Michael Jackson's 1993 Super Bowl Halftime: The Performance That Changed Everything — Quick Facts
Michael Jackson rose beneath Rose Bowl stage and stood silent for 90 seconds while 98,000 fans went insane. This moment saved Super Bowl halftime.
Key Data Points
- Jackson demanded $1 million and asked to push kickoff back 3 hours for nighttime performance but NFL refused both requests
- Fox's 'In Living Color' pulled 22% of CBS viewers in 1992 with live comedy during boring Winter Magic halftime show
- Jackson's 90-second frozen pose generated $2.7 million in commercial airtime value while 133.4 million viewers watched
Frequently Asked
- How much did Michael Jackson demand to perform at the 1993 Super Bowl halftime show?
- Michael Jackson initially demanded $1 million to perform at Super Bowl XXVII in 1993, but after three failed negotiations, he agreed to perform for a $100,000 donation to his Heal the World Foundation instead.
- Why did the NFL book Michael Jackson for the 1993 Super Bowl halftime show?
- The NFL booked Michael Jackson after Fox's 'In Living Color' pulled 22% of CBS viewers away from the 1992 Super Bowl XXVI halftime show, proving that viewers were leaving during the halftime performance and creating an existential threat to the broadcast.
- What did Michael Jackson ask the NFL to change about Super Bowl XXVII?
- Michael Jackson requested that the NFL push the Super Bowl kickoff back three hours to create a nighttime performance slot, which would have delayed the 3:25 p.m. kickoff to midnight in Central and Eastern time zones, but the NFL refused.
- How many people watched Michael Jackson's 1993 Super Bowl halftime performance?
- Michael Jackson's 1993 Super Bowl halftime performance was watched by 133.4 million viewers, with his iconic 90-second frozen pose generating an estimated $2.7 million in commercial airtime value.
- What songs did Michael Jackson perform at the 1993 Super Bowl halftime show?
- Michael Jackson performed a medley that included 'Jam,' 'Billie Jean,' 'Black or White,' 'We Are the World,' and 'Heal the World,' concluding surrounded by 3,500 L.A.-area children.