on social media and promoting overtly antisemitic views, West’s commercial directed users to a T-shirt featuring a swastika, sparking further outrage. Despite the backlash, the network has yet to release a statement addressing the controversy.
Regardless of whether Fox’s ad revenue stemmed from Bud Light or a controversial figure, it all counts the same on paper, and the network is undoubtedly pleased to highlight its record.
