The market historically has outperformed when an original NFL team wins the Super Bowl and lags when an original AFL team wins. Last year was special, with both the Cardinals and the Steelers being members of the original NFL before the merger with the AFL in 1970.
Getty Images
Vince Lombardi trophy
This year, we have a repeat with both the Saints and the Colts hailing from the original NFL. The original NFL teams that switched to the AFC when the AFL and NFL merged include the Steelers, the Colts and the Browns.
Getty Images
Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints and Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts walk on the field during 2010 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl at Sun Life Stadium.
Additionally, high scoring games (40+ points) also correspond to good market years while lower scoring games (39 points or less) coincide with weaker years. Last year, the Steelers and the Cardinals scored a combined 50 points. With Peyton Manning and Drew Brees this year could it be another good year as well?
Below are the avg annual returns for the Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq for years that original AFL / NFL teams (Tampa Bay Bucs and Baltimore Ravens expansion teams excluded) won the big game. Note NASDAQ data is since 1972
- 41 Super Bowls with Original AFL / NFL teams
- 29 NFL wins
- 12 AFL wins
- Avg annual returns when NFL wins
- Dow up 12.5%
- S&P up 12.6%
- Nasdaq up 14.9%
- Avg annual returns when AFL wins
- Dow down -4.8%
- S&P down -3.6%
- Nasdaq up +3.0%
Using the current AFC / NFC delineations, you get the following:
- 43 Super Bowls to date
- 22 NFC wins
- 21 AFC wins
- Avg annual returns when NFC wins
- Dow up 12.1%
- S&P up 11.5%
- Nasdaq up 12.8%
- Avg annual returns when AFC wins
- Dow up 2.8%
- S&P up 4.0%
- Nasdaq up 10.6%
Looking at High (40+) and Low scoring games:
- 43 Super Bowls to date
- 27 games with 40 or more total points
- 15 games with 39 or fewer points
- Avg annual returns when total points scored are 40+
- Dow up 11.4%
- S&P up 12.2%
- Nasdaq up 18.3%
- Avg annual returns total points scored are less than 40
- Dow up 1.1%
- S&P up 0.3%
- Nasdaq down -.8%
- Note the avgs when the NFC wins a low scoring game
- Dow up 3.1%
- S&P up 3.6%
- Nasdaq up 4.3%
See which Super Bowl Matchups were the best and worst harbingers for the markets on the next page...
Super Bowl - Best Year for the Markets
Super Bowl IX: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings
Date: January 12, 1975
Venue: Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, LA
Final Score: Pittsburgh 16, Minnesota 6
Dow Jones Industrial Avg (1975): up 38.3%
Super Bowl - Worst Year for the Markets
Super Bowl XLII: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots
Date: February 3, 2008
Venue: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Final Score: New York 17, New England 14
Dow Jones Industrial Avg (2008): down 33.8%
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