Uber shuts out competitors with Super Bowl exclusivity deal
Uber has purchased the exclusive rights to the Super Bowl 50, effectively shutting out taxis and its rival ride-hailing app companies such as Lyft.
The San Francisco-based company has reportedly paid at least $250,000 to $500,000 to sponsor the Super Bowl Host Committee, which coordinates the transportation for the game which is being held 45 miles south of its Santa Clara headquarters.
As part of the exclusive deal Uber will be the only car service to have its own designated pick-up and drop-off zones in the stadium area. Passengers will have their own rider lounge to wait in for their rides, and the app will only let riders be picked up or dropped off from the designated area in order to prevent congestion around the parking areas.
"We are excited to celebrate our home city as a Super Bowl Host Committee partner. This year's game is in our backyard, and we want to make sure Bay Area residents and fans from all over the world can easily get to the action at the tap of a button for the smoothest Super Bowl experience yet," an Uber spokeswoman told Business Insider.
The agreement is the first time that any kind of car service has been allowed to operate from the stadium. Last year’s Super Bowl in New Jersey explicitly forbid any Uber cars or taxis from dropping of customers in the stadium area.
The news illustrates the strides forward Uber has made in a relatively short space of time and adds to a number of recent innovative moves the company has made such as partnering with aircraft manufacturer Airbus to offer an on-demand helicopter pick-up service.