Report: Beyoncé Not Paid For Half-Time Performance

NY Times photo

Beyoncé earned an average of $70 million each year from 2009-2011, dipping to $40 million last year as she and husband Jay-Z welcomed daughter Blue Ivy into the world. When she hits the road again, presumably later in 2013, she’ll likely return to grossing more than $2 million per night.

And yet, reports Forbes, when she took the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans Sunday, she wasn’t paid a penny for her efforts.

“We do not pay,” said NFL spokesperson Greg McCarthy in an email. “We cover all expenses associated with the performance.”

Those costs—which include travel, lodging, setup, fees for backup dancers and musicians—should add up to $600,000 or more, which is certainly significant. But so is playing without receiving a performance fee. So why did Beyoncé agree to play the Super Bowl for free?

Her spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment for this story, but others point to two main reasons. First, there’s the precedent set by Madonna, the Black-Eyed Peas and others who’ve done gratis halftime shows. Second, and also responsible for her predecessors’ decisions, there’s the fact that the halftime show is the most-watched musical event of the year.

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