The Who Getting’ in Tune with Super Bowl-‘CSI’ Synergy

With The Who headlining the Super Bowl half-time show, CBS gets to subliminally market its CSI franchise.

One Super Bowl promo already in heavy rotation on CBS less than 24 hours after the teams were decided is The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” which is the theme song for CSI:Miami. The Super Bowl will take place Feb. 7 at Miami’s Dolphin Stadium. (Who songs “Who Are You” and “Baba O’Riley” are the theme songs for CSI and CSI:NY, respectively.)

But the symphonic synergy was simply “serendipity,” says George Schweitzer, president of CBS Marketing Group.

The NFL is in charge of half-time entertainment. And while they submitted a “very short” list of headliners to CBS executives for input, ultimately the decision was the league’s.

“Of course, we were enthusiastic [about The Who],” says Schweitzer. “They’re great performers. And they just happen to be the house band.”