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Compensation for Super Bowl Halftime Performers: Usher’s Potential Earnings in 2024

Usher, the eight-time Grammy-award winning artist, won’t be making a fortune when he performs at the halftime show of Super Bowl 2024, one of the world’s greatest platforms. Like numerous top-tier performers before him, Usher will essentially earn less than an admission ticket or possibly nothing at all.

Just how much do Super Bowl halftime show artists get paid?
While Sunday’s epic battle between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs may rake in towering profits for many, Usher won’t make a penny over union scale rates, guaranteed under a union contract. This information was revealed according to several publications.

Given the most recent Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union contract applies, this could amount to around $1,000 a day, reported by People Magazine.

Why doesn’t the NFL pay Super Bowl halftime show performers?
The NFL adheres to a longstanding policy of confining payment to union scales for halftime artists, a list that has previously included powerhouses such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Paul McCartney. The NFL has not only consistently refrained from paying performers but has also been known to charge artists for the privilege of performing at the Super Bowl. The NFL, in 2015, sought performance fees from Rihanna, Coldplay, and Katy Perry, who eventually declined the proposal.

Perry agreed to perform, but refused to pay for the opportunity, enunciating to Forbes, “I need to be able to assert that I performed at the Super Bowl due to my abilities and hard-earned merit, thank you very much.”

Why do Super Bowl halftime performers perform for free?
Why would artists typically commanding six or seven figures per concert agree to perform for little to no pay? One reason is the opportunity to showcase their music to over 100 million viewers at zero expense to them, since the NFL covers travel and production costs. Reportedly, the NFL forked over about $13 million to finance Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s 2020 halftime spectacle.

For Usher, the eagerly awaited 12-minute performance on Sunday will be instrumental for endorsing his forthcoming world tour and a new album release.
He shared his anticipation with CBS Mornings’ co-host Gayle King. “It’s gonna be a celebration. I’m gonna try my hardest not to cry, break down, and cry on the stage.”
Super Bowl LVIII will be televised on CBS and Nickelodeon and steamed on Paramount+ on Feb. 11 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. ET.

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