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On Feb. 9, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will play in the 59th edition of the National Football League’s (NFL) Super Bowl in New Orleans. Across the country and beyond, people will have watch parties filled with food and friends.
Normally one of the biggest food consumption days of the year, it’s no surprise that food prices and food expenditure are part of the story every Super Bowl weekend. In 2024, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American consumers spent around $17.3 billion on Super Bowl weekend — and 80% of that expenditure went toward food and beverages.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimated that each U.S. household spent about $86.04 on Super Bowl game day fare in 2024 — which encompasses not only food and beverages but broadcasting costs, team accessories, and other party essentials.
Farmers Get Small Share of Food Dollars
Many of the most popular foods that will be bought and consumed during Super Bowl parties can be traced back to U.S. agriculture. According to the National Chicken Council, Americans are projected to consume 1.47 billion chicken wings on Sunday — a 1.5% increase from 2024.
In addition, beer sales were 20% above average for 2024’s Super Bowl weekend, according to the Beer Wholesalers Association.
However, for a group of 10 people, Wells Fargo’s recently released Super Bowl Study said a 10-person Super Bowl meal will cost an average of $139. This number is roughly similar to 2024 numbers, the study said, at only a 0.1% increase. But some foods have skyrocketed due to inflation — notably avocados (11.5% increase in price) and chicken wings (7.2%).
According to data from the USDA, NASS, and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), farmers are not reaping large benefits.
The following list provided by NFU shows that for items like beer, soda, and tortilla chips — staples of Super Bowl parties — farmers are receiving less than 15¢ of each $1 retail sale. One of the main reasons for this, NFU said, is the “decades of corporate consolidation” around food sales and retail, which winds up leaving farmers with “a fraction of the retail price.”
| Farmer’s Share of the Food Dollar: | ||
|---|---|---|
| ITEM | RETAIL PRICE | FARMER’S SHARE |
| Tortilla chips, 10 oz bag | $5.99 | $0.14 |
| Salsa, 16 oz jar | $2.79 | $1.47 |
| Bottle of soda, 2 liters | $2.67 | $0.06 |
| Ground beef/hamburger, 1 lb. | $10.99 | $1.90 |
| Cheese, 8 oz | $4.79 | $0.12 |
| Beer, 12 12-fl. oz cans | $14.99 | $0.06 |
Farmers get the highest share of salsa sales, with $1.47 of each salsa sale finding its way back to farmers — a near 50% share. Beer sales provide the worst sales share for farmers, the USDA and NASS data said, with just 6¢ of a 12-pack of beer (average retail price: $14.99) coming back to farmers who played a part in its production. The same is true for soda, although the retail price is significantly lower at $2.67 per 2-liter bottle.
According to 2024 data from Numerator, more than 70% of respondents planned to buy tortilla chips for the Super Bowl — but out of every $5.99 purchase of a 10-ounce bag, only 14¢ goes to farmers. Dairy farmers who produce cheese get only 12¢ for each 8-ounce sale of cheese products (on average listed at $4.79), while beef and cattle farmers get roughly $1.90 per each pound of ground beef (with an average retail price of $10.99 per pound, according to USDA and NASS).
Where are Super Bowl Players From?
There are 53 players each on the active rosters of the Chiefs and Eagles, and data from the U.S. Census Big Game chart puts into context where each player calls home — and which states are most represented.
Among the top Super Bowl states are a number of big agriculture states. Texas is at the top of the charts with 10 players in Sunday’s game (seven for the Eagles and three for the Chiefs), while California has five players from each team. Ohio is the Midwest state with the most players at six (four of them playing for the Chiefs) while Missouri, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Illinois, and Indiana have two players each who will be on the field for the big game.
Some of the players from the top 18 corn- and soybean-growing states have deep farming backgrounds, including Nebraska native Cam Jurgens. The center for Philadelphia grew up on a family farm just outside of Beatrice, Nebraska, in the southeast corner of the state. The family tended cattle and grew soybeans on the land.
In the family since 1907, this land is where Jurgens’ father Ted told local station 10/11 News he “Would help out with the cattle and do chores. He’d run the grain cart in the fall for the combine.”
On Sunday, Jurgens will be playing in his second Super Bowl — and carrying along the lessons he learned from his agricultural upbringing.
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