*Apple Music has been named the official sponsor of the Super Bowl halftime show.
Pepsi had been the lead sponsor of the halftime show for the past decade but earlier this year the company announced it was parting ways with the Super Bowl halftime show. The big event will take place Feb. 12, 2023 in Arizona, with Rihanna annoucned as the headline performer.
“We are proud to welcome Apple Music to the NFL family as our new partner for the iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show,” said Nana-Yaw Asamoah, senior vp partner strategy for the NFL, per THR. “We couldn’t think of a more appropriate partner for the world’s most-watched musical performance than Apple Music, a service that entertains, inspires, and motivates millions of people around the world through the intersection of music and technology.”
Over 120 million people reportedly watched this past year’s halftime show which featured Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige.
READ MORE: Rihanna CONFIRMED to Headline the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show!
“The Super Bowl once again delivered a massive audience, which included NBC and the unmatched power of broadcast television as well as first-ever presentations on Peacock and Telemundo, and led into our most-watched Olympics coverage in four years,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, in a press release shortly after the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals on their home field at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Feb. 13.
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter previously explained that the NFL is looking to make the halftime show bigger by “taking different aspects of it making it stand way outside of the 12 minutes.”
Per the outlet, the extra content could include, “documentary footage around the preparations for the show or behind-the-scenes access, or footage from dress rehearsals or bonus performances.”
“Music and sports hold a special place in our hearts, so we’re very excited Apple Music will be part of music and football’s biggest stage,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vp Apple Music and Beats. “We’re looking forward to even more epic performances next year and beyond with the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.”
