TAMPA, Fla. — NBC said on the eve of the Super Bowl that it has sold the last two of the 69 advertising spots for the game, pushing total ad revenue for the event to a record $206 million.
The network said its total of $261 million in ad revenue for all of Super Bowl day also is a record, calling it an especially impressive feat in the middle of the economy’s steep downturn.
The Super Bowl is the premier advertising event, with a U.S. audience of 100 million viewers, many of whom watch closely during game breaks for the debut of entertaining, big-budget commercials.
The ads have sold for between $2.4 million and $3 million per 30-second slot this year.
“These advertising milestones show the power of the NFL brand and the strength of the Super Bowl as a TV property,” said Jeff Zucker, president and CEO of NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric Co.
Thirty-two advertisers in all will showcase their products. NBC said the ads featured during the game also will be available for viewing almost immediately after they air at websites including , and .
Picking up the tab.
Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda, have a family tradition of picking up the check for another table whenever they eat out. The Arizona quarterback didn’t let team allegiances get in the way.
While dining Friday night at The Cheesecake Factory, the Warners selected a group of 20 Steelers fans and paid for their meal.
“We started doing that when we were in St. Louis and the manager would always give us our meal for free whenever we ate out,” Brenda Warner said. “I had been a single mother living on food stamps at one time who couldn’t ever afford to eat out.”
The Warners started a tradition of allowing their seven children to pick one family in the restaurant, and they try to quietly pay that table’s tab before slipping out the door.
“It’s gotten to be part of a game with the kids,” Brenda Warner said. “They’ll say ‘Oh, that family has a lot of kids, dinner must be expensive.’ Or ‘They look old, maybe it’s hard for them to afford eating out a lot.’ We try to be discreet about it, because we don’t want people trying to get picked.”
For anyone curious, Warner had the Old Fashioned Burger (with bacon) and a lemonade, while Brenda Warner had the Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp.
Advantage, Cardinals?
The Cardinals can hope this is a preview of today’s result: Arizona guard Reggie Wells outdrove Pittsburgh linebacker LaMarr Woodley in a long-drive contest, with event sponsor Top-Flite donating $10,000 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation on the winner’s behalf.
Wells’ top drive was 187 yards. Woodley’s best effort was 127 yards.
“Anytime you get a victory it’s good. Let’s hope the success continues,” Wells said. “When I saw LaMarr swing, I knew I had a chance.”
Coin toss.
Gen. David Petraeus, the head of U.S. Central Command, will toss the coin in a special ceremony. He will be joined on the field by John Elway, Roger Craig and Lynn Swann, stars of the NFL title games of 10, 20 and 30 years ago.
The NFL also plans to recognize the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 for helping rescue 150 passengers after an emergency landing on New York’s Hudson River last month.
Denver Post wire services
