There is a lot of excitement surrounding Usher Raymond IV‘s Super Bowl LVIII half-time performance in Las Vegas. Ahead of the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Feb. 11, the 45-year-old R&B heartthrob released his ninth studio album, “Coming Home,” and announced his nearly sold-out “Past, Present, Future” North American tour. And while normally, the crooner would expect to rake in between $1 million to $1.5 million to perform at a corporate affair, he won’t be cashing in their usual paycheck for his 15-minute performance on the NFL’s grand stage.
This is due to a league policy that the NFL covers all expenses associated with the halftime show, including production and the artist’s travel costs but not their traditional fee.
NFL spokesperson Joanna Hunter said in a 2016 interview with Forbes, “We do not pay the artists. We cover expenses and production costs.”
Instead, Usher, like his predecessors, will receive a daily rate of $1,000 based on a minimum wage union scale.
That doesn’t mean the NFL isn’t splurging on the show. When Jennifer Lopez and Shakira performed in 2020, the cost reached $13 million.
The NFL had to pay 3,000 workers for the production and cover the expenses of building a collapsible stage with 38 parts. This big expense also covered huge audio equipment brought in on 18 carts.
None of this money went toward the usual pay for the performers.
Despite not getting paid, Usher isn’t walking away with nothing. Tons of perks come along with performing during the Super Bowl halftime. Entertainers almost immediately see the benefit.
Lady Gaga saw a 1000 percent surge in sales of her digital catalog after her 2017 performance. Similarly, after Justin Timberlake performed in 2018, his music sales increased by 534% on the same day. Following Rihanna’s epic Super Bowl baby reveal, the Bajan singer’s Spotify streams increased by more than 640 percent across the United States.
According to Nielsen, approximately 40 percent of all households tuned in to watch the 2023 Super Bowl. Fox reported that Rihanna’s halftime performance attracted an average of 118.7 million viewers, indicating a 15 percent rise from the 103.4 million average audience for the 2022 halftime show.
After performing in 2022, Dr. Dre saw a 183 percent increase in album sales and a 105 percent rise in on-demand streams.
For Usher, who is coming off of one of the most successful residencies in Las Vegas in years, this performance is a perfect way to roll out his new album and upcoming tour.
Big bucks or not, the entire city of Atlanta is excited about the “Confessions” singer taking center stage. Producer Kawan Prather posted a lengthy celebratory post on Instagram. The Grammy-winning musician said that he was “proud” and “inspired” by his brother and thanked him for “inviting” him “to be a part of this journey.”
His mom, Jonnetta Patton, was ecstatic, posting often on her social media about her eldest son.
In one, she wrote, “No one will ever understand my JOY!!! My baby did it!!!! He made it to the big stage! Thanks to all his amazing fans and the team behind the vision. This would not have happened without your love and support. ICON, LEGEND!!! Dr. Usher Raymond – THE GOAT!!!”
“2 days until a 30 year career celebration of The TRUTH hit the BIG STAGE!!!! Proud Mother!!!!”
She also posted a meme of her son that said, “February 11, 2024 The day they will play football at an Usher concert.”
