YouTube Takes Over Super Bowl Concert from TikTok
In a major platform shift, YouTube has taken over the Super Bowl "Tailgate Concert" from previous host TikTok. The pre-game event will now feature a livestream with Post Malone, signaling an intensified battle between digital platforms for audience attention around major live events.
This sponsorship change is part of a larger, multi-year agreement between the NFL and Google. YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels secured the exclusive rights to distribute NFL Sunday Ticket in the United States, a deal reportedly valued at $2 billion annually. This partnership has been expanding since 2015, with the NFL and its 32 teams establishing official channels on the platform. The Super Bowl Tailgate concert tradition began at Super Bowl LIV as a virtual event during the pandemic, with TikTok as the inaugural sponsor. TikTok held the sponsorship for four years, from 2021 to 2024, featuring major artists like Miley Cyrus, Gwen Stefani, The Chainsmokers, and Jason Derulo. The event grew from a virtual celebration to an in-person pre-game party that was also livestreamed. The transition to YouTube as the official sponsor marks a significant moment for the platform as it deepens its relationship with the NFL. In addition to the Sunday Ticket rights, YouTube has also become the presenting sponsor of NFL Kickoff Weekend and Back Together Saturday, the official start of training camp. This move signals a strategic effort to integrate YouTube's creator community and global reach with major live sporting events. Post Malone's selection as the headliner for the first YouTube-sponsored tailgate is not his first Super Bowl appearance. The Grammy-nominated artist previously performed "America the Beautiful" at Super Bowl LVIII in 2024. His performance for the Super Bowl LIX YouTube Tailgate Concert will be livestreamed from outside the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
