Super Bowl Week is renowned for its hype, the parties full of players and celebrities and the over-the-top extravaganza that is Media Day.
It is also a cash windfall opportunity for former players, with appearances at corporate events or private parties paying out thousands of dollars.
“All these guys are in town. This is their business,” said Robert Tuchman, a sports management and entertainment consultant whose company, Goviva, helps organize such events. “What really makes this interesting is there is competition off the field [for these gigs].”
Tuchman — whose organization works with Joe Montana, Phil Simms, Warren Moon, Darryl Johnston, Boomer Esiason and Terrell Davis, among others — said the upper-tier draws, such as former coaches like Bill Parcells or former stars like Montana will earn upward of $60,000 for a two-hour engagement while the lower-tier talent will land between $10,000 to $15,000 for an event.
Former Super Bowl MVP and Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann made appearances this week at a food contest, Caesars Palace in Atlantic City, at a Maroon 5 and JBL concert, and at HARMAN’s flagship retail and experience store in Midtown for a live broadcast on NBC Sports with Erik Kuselias and former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum.
“I just show up, and that’s the nice part,” Theismann said. “It’s press the flesh, saying hi to people.”
It is a popular way for corporations to get involved in the Super Bowl without spending a small fortune to host clients at the game. Typically, they will bring a star or two in for a question-and-answer session that features autograph signings and photo opportunities.
“The reaction is priceless when a client meets a childhood idol. I have seen prominent CEOs look like kids,” one executive said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he didn’t want his company’s name revealed. “With the cost of the Super Bowl really expensive this year, we figured this was a good way to do a client event for a fraction of the cost to send the same group to the game.”
It’s a way for fans to meet their idols in a personable manner. Theismann will let clients try on his Super Bowl ring and show them how the Broncos receivers run their pick play.
“People are curious, not too many people have the chance to be able to play in a Super Bowl, to be a part of a Super Bowl and win a Super Bowl,” Theismann said. “A lot of people like to know what it’s like, what’s it’s like to put on that ring, what’s it likes to be able to play. Those are the questions that get asked. I’m the guy lucky enough to one of those guys to tell you what happened.
“It works out pretty well. There’s a lot of wonderful opportunities to be able to share my experiences of Super Bowls with people.”
Tuchman said it pays for players to root for their former team, that increases their value and popularity during Super Bowl week.
“You’re going to get gigs you’ve never gotten,” he said. “Your fees will rise 50 percent.”
Tuchman said the business has increased this week because of the game’s close proximity to New York City. Jets center Nick Mangold said he has participated in far more events this year than in other Super Bowls, and Esiason, the former Jets quarterback and WFAN radio show host who uses the appearances to supplement his foundation, which funds research to find a cure for cystic fibrosis, echoed Mangold.
“We’ve done 50 percent more of these events this year because there are so many companies based here,” Tuchman said. “They have clients who want to get involved with the Super Bowl without having to go to the game.”
Sunday night, millions around the world will tune into the game. But the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII also illustrates the overall draw of the league, Esiason believes.
“It just goes to show the power and popularity of what the NFL is all about,” Esiason said. “If you get good, engaging ex-players — like Terry Bradshaw is good, Howie [Long] is good, Chris Collinsworth is good — you can get a lot out of a great appearance.”