the second highest rated super bowl was between pittsburgh and seattle
the large market thing only applies to other sports, which is why baseball doesn't want a cap
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Let me explain.... There is no way to tell how a SB will perform in regards to ratings before the actual game is played (when the advertsing space is sold), so when an AE from (insert network) approaches say Bank Of America with a sponsorship pitch, they can base their inflated prices on the markets in which the sb teams will draw from. A NY vs NE sb will be far more desirable to advertisers before the actual game (when the ad space is sold) than a Pitt/Seattle match up. Both New York and Boston are top ten markets in the US. What I am talking about has nothing to do with salary caps. Post sb numbers mean little since they cannot be predicted before the game. Also, most major companies target the markets that I listed. I know that this is true because I have worked with companies that purchased :30 second commercial spots during the last sb.
A typical pitch to a person like me from a network ae could go one of two ways (basic version):
1.) Hello, I am calling from CBS and I would like to talk to you about a sponsorship opportunity during the upcoming superbowl. Pittsburg will be playing Seattle, and as you know, the steelers have a huge fanbase and we are expecting huge ratings. This could be a great opportunity for you company to reach all the major male demos on the national stage.
Sounds great right, but how about this one:
2.) Hello, I am calling from CBS and I would like to talk to you about a sponsorship opportunity during the upcoming superbowl between the NYG and the NE Patriots. As you know, the sb is a huge draw for American males, and is a once in a lifetime opportunity to brand your company on the largest stage of them all. Also, since NE and NY are such major advertising markets for your audience, not only can I guarantee that you will reach a huge national audience, I can guarantee that you will reach huge chunks of the population in two of your most important markets. Not only do both teams have a huge national following, but you are guaranteed to do some major damage where you spend the bulk of your advertising dollars currently.
I am willing to pay a premium for the second option. The NFL cares about money, plain and simple.
