If you’re not interested in the football, you may be one of thousands watching the Super Bowl simply for the commercials.  Advertisers of all kinds are securing their spot, paying as much as $4.5 million this year for 30 seconds of air time.  It’s a high price to pay, about 12.5% higher than last year, but Fox executives claim that the true value of such a spot is closer to $10 million when the PR and exposure associated with it are considered. 

These commercials reach an estimated 100 million viewers, though for first time Super Bowl advertisers it’s still a risk.  Research from Communicus, an advertising consulting company, has shown that only one out of five Super Bowl commercials actually persuade consumers to reconsider a particular brand.   

Fox sportscasters are also gearing up for the big game with the help of new tracking and replay technology, like the Paint Sports Telestrator and Sony F55 cameras with 4K replay capability.  With these and other systems in place Fox can better analyze and track player movement, providing its viewers with more accurate play-by-play updates and advanced graphics. 

NBCUniversal will also be launching an 11-hour free digital video stream beginning with pregame coverage and ending with a brand new episode of “the Blacklist” after the game.  The network usually requires a log-in and password in order for users to view content on the website, but for Super Bowl Sunday they’re opening their services to all who are interested.

For those lucky enough to get inside the University of Phoenix Stadium this year, the Cardinals have ensured that there will be no dead zones during Super Bowl XLIX.  The stadium recently underwent a huge wireless upgrade to ensure that all 60,000 people inside will be able to easily connect to their mobile devices. 

Where will you be on Super Bowl Sunday?  Share with us in the comments!