More than 450,000 people traveled to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII, but how did that impact the local economy?
The cheapest ticket was going for $5,700 on Sunday morning. The most expensive ticket? Nearly $20,000 — and that’s for an Allegiant Stadium capable of seating 65,000 fans.
For reference, the average Super Bowl ticket in 1967 cost just $12.
Between their flight, hotel room, and Super Bowl ticket, fans were spending between $12,000 and $13,000 — and that’s not including food, drinks, entertainment, shopping, gambling, etc., which cost another $1,700+.
It was an expensive weekend for many, but what did it mean for the city of Las Vegas?
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas already sees 300,000 visitors during a normal Super Bowl weekend, but that number was closer to 450,000 this year.
And those extra 150,000 visitors contributed about $215 million to the local economy — just on food, drinks, hotel rooms, and Super Bowl-related merchandise.
$215 MILLION. That's how much the Super Bowl brings into the Las Vegas economy ‼️
And they're not the only ones who benefit. See how much revenue your city will generate from the big game: https://t.co/nmtFFNtfGS pic.twitter.com/jTYDMRFHc6
— U.S. Chamber (@USChamber) February 7, 2024
In total, Super Bowl LVIII generated roughly $600 million in economic impact for Las Vegas. With the Formula 1 race generating around $1.2 billion in November, that’s nearly $2 billion generated in three months.
In an interview with CNN, Steve Hill — chief executive officer and president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority — said he expects the total economic impact for the Super Bowl to settle in around $700 or $800 million.
But others are skeptical. Frank Stephenson, professor of economics at Berry College, told CNN those numbers are unrealistic.
“I think you’ll get more money flowing in this weekend than you would, say, a weekend ago or a weekend from now or the same weekend last year,” he told CNN. “But the dramatic numbers that folks like to throw out are, I think, somewhat exaggerated.”
Super Bowl LVIII Was the Most-Watched Program of All Time
More than 123.4 million people tuned in to watch Super Bowl 58 — making it the most-watched television show in history. Last year’s Super Bowl, which also set a record, saw an average of 115.1 million viewers.
CBS says the Super Bowl LVIII matchup between the 49ers and Chiefs was the most-watched telecast in history, averaging 123.4 million viewers across all platforms. pic.twitter.com/DliwzKygqT
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 13, 2024
Fans had a lot to look forward to this year. An exciting football game, a halftime show headlined by Usher, commercials plastered with celebrities, and, of course, Taylor Swift.
It was just the second time a Super Bowl has ended in overtime — the first one being the Patriots’ improbable comeback in 2017.
The Kansas City Chiefs were down 3-10 at halftime, but scored the only 10 points of the third quarter to take the lead. The 49ers scored early in the fourth before both teams started trading field goals. Harrison Butker hit a 29-yarder with three seconds left to tie the game at 19-19.
The 49ers opened overtime with a field goal, but the Chiefs responded with a game-winning touchdown. The Chiefs have now won the Super Bowl in three of the past five seasons.
Next year’s Super Bowl LVIV will take place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Feb. 9, 2025.
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