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According to multiple sources, the National Football League has chosen Katy Perry to perform at the Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show on February 1, 2015.
The Wall Street Journal reported in August that Perry was in the running for the gig, alongside Coldplay and Rihanna. That publication also reported that, while the NFL typically doesn't pay artists for the performance (although they do cover production costs), the league was asking contenders for financial contributions in return for the exposure generated by the performance.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show has become perhaps the most sought-after performance in the music industry for its unparalleled exposure. Last year, more people tuned in for Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Halftime performance than the actual Super Bowl game—115 million viewers, compared to the 112 who watched the Seahawks take on the Broncos. Artists propositioned by the NFL were chilly to the "pay to play" offer, however, with Perry saying during ESPN's College Game Day last Saturday, "We have had some conversations, and I would be honored, of course. But I have let them know that I'm not the kind of girl who would pay to play the Super Bowl. The ball is in their field."
It appears that either Perry or the NFL reconsidered their side of the negotiations. While artists typically benefit from the performance in the form of exposure (in recent years both Beyonce and Bruno Mars announced tours following the performance) and increased CD and download sales, the league benefits as well. The show draws in viewers otherwise not interested in watching the Super Bowl, as evidenced by the spike in halftime viewers over the actual game in 2014. For a league struggling with a public image problem (especially with women), that's no small feat.
