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Super Bowl 2021: Predictions for Top Commercials, Halftime Show, National Anthem
February 5, 2021
While Sunday's game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers is sure to bring with it plenty of excitement, it's not the only draw on tap for Super Bowl LV.
As has been the case in recent years, many fans will watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, the halftime entertainment and the national anthem as well as for the game itself. That's not going to change in 2021, with plenty of star power already lined up.
This year's national anthem will be a duet between country performer Eric Church and singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan. The halftime show will feature Abel Makkonen Tesfaye—better known as The Weeknd—while this year's lineup of commercials will feature the likes of Jason Alexander, Will Ferrell, John Travolta, Matthew McConaughey and Mila Kunis.
Here, you'll find some predictions for Sunday's side entertainment—the stuff besides that aforementioned Chiefs-Buccaneers matchup.
Super Bowl Non-Game Predictions
Best Commercial: General Motors Featuring Will Ferrell
While the comedic style of Will Ferrell may not appeal to every fan, it's hard not to consider the Saturday Night Live alum a comedic icon. From his SNL days to hit movies like Step Brothers and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Ferrell has certainly left his mark on the world of comedy.
This Sunday, Ferrell will get an opportunity to make his mark on the Super Bowl broadcast.
In an ad for General Motors, Ferrell looks to challenge the nation of Norway because of its prolific presence in the electric vehicle (EV) market. He enlists the help of fellow SNL star Kenan Thompson and actor/musician Awkwafina on his mission.
Unsurprisingly, hilarity ensures.
The ad is part of GM's campaign to have 30 EV models on the market by the year 2025. While some viewers may not catch the EV message entirely, this funny and memorable commercial should be one of Sunday's highlights.
Kenny G Will NOT Appear During the Halftime Show
The halftime performance by The Weeknd also promises to be a memorable one. The notable singer-songwriter has dived headfirst into performance art over the last year and will undertake a halftime show performed entirely in the stands at Raymond James Stadium.
"Only in the stands and nothing in the field," one source said, per Ian Mohr of Page Six. "It’s really phenomenal, different and historic.”
This unorthodox approach to the performance may make it difficult for The Weeknd to incorporate multiple guest artists into his show—if he includes any at all. While surprise performers often pop up during the halftime show, The Weeknd is the only confirmed artist thus far.
However, fans can bet on who might make a guest appearance. One of the more interesting prop bets from sportsbettingdime.com involves acclaimed jazz saxophonist Kenny G and whether he'll appear during the show.
Kenny G did appear in The Weeknd's song "In Your Eyes" along with the accompanying music video. However, it's hard to picture him appearing at the Super Bowl for an understated and brief portion of a single song.
Anything can happen at the Super Bowl, of course, but our guess is that Kenny G does not appear.
The National Anthem will be UNDER 119 Seconds
Fans can make Super Bowl bets that resolve before the game even kicks off. Another prop features an over/under of one minute and 59 seconds for the national anthem.
There are a couple of reasons to back the under with this particular prop. For one, Church has never sung the national anthem and has never publicly performed with Sullivan. In fact, Church never planned to attempt singing the anthem before the Super Bowl opportunity presented itself.
"I've said this forever, 'I will never, ever sing the national anthem,'" Church told Today's Country Radio with Kelleigh. "It's so hard."
So, we're unlikely to see Church trying to one-up Sullivan here—and it's worth noting that she performed the anthem in under two minutes at the 2004 NHL All-Star Game—which should help keep things relatively brief.
A lack of established chemistry could also place this performance on the short side. Church and Sullivan will likely look to keep things simple and to avoid mistakes rather than produce a drawn-out rendition.
Our guess is that this year's anthem comes in just shy of 119 seconds.