Rolling Stone magazine will host a Super Bowl party on Jan. 31, the night before the game, "at the Venue Scottsdale for about 1,000 guests," the fourth straight year the magazine will hold a such an event, according to Nathalie Tadena of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, along with "other big-name performers and DJs," will provide entertainment for the party. Rolling Stone Publisher Michael Provus said that the event is "'well over' a seven-figure investment," similar to past Super Bowl parties. The magazine "has faced some backlash recently over a tarnished article" about an alleged gang rape at the Univ. of Virginia. However, Provus said that the story "didn't have any impact on the publication's plans to host a Super Bowl party." Tadena noted hosting a party around the game "is one way to use the hype around the Super Bowl to elevate the profiles of its marketing partners." Miller Lite, whose parent company MillerCoors "doesn't run national ads during the Super Bowl," is the presenting beer sponsor for the party. Being associated with such a pregame party "with A-list stars and entertainment is one way to grab a piece of the marketing buzz surrounding the sports event without shelling out big for an NFL sponsorship or a 30-second spot." Maxim and Playboy are among the other publications "throwing Super Bowl events the weekend of the game" (WSJ.com, 1/5).
