Johannesburg — While the NFL halftime show during the Super Bowl over the weekend was a roaring success, it’s worth pondering whether a spectacle like that would work in a South African sporting context.
Legendary performers Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar made it yet another incredible Super Bowl halftime show.
The performances from the artists, the set design, dancers, theatrics and co-ordinated transition from one song to another was sleek and professional.
The show had 103.4 million viewers tune in for the live performance. Just on youtube alone, the halftime show already has over 62 million views.
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Why wouldn’t such a spectacle, on a smaller scale, work in South Africa?
The biggest SA sporting events could use such an injection of interest to attract new audiences who are not just limited to sports fans. And of course, the ads around the show would have incredible exposure.
According to forbes.com, in 2021 during the Super Bowl a 30-second ad costs $5.5 million or R84.19 million while in-game revenue in 2020 was $448.7 which is a staggering R6.8 billion.
Imagine the Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in front of a packed stadium (when Covid-19 protocols allow), having a halftime performance to rival the Super Bowl. It would take some incredible and planning and organisation — but that’s something South Africa has time and again proved it can handle.
South Africa has hosted the biggest sporting events, save the Olympics, like the Rugby World Cup in 1995, Soccer World Cup in 2010 and Cricket World Cup in 2003. Also, don’t forget about the Africa Cup of Nations which SA has hosted in 1996 and again in 2013.
The potential is incredible, and something marketers and advertisers in the sports world in South Africa need to consider - no matter how large the undertaking.
A small sample of the willingness to entertain SA audiences can be seen in Varsity Cup rugby. On Monday this week, before the match between the North West University (NWU) Eagles and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) at the Fanie du Toit Sports Ground, in Potchefstroom, there was impressive pre-match entertainment.
THE GOAT OF ALL TIME #Eminem #slimshady #HalfTimeShow #NFL #SuperBowl
— Anthony G_18 (@Anthony_G18_) February 22, 2022
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The Rugby World Cup theme song — A World in Union — was sung with dancers on the field, and then the national anthem was sung. The enthusiastic crowd present lapped it up, and was certainly a success.
Admittedly, a Varsity Cup match is small scale and would be difficult to compare to something like the Super Bowl. But it’s a good indicator that even with such an event, a bit of extra entertainment only adds to the main sporting event.
The entertainment industry has also been among one of the hardest hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, and an opportunity to perform at an event like the Soweto Derby would bring out the best in the local talent — and would surely be a hit on the television broadcast.