Super Bowl Sunday (well, Monday, here in Aus) is almost upon us, which not only means we’ll see the NFL’s two top teams—including Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs—battle it out, but we’ll get to enjoy the famous halftime performance, too.
Scoring the Super Bowl halftime show is a major milestone in an artist’s career, with legends like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Katy Perry, The Weeknd and Lady Gaga having previously taken the stage. This year, the slot has been awarded to Kendrick Lamar, who will perform less than a week after he took home five awards at this year’s Grammys, including both Song and Record of the Year for ‘Not Like Us.’
The performance is set to be a big moment for the rapper, so if you’re anything like us, you may be asking How much is Kendrick Lamar getting paid for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show? You might also expecting the sum to be pretty hefty, right? Wrong!
Over the decades, halftime show performers haven’t gotten paid much—if at all. Yep: historically, the NFL doesn’t pay its halftime show performers. So, despite this year’s Super Bowl drawing a predicted 120 million viewers, the rapper likely won’t get a cheque from the organisation.
Why Doesn't the NFL Pay Halftime Performers?
The NFL doesn’t typically pay performers at the Super Bowl halftime show because the hat’s because the 13-minute slot is essentially both a free concert and, by extension, a big ad for the artist’s discography.
An NFL spokesperson told Forbes back in 2016: “We do not pay the artists. We cover expenses and production costs.”
It *is* worth noting that each yea, the halftime performance has a sponsor (this year it’s Apple Music). Sponsors help cover production costs but what isn’t quite clear is whether they pay the artists anything.
Where to Watch the Super Bowl Halftime Show In Australia?
Your morning routine might need some maneuvering for this one, because the 2025 Super Bowl will kick off at 10 AM AEST, thus we can expect to see Kendrick and his musical guests hit the stage around midday.
The performance will be available to stream in Australia on Channel 7, Kayo Sport and Foxtel. Head here for more info.
