Apple Music will be the new sponsor of the Super Bowl halftime show, the NFL announced early Friday morning.
The multi-year sponsorship will begin with this season's Super Bowl on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.
Apple Music replaces Pepsi, which sponsored the show for the past 10 years. Terms were not announced, but analysts had expected the league to get at least $50 million per year for the rights.
"We are proud to welcome Apple Music to the NFL family as our new partner for the iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show," Nana-Yaw Asamoah, the NFL's senior vice president of partner strategy, said in a statement. "We couldn't think of a more appropriate partner for the world's most-watched musical performance than Apple Music, a service that entertains, inspires, and motivates millions of people around the world through the intersection of music and technology."
Apple is also negotiating with the NFL for the rights to the "NFL Sunday Ticket" package of Sunday games that do not air in a viewer's home market. Amazon, Google and the Walt Disney Co. are also competing for the package, which has been on DirecTV since 1994.
Over 120 million viewers watched last February's halftime show, which featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.
The Sundance Film Festival may get a new home. Here are the 3 finalists
The Sundance Film Festival has narrowed its search for a new home down to three finalists.
One option remains a combination of Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah, the latter its base for over 40 years. The other two, Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati would find the country's foremost showcase for independent film putting new roots down, the Sundance Institute said Thursday.
Eugene Hernandez, the festival's director and head of public programming said that each of the finalist cities "has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values, and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive Festival."
For now, Sundance will continue operating out of Park City for the 2025 and 2026 festivals. Changes won't go into effect until the 2027 festival. Should the organization stick with Utah, the festival would center itself in Salt Lake City, with some elements in Park City.
Local leaders all issued statements as well. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said that Boulder is "the next natural home" for the festival, touting Colorado's creative communities. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Kristen Schlotman, the head of Film Cincinnati spoke about the Ohio city's dedication to the arts and its ability to offer a "dynamic, walkable and accessible new venue." Finally, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Park City Mayor Nann Worel and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said they are eager to "forge an even stronger bond to inspire artists and elevate the festival experience."
The Robert Redford-founded festival has been a launching pad for many top filmmakers over the years, from Quentin Tarantino to Ryan Coogler. It's also premiered many eventual Oscar nominees and winners, including "CODA," their first best picture winner, and... Read More