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(BIG DATA) Do NFL fans even like the Super Bowl Halftime Performers?

(BIG DATA) Do NFL fans even like the Super Bowl Halftime Performers?

by | Feb 1, 2019

We’ve calculated what portion of every NFL team’s audience is fans of Maroon 5, Travis Scott, and Big Boi. Hint: In the case of the latter two, hometown loyalty counts for a lot. Not so much with the nominal headliner, though.


The big day is truly just about upon us. Super Bowl LIII is soon to be taking place (or perhaps has occurred by the time you’re reading this). We hope you’ve been keeping up with our ever-mounting excitement, made manifest through our public application of the powerful and unfailingly insightful StatSocial audience analysis tool. We’ve been digging into the varying affinities, hobbies, preferences, and predilections of every NFL team’s fans.

Let’s Talk About Halftime Shows!

His Late Royal Badness at Super Bowl XLI

The Super Bowl has been a TV ratings juggernaut since very early in its history. Until the early-90s, though, two things about the event were largely accepted as facts: 1) For all the hoopla, the game itself would invariably be boring, and 2) the halftime show would be loud, flashy, expensive, and… mostly ignored.

Super Bowl XXV ushered in the era of good Super Bowl games. In a nail-biting, final seconds finale, Buffalo Bills’ placekicker, Scott Norwood, missed a very-nearly game-winning field goal. The play will forever be known in NFL lore as “Wide Right.” As a result, the New York Giants emerged victorious by a single point.

Good football was now on the Super Bowl table as a possibility. Halftime shows continued to be regarded as a lost cause, though. These hokey, bloated productions always had an overarching theme such as ‘World of Children’s Dreams’ and ‘Salute to Superstars of Silver Screen.’

In 1992, the theme of Super Bowl XXVI’s halftime show was ‘Winter Magic.’ It was a bit of hype for that year’s Winter Olympics in France, of which the broadcasting network, CBS, was to begin airing exclusive U.S. coverage a little over a week after the big game.

That year, the then still fledgling FOX network counter-programmed the Super Bowl’s halftime with a live episode of its critically acclaimed and award-winning sketch comedy show, ‘In Living Color’ (the show that launched the careers of numerous Wayans siblings, as well as Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, Jennifer Lopez, Rosie Perez, and David Alan Grier). This stunt not only netted FOX and ‘In Living Color’ tons of press, it also pulled in tons of viewers. 22 million, to be exact. Compared to the 120,000,000 who tuned into the game, only a drop in the bucket. All the same, huge numbers for any regular network show. This was not the sort of thing that was going to go ignored.

In a bid for relevancy and viewer retention, the following year’s Super Bowl XXVII had the halftime theme of… Well, there was no theme. They booked Michael Jackson. ‘Nuff said.

From there, the halftime shows took a few years of fits and starts to fully shake many of the corny trappings of spectacles past. With each passing Super Bowl, however, the proceedings ever-increasingly incorporated rock, pop, and country acts of whom members of the public born after World War II were actually fans.

McCartney, The Stones, Prince, Tom Petty, Springsteen, Aerosmith, Travis Tritt, Madonna, Clint Black, Britney Spears, and many others have, since the dawn of the halftime renaissance, done their Super Bowl duty. Whatever their demographic appeal or age, they are all quite a lot hipper than Up With People.

Nice History Lesson, Where Are the Stats?!

That leads us to this year. The featured performer is the rock band Maroon 5. The band’s fame has gotten a goose from frontman Adam Levine’s other gig as a judge on NBC’s hit singing competition show, ‘The Voice.’

The band is popular, whatever the reason. In an era where selling a million is a legitimate accomplishment, their 2017 release, ‘Red Pill Blues,’ reached that benchmark. Their 2014 album, ‘V,’ sold three-million copies.

Some of the controversies swirling around the league of late (to which we’ve made reference here and here) found booking acts for this year’s halftime a bit challenging. After a fair amount of speculation and drama, it has shaken out that the enormously popular Houston-based rapper, Travis Scott, will be joining Maroon 5 in the center ring. Also, in tribute to the game’s host city of Atlanta, rapper Big Boi — one half of superstar 90s/00s hip-hop duo, Outkast, and Atlanta music legend — will be joining in on the festivities.

So, To Make This a StatSocial Thing

We put the StatSocial audience analysis tool to work, this time out, to see what each of the NFL’s teams’ fans thought of the three acts slated to appear mid-game. Using the enormous amount of data incorporated in our analysis, we were able to calculate what percentage of each squad’s devotees are also fans of each act.

Let’s start with Maroon 5, who incidentally originate from Los Angeles.

2.91% of the Green Bay Packers’ fans are also fans of Maroon 5. 0.90% of the Atlanta Falcons’ fans are fans for Maroon 5.

It would seem football fans in the city hosting the Big Game are not the biggest fans of the band. Indeed, of all the teams’ audiences, the Falcons’ fans show the smallest degree of enthusiasm for Mr. Levine and his (presumably 4?) bandmates.

Luckily, the stadium is bound to be filled with fans of the two teams playing, and the Patriots can boast of having the largest quantity of Maroon 5 fans (Maroonies?) among their audience.

Of possible interest as we proceed, they don’t find over-abundant favor from fans of either of their current hometown teams.

Let us move on…

3.09% of the Green Bay Packers’ fans are also fans of Travis Scott. 0.81% of the Ne York Jets’ fans are fans of Travis Scott.

Houstonian Travis Scott finds the most love from the fans of his hometown’s Texans. Much as love from the Pats fans may work in Maroon 5’s favor, at least in Mercedes-Benz Stadium where fans of the two competing teams are sure to be present, Travis may find a number of his fans already in attendance. It seems a reasonable proportion of Rams fans dig his music.

Given that the current NFL fan base and that of Travis Scott don’t overlap to the extent you might find with fans of other sports, it’s a testament to just how popular he is that his fans can be found to notable degrees within the audiences of a great many teams.

Not so much fans of New York’s Jets, however.

Now, unsubstantiated rumors are flying that Scott will seize the opportunity of this massive event to propose to his girlfriend — reality TV star, model, and social media mega-influencer, Kylie Jenner. The league is not big on halftime show surprises (cough-wardrobemalfunction-cough), so if this is the case it will likely have been cleared, rehearsed, and Ms. Jenner’s response is already known. In other words, we don’t suspect such a thing is likely to happen.

And last, but most assuredly not least…

2.51% of the Atlanta Falcons’ fans are also fans of Big Boi. 0.10% of the New England Patriots’ fans are also fans of Big Boi.

Root, Root, Root for the Home team

Sworn Falcons fanatic, Antwan “Big Boi” Patton appears on ‘ESPN First Take’ in advance of the 2016–2017 NFC Championship game which found the Falcons facing the Green Bay Packers and emerging victorious.

Antwan “Big Boi” Patton is a proud Atlantan, and the citizens of that great city love Big Boi back. All parties involved love the Atlanta Falcons. It’s unsurprising then — especially given what even previous entries in this series have suggested about the home town affinities of Atlanta’s citizens — that of all fans of all the NFL teams, it is those who root for the Falcons who overwhelmingly are also the greatest fans of Big Boi.

You can check out Big Boi, on ‘ESPN First Take’ as he discusses the Falcons’ chances of winning the NFC Championship in January of 2017, by clicking here (it’s a 22 minute show, so if you have a moment). As it turns out their chances were pretty good, as they roundly trounced the Packers, 44 to 21.

Big Boi does not find a ton of admirers, in general, among the fans of the league’s other 31 squads. He particularly, though, gets no love from Pats fans. This even despite their victory over Big Boi’s beloved Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 could be a tough room.

We sure hope some Atlantans get tickets to the Big Game, Big Boi deserves some love from the stands.

Bookmark This Page

We’ve got loads of cool entries in the pipeline, sports related and way beyond.

Head over to the StatSocial blog here, and check out the other entries in this series, plus the loads of other insights, studies, and deep dives we’ve posted.

Throughout the blog are many examples of the sorts of things that only StatSocial can tell you, particularly with such nuance and accuracy.

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To learn more or request a demo, click here.

MILLENNIALS DATA PART 3 of 6: The Wildly Differing Musical Tastes of Younger and Older Millennials

MILLENNIALS DATA PART 3 of 6: The Wildly Differing Musical Tastes of Younger and Older Millennials

by | Jul 13, 2017

Once upon a time music, and we’re not even speaking of Mozart or Beethoven, or even Miles Davis or John Coltrane, but popular music — meaning, populist, youth oriented, latter-20th century western music (music of what Casey Kasem would routinely describe as “The Rock Era”) — was a galvanizing and generation defining force.

In 20th century American history, there were — and this is just a small sampling — two World Wars, the assassinations of two U.S. Presidents, and the resignation in disgrace of another, a Great Depression, the emergence of the automobile, television, the internet, and multiple men successfully traveling to the moon and back. And yet, one would not bat an eye if on a list of America’s biggest moments during the 20th century the release of “Heartbreak Hotel,” or The Beatles arriving on America’s shores for the first time were included. 1969’s The Woodstock Music & Art Fair would also not be too controversial an entry on such a list.

But we live in a time in mankind’s history where stimuli is coming at the privileged world, from all directions, and at an unprecedented pace. The younger people have not known it any other way. People still love music, perhaps on some level more than ever, but it seems unlikely with the number of people making music in the first place having grown exponentially over the decades, and the recording and distribution of music involving the least overhead ever — since the advent of recorded sound — that any single artist could ever be considered a “spokesperson for his or her generation.”

There are reasons to suspect this is a good thing. Still, if you look at the trends on social media especially, pop music and musicians still dominate. Again, these Millennials in this younger grouping are 18 to 24, not 14 to 24. The top three placements are a little alarming, but we resist judgment.

Zayn, a once controversial defector from the One Direction camp managed to retain 1D’s fan base’s loyalty, while perhaps gaining a new audience in the process. 5 Seconds of Summer are, as of a few years ago now, a legitimate YouTube success story, as is Austin Mahone. Turning beloved YouTube channels into lucrative record deals, and massive pop careers (a certain Mr. Bieber being the one who most brazenly blazed that trail). Then we’ve got a bit of hip hop, and the one Jonas Brother to remain most relevant, or at least maintain the most relevant abs.

TOP 10 MUSICAL ACTS WITH MILLENNIALS AGES 18 to 24 RELATIVE TO 25–34 YEAR OLDS

Example insight — people aged 18–24 are nearly 86% more likely to care about Zayn Malik than those aged 25–34.
We had a StatSocial party with some of the younger Millennials’ top musical acts, like the guy with no shirt, the guy with frosted tips, and the guy who has apparently won some kind of large medal. or perhaps had bestowed upon him some manner of amulet. Whatever the case, kids of college age should really know better.

The fact remains, this isn’t a list of exciting college radio rock. It’s music that was largely intended for adolescents. But for some reason has endured into these Millennials reaching college age.

But again, when we dive into the list of older Millennials, the contrast is stark. We show that not only should you not market to a generation, but that even your preconceived notions about the age groups within a generation may not be 100% accurate.

TOP 10 MUSICAL ACTS WITH MILLENNIALS AGES 25 to 34

Example insight — Millennials aged 25–34 are 110% more likely to care about Justin Timberlake than those aged 18–24.
This photo was taken during the 1994 Lollapalooza tour; featuring Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, Breeders, and A Tribe Called Quest. With a few subtle alterations the passing observer may not notice that — barring the possibility of there being a woman carrying a child somewhere in the crowd — this photo features NO Millennials.

Very Gen X, don’cha think. Soundgarden? Red Hot Chilli Peppers? Nine Inch Nails? But that’s classic rock to these kids. Of course actual classic rock pokes its head in, as it must, with Canada’s proudest sons (it says something when you come from a country that has produced Celine, Alanis, Bryan Adams, Avril, and Shania, that you are still the first musical act people most associate with your country); the almighty Rush. Each new generation will have those kids. The kids drummer and lyricist Neil Peart wrote about in “Subdivisions.”

The ones for whom these lines are the deepest ever written.

Any escape might help to smooth
The unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe
The restless dreams of youth

Nice to see Run DMC make the list, though.

DJ Run, now Rev Run, who had abandoned his turntables for a microphone while temporarily keeping the DJ moniker, spoke autobiographically and perhaps more abstractly. But it’s nice to see a new generation is connecting with his — and his partner DMC’s (or Daryl McDaniels) — rhymes as well. Such as…

Took a test to become an MC
And Orange Krush became amazed at me
So Larry put me inside his Cadillac
The chauffeur drove off and we never came back
Dave cut the record down to the bone
And now they got me rockin’ on the microphone
And then we talkin’ autograph, and here’s the laugh
Champagne, caviar, and bubble bath
But see, that’s the life that I lead
And you sucker MC’s is who I please
So take that and move back, catch a heart attack
Because there’s nothin’ in the world, that Run’ll ever lack
I cold chill at a party in a B-boy stance
And rock on the mic and make the girls want to dance
Fly like a Dove, that come from up above
I’m rockin on the mic and you can call me Run-Love

The Rush lyric has more to do with my upbringing, but then as now I vastly prefer the youthful work of the man who now goes by Rev Run. With all due respect to Rush who seem like lovely guys, and have had a 40-plus year career, quietly enormously successful, and seemingly one that entailed virtually no compromise.

The proudest songs of Hollis, Queens. The late, great Jason Mizell, Darryl McDaniels, and Joseph Simmons. AKA, Run DMC and Jam Master Jay!

Joseph Simmons, aka DJ Run/MC Run/Rev Run, is the brother of hip hop impresario Russell Simmons. Russell’s management company back in the day was called Rush Management. So this could get real confusing, real fast, if I don’t move on.

Justin Timberlake does sell records when he bothers to make them, but has become a pop culture figure beyond music. Older Millennial women, especially, seem to enjoy it when he and Jimmy Fallon clown around. Handsome, well-dressed, 30-something men, usually doing a rap medley, at least for a time, was viral video gold. Perhaps that’s no longer a thing, but I doubt we could be quite so lucky.

Still, NSYNC would have been the boyband — the One Direction, if you will, only with much more talent (have you ever watched a video of the choreography those kids used to do, while singing live?) — for this generation (the older Millennials). So, his inclusion makes maybe the most sense, in a way, of anyone on this list. But that’s if you’re operating under prejudices and preconceived notions, and our whole point here is that you can’t and should not — as a marketer — do that. StatSocial makes your best educated guess irrelevant, as it provides you with cold, hard facts.

In the 90s, in a bid for relevance frankly beneath him, the still and eternally sadly late, great David Bowie did a co-headlining tour of arenas with Nine Inch Nails. This would be when NiN were at the peak of their powers, and Bowie — coming off the multi-year Tin Machine debacle — was likely at his career nadir (although he was promoting the decidedly not terrible ‘Outside’ album). Routinely, arenas would empty out after NiN played their set. Bowie played to many a half-filled arena. Gratefully, before his passing, Mr. Bowie had fully restored his rightful place as a cultural Godhead.

These lists speak for themselves, really, and make our point with sufficient clarity. If you were to market to these two groups as a single entity, you may as well be screening F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu to a group of elementary school students on a rainy day. *

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