Rihanna Was Paid (Almost) Nothing for Super Bowl Halftime Show - Here's Why

While some reports will say that Rihanna earned nothing for performing at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show, that’s not entirely true.

You might be surprised to hear that the halftime performers earn barely anything for their work at the Super Bowl.

Head inside to find out why…

While some reports claim that the stars are earning NOTHING for their work, they actually are getting a small performance fee. The NFL also pays for all of the production costs involved with creating the halftime show, including the travel costs for the performers.

“The NFL covers all costs associated with the show and does pay the performers’ union scale. There is not an appearance fee, but the artists are indeed paid union scale,” NFL’s vice president of communications, Brian McCarthy, told Newsweek.

Union scale is the minimum amount that performers must be paid due to contracts with their union. SAG-AFTRA has a minimum of $1,030 a day for performers, as of June 2021.

Most people in the world would love to make that much money for a day’s work, but it’s a fraction of what A-List performers normally earn.

“We do not pay the artists,” NFL spokesperson Joanna Hunter told Forbes in 2016. “We cover expenses and production costs.”

Music artists are usually completely fine with not being paid for their work at the Super Bowl Halftime Show because it’s considered to be an honor to get chosen to perform and the show provides incredible exposure.

Find out what Mary J. Blige said about not being paid for her work last year.

Rihanna‘s halftime show is the second most watched one of all time!