Super Bowl Halftime Length Explained: Timing, Setup & Why It’s Longer Than Normal

Since the first Super Bowl took place back in 1967, the halftime show has evolved into one of the biggest performances globally of the year.

While a typical NFL game features a halftime that gives the players a brief break, the Super Bowl halftime show is a full-on spectacle for viewers to enjoy. This year, rapper Bad Bunny will headline the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium, hoping to put on a memorable performance on football’s center stage.

Before the big game commences, here’s a look at how long the Super Bowl halftime runs.

How Long Is Halftime at the Super Bowl?

Halftime at the Super Bowl typically lasts between 25-30 minutes. This is a significant step up from the usual halftime during games, which tends to last between 12 to 15 minutes.

Why Super Bowl Halftime Is Longer Than a Regular NFL Halftime

The extended intermission is of course for the Super Bowl halftime show, which requires extra time for the performance, set-up, and take down of the set.

As the crews work to get the stage, lighting, audio and cameras all set for the halftime show, the broadcast of the game goes to commercial break and to the halftime desk, who provide their review of the first half and thoughts for how the second half will play out.

Once the stage is ready, the halftime show takes place, typically lasting between 12 to 14 minutes, and the broadcast goes to another commercial break as the stage is deconstructed to prepare for the second half.

How Halftime Has Changed Over the Years

In the early days of the Super Bowl, the halftime show often featured a college marching band or drill team performing on the field in between halves. These halftime performances also typically included a theme for the show, from “Mardi Gras festival” when the Super Bowl was in New Orleans to “Salute to Hollywood’s 100th Anniversary” when the Super Bowl was at the Rose Bowl in 1987.

This began to change in the 1990s when the Super Bowl began featuring top musical artists during the halftime show—with none bigger than Michael Jackson’s iconic halftime performance in 1992. Since, the Super Bowl halftime show has become one of the biggest concerts annually, with the opportunity to headline the show drawing some of the top musical artists in the world.

Impact of Performers on Super Bowl Halftime Length

Though a number of Super Bowl halftime shows feature jaw-dropping effects or stunts like Lady Gaga jumping in from the roof at NRG Stadium in 2017 to Diana Ross exiting the stadium in a helicopter in 1996, Super Bowl halftime performances halftime shows have consistently landed between 12 to 14 minutes.

Super Bowl Halftime Setup & Breakdown Logistics

Preparation for the Super Bowl halftime show begins months in advance, coordinating the logistics and designing the sets so that the halftime show is ready to go in just six minutes of setup on the day of the big game.

The setup often requires hundreds of volunteers to help out and practicing beforehand to ensure they can quickly master putting the stage together. Just the stage can require around 40 different carts to transport the various parts onto the field for setup. Along with the stage, there are even more carts bringing audio equipment, props, microphones and lighting while ensuring that the field conditions are not affected by the setup.

How Extended Halftime Affects Players & Coaches

The extended halftime break is a change in routine for players and coaches of the teams competing in the Super Bowl.

“It really gets into a whole restarting mentality,” Bill Belichick said back in 2012. “It’s not like taking a break and coming out in the second half. It’s like starting the game all over again. It’s like playing a game, stopping, and then playing a second game. It’s like a double-header in baseball, if you will.”

“There's almost a period of, like, you truly need to shut it down for a second and then ramp it back up,” Andrew Whitworth told USA Today Sports last year. “Whereas in like halftime normally, I would never even sit down usually. I’d just kind of walk around the locker room and sip some water, get ready to go back out there.”

Some teams have prepared for the longer halftime by taking 30 minute breaks during practice to simulate the intermission period.

Multiple players detailed to USA Today that their coaches will create a schedule for the extended halftime, from setting aside time to have a snack and get hydrated, go over coaching points to warming up again. Among the emphasis is not to get too amped up due to the longer intermission.

Fan Experience: What to Expect During Super Bowl Halftime

For many fans gathered together with friends and family on Super Bowl Sunday, the halftime show is the highlight of the day. The halftime show is a major cultural phenomenon that sees the performance producing memes like Left Shark, debates on how good the show actually was and who should headline in the future.