Super Bowl 60 Commences with High-Stakes Clash and Spectacular Pre-Game Festivities
The much-anticipated Super Bowl 60 got underway on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, setting the stage for an epic showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots as they vied for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The build-up to kick-off was shaped by electrifying pre-game entertainment, groundbreaking high-value advertising, and innovative new-era betting products, creating a global spectacle watched by millions.
Presidential Message and Game Opening Set the Tone
As the game kicked off, US President Donald Trump took to the social media platform Truth Social to post, "Enjoy the Super Bowl, America! Our Country is stronger, bigger, and better than ever before and, THE BEST IS YET TO COME! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP." This message coincided with the New England Patriots winning the coin toss, a pivotal early moment that saw them defer, ensuring the Seahawks would receive the opening kick-off while the Patriots will begin with possession at the start of the second half. This tactical decision set the tone for a tightly-watched opening phase, with both teams expected to prioritize field position and disciplined execution in the first quarter.
Pre-Game Entertainment Features Green Day and National Anthem Performances
Green Day opened the pre-game festivities for Super Bowl LX, adding a stadium-scale music moment to the build-up at Levi's Stadium, which serves as the home venue of the San Francisco 49ers. The performance served as the first major on-field entertainment beat of the evening, ahead of the formal national ceremony and kick-off. Following this, Grammy Award-winning singer Brandi Carlile performed "America the Beautiful" as part of the pre-game entertainment, with Charlie Puth then delivering the national anthem, completing the traditional ceremony ahead of kick-off. NBC carried the broadcast, while streaming platform Peacock simulcasted the game for digital audiences, expanding its reach.
Record-Breaking Advertising Economy and AI Dominance
The commercial economy surrounding Super Bowl 60 reached unprecedented heights, with NBC selling out of advertising inventory at an average of $8 million per 30-second spot, as previously reported by CNBC. As many as 10 ad slots were sold for more than $10 million each, underscoring how the championship game continues to function as a premium global advertising platform even amid shifting media consumption patterns. Peacock viewers were offered a slightly different commercial slate, including streaming-specific advertising—an area gaining traction particularly among smaller brands looking for targeted visibility.
A striking shift in this year's advertising mix was the sheer number of artificial intelligence firms investing in Super Bowl placements. Anthropic and OpenAI were joined by a multitude of other tech companies, such as Google, Amazon, and Meta, along with smaller AI companies like Genspark and Wix, taking the space of some traditional categories like automakers. This trend highlights both the expanding marketing ambitions of AI players and the broader reconfiguration of brand categories willing to spend at the very top of the advertising market.
Political Ads and Halftime Show Predictions Add Layers to the Event
Politics and policy also found space in the pre-game advertising run, with an ad for Trump accounts airing during the Super Bowl on Sunday. Paid for by Invest America, a nonprofit advocacy group, the 30-second spot featured children touting the virtues of so-called Trump accounts, also known as 530A accounts, created as part of President Donald Trump's legislative efforts. This was part of a massive push to spread awareness, including a billboard in New York's Times Square and a livestreamed Trump Account Summit.
The halftime show, headlined by Grammy-winning Puerto Rican rapper-singer Bad Bunny, emerged as one of the most actively discussed elements of the day even before kick-off. This year, the pre-game conversation was not driven solely by social media speculation but also by prediction markets, which have grown rapidly and allowed users to trade on outcomes such as which brands would advertise, which songs Bad Bunny would perform, and whether Seattle or New England would record more rushing yards.
What Has Happened So Far at Super Bowl 60?
With the coin toss complete and pre-game ceremonies concluded, Super Bowl 60 has formally moved into its opening phase. The Seahawks will receive the first kick-off, while the Patriots will begin the second half with possession—a familiar strategic choice that often shapes momentum and play-calling decisions across the game's critical middle quarters. As the action unfolds, fans and analysts alike are closely watching for how these early dynamics will influence the outcome of this high-stakes championship game.
