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Some of the biggest spenders on lobbying and campaign contributions will be on display Sunday during Super Bowl LX.
“There is no bigger stage than the Super Bowl,” said Rogan Kersh, a professor of public policy, the global vice chancellor at New York University, and an expert on lobbying and politics. “Companies paying a huge premium to advertise aim to burnish their brand with consumers and clients. And many are also eager to reach political leaders – whose decisions about regulation, taxation and government spending can be crucial to a company’s bottom line.”
Other than the men on the field, these are some of the big players in Super Bowl LX. Figures cover Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2025, and come from OpenSecrets and the Federal Election Commission.
Chicken wings. The National Chicken Council, which represents the chicken industry, says 1.5 billion wings will be eaten on Super Bowl Sunday. In 2025, the trade group spent $440,000 lobbying on issues such as worker safety and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, compared with $520,000 in 2024. Its political action committee contributed $213,500 to federal candidates last year.
Chips and dip. SNAC International, formerly the Snack Food Association, reported $390,000 in lobbying expenses last year, compared with $440,000 in 2024. Lobbying issues included tariffs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and food processing. Its PAC made $26,500 in campaign donations in 2025.
Having a cold one. The National Beer Wholesalers Association’s PAC contributed $1.5 million to federal candidates, leadership PACs and party committees last year, and the trade group spent the same amount to lobby in 2025, down slightly (from $1.7 million) a year earlier. Its issues included the tax levied only on multimillion-dollar estates and other tax breaks.
The Beer Institute, which represents the brewers, spent $2.9 million lobbying on issues such as the estate tax, down from $3.4 million a year earlier, and made $20,000 in donations. Its issues included federal alcohol regulations and advertising.
Of course, what’s a Super Bowl without a Budweiser ad? Anheuser-Busch InBev, the biggest U.S. brewery by volume, spent $5.4 million to lobby in 2025 – up from $5.1 million in 2024 – on such issues as differentiating beer from liquor and cannabis, and its political action committee made $257,500 in donations to federal candidates and national party committees.
Hold the alcohol. Lobbying costs for the trade group for sodas, juices and other non-alcoholic drinks, the American Beverage Association, reached $3.5 million last year, its highest total since 2010 and more than double the $1.5 million spent in 2024. Its issues included President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending bill and legislation reauthorizing federal nutrition programs. The trade group’s PAC made $86,000 in campaign contributions in 2025.
On the air. NBC will broadcast this year’s contest. Its parent company, Comcast, spent $12.9 million last year – $1 million less than in 2024 – to weigh on such issues as broadband, media consolidation and diversity, and children’s privacy. Comcast’s PAC contributed $1.3 million to federal candidates and political committees in 2025.
Playing politics. The National Football League’s Gridiron PAC contributed $482,500 to candidates and committees last year, including $15,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and $20,000 to the joint fundraising committee of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
The NFL spent a record $2 million in 2025, up from $1.5 million in 2024, to lobby on such issues as stadium construction, sports betting and security. Its lobbyists include Brian Ballard, who has parlayed his close ties with President Donald Trump into the biggest lobbying firm by revenue.
The league’s sales and marketing arm, NFL Ventures, donated $100,000 to President Donald Trump’s first inauguration, in 2017. The NFL gave $100,000 to Joe Biden’s inauguration four years later.
The players’ union spent $300,000 to lobby, an increase of $20,000 over its 2024 expenditures. Its main focus was on college athletics. The union’s PAC didn’t make any contributions last year.
Team colors: Blue or red. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft primarily has given to Democratic candidates, including Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. But he did donate $1 million to Trump’s first inauguration.
The Seattle Seahawks’s chief legal officer, Ed Goines, backed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024.
Wanna bet? The American Gaming Association predicts that Americans will place $1.8 billion in legal bets on Sunday’s Super Bowl. The trade group for the casino industry spent $2.2 million last year lobbying on taxes, money laundering, human trafficking and other issues. That’s an increase over the $2 million it spent in 2024. The AGA contributed $100,500 to candidates and committees last year.
Those lobbying efforts may be somewhat enhanced if the company behind them airs one of those most talked about commercials on Sunday, Kersh said.
“While there’s no conclusive evidence that lawmakers alter policy decisions because of an ad, the positive impression left by a successful Super Bowl ad – the one everyone’s talking about on Monday – can create a halo effect that boosts a company’s reputation in the West Wing and on Capitol Hill, just as in the boardroom and at the cash register,” he said.
Jonathan D. Salant has covered money and politics out of Washington for almost 40 years. He is a former president of the National Press Club and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists D.C. chapter’s Journalism Hall of Fame.
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