Do performers pay to perform at the Super Bowl?

Rihanna's performance at Super Bowl LVII was as entertaining as the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Rihanna performed during halftime at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday.

Rihanna made this year's Apple Music Halftime Show noteworthy when her representative confirmed after her performance that she is expecting her second child with rapper A$AP Rocky, making her the first pregnant woman to headline a Super Bowl halftime performance.

Every year, the NFL calls out big celebrities to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. But the question remains: Do celebrities pay the league to book a slot at the biggest sports halftime show concert?

As events have gotten bigger and louder in recent years, some artists have paid for the performances out of their own pockets to make sure their vision is realized.

The Weeknd's management revealed to Billboard that the singer spent $7 million of his own money on the production of his 2021 concert. Forbes revealed that Dr. Dre also spent a similar amount when he performed at the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show.

A story from The Wall Street Journal describes how the NFL allegedly approached Coldplay, Katy Perry and Rihanna to play at the 2015 show.

Katy Perry, who ended up being selected for the headlining act, confirmed in a conversation with The Associated Press that she was asked to pay to play at the concert by the NFL.

“I put my foot down very early in the courtship (…) I said, 'Look guys, here's where I draw a line in the sand. I want to be invited on my own merits and not with some fine print,'” Perry said.

Perry, however, declined the offer, but the NFL still chose her to headline the 2015 Super Bowl halftime show.

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Does the NFL pay the celebrities who perform at the Super Bowl halftime show?

Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show

According to the New York Times article, the NFL does not pay celebrities who perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. But the league covers the entire expenses of the artists and their entourage performing during the show.

“The N.F.L. does not pay an appearance fee, though it does cover all of the expenses for the band and its often ample entourage of several dozen stagehands, family and friends,” the New York Times reported.

If an artist headlines an event, they instantly see a substantial rise in record sales and concert attendance. For instance, just a week after his concert, sales of Tom Petty's greatest hits record tripled. The Who's revenue increased 392%, while Madonna's revenue increased by 165%.

An artist receives a lot of publicity during the most-viewed event of the year. Not only do musicians experience gains after the Super Bowl, but corporations that run advertisements throughout the game also gain from the Super Bowl, leading them to spend millions on a 30-second commercial.