The Super Bowl, America’s biggest sporting spectacle, is delivering a major economic boost across the country, with the San Francisco Bay Area reaping significant benefits as host for this year’s game.
On Sunday, February 8, 2026, the Seattle Seahawks will take on the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. This matchup, known as Super Bowl LX, is drawing thousands of visitors to the region and sparking spending nationwide.
A Big Win for the Bay Area Economy
Hosting the Super Bowl has long been a financial plus for cities. For the Bay Area, the event is one of three major sports happenings—including the 2025 NBA All-Star Game and upcoming FIFA World Cup matches—that are lifting the local economy. A report from the Bay Area Host Committee estimates that Sunday’s game alone could generate between $370 million and $630 million in economic output for the region. This includes visitor spending on hotels, restaurants, transportation, and entertainment, plus team and event-related costs.
The projection builds on past successes. When Levi’s Stadium hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016, it brought about $240 million to the Bay Area. Last year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans drew 115,000 visitors who spent $658 million. Bank of America data shows spending near stadiums jumps around 77% on game day, especially on food and parking.
While cities face costs—like Santa Clara’s estimated $6.3 million for security, staffing, and logistics—these are usually small compared to the returns. Some past hosts, like Atlanta in 2019, spent more (around $46 million), but the overall impact tends to be positive in the short term.
Experts note that benefits are often temporary and focused on specific industries like hospitality and tourism. Michael Edwards, a sport management professor at North Carolina State University, points out that the NFL sometimes uses the promise of hosting a Super Bowl to push cities toward building or upgrading stadiums with public money. This dynamic appears in discussions in places like Chicago and Cleveland.
Major events like this also inspire infrastructure improvements. For example, Houston launched its first light rail line just before the 2004 Super Bowl. However, not all projects deliver long-term value, as seen with Las Vegas’s $1.9 billion Allegiant Stadium, partly funded by local taxpayers.
Nationwide Spending Surge
Even fans who stay home contribute heavily. The National Retail Federation predicts Americans will spend a record $20.2 billion on the Super Bowl this year—about $94.77 per person—with 79% going toward food and drinks. This marks a big rise from $13.9 billion in 2021.
Hosting a watch party for 10 people now costs around $140 per person, according to Wells Fargo, slightly up from last year. Chicken wings are a bit cheaper (down 2.8%), but items like salsa, beer, and veggies have risen in price.
Advertising and Media Boom
The game, broadcast on NBC, is also a huge win for advertisers. The network sold out 30-second commercial spots at a record average of $10 million each—up from $8 million last year. NBC is benefiting from a strong lineup of February events, including the Winter Olympics, which has helped drive up revenue and boosted parent company Comcast’s stock.
In short, the Super Bowl is more than just a championship game—it’s a powerful economic driver. From packed hotels and restaurants in the Bay Area to watch parties across the U.S., the event injects hundreds of millions into local economies and billions nationwide, proving football’s massive cultural and financial pull.
