Super Bowl News Roundup: Alec Baldwin, TV ads

Alec Baldwin to host NFL Honors at Murat Theater

The NFL and Associated Press plan to present the Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year and the rest of the league's annual awards during a prime-time broadcast from the Murat Theater on Feb. 4, the evening before the Super Bowl. The event will be hosted by the actor Alec Baldwin and include a performance by Lenny Kravitz and appearances by Hall of Fame players including Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders and Steve Young. NFL Honors will be broadcast live on NBC.

NBC sells out its ads for Super Bowl 2012

All of the planned television ads during Super Bowl 2012 are spoken for, at an average of $3.5 million for a 30-second spot. NBC still is accepting ads for its pregame show and is working from a waiting list for game-time spots. A senior vice president at the network told the AP that the biggest change this year is advertisers are buying longer spots to showcase their creativity.

Packers, Patriots, 49ers, Saints are favorites in Indy2012.com poll

The Green Bay Packers continue to lead the way as Super Bowl favorites in the Indy2012.com poll, with 40 percent of the votes, followed by the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots with 8 percent each. The New Orleans Saints have received just 5 percent of the votes in the poll in the right column. It's not too late to vote!

Super Bowl 2012 News Updates

Tickets now on sale for NFL Experience, Super Bowl Village Zip Line

Fans from Indianapolis and elsewhere can now buy tickets to some of the biggest non-game festivities, including the NFL Experience at the Indiana Convention Center for $25, and a zip line tour through the Super Bowl Village, for $10 per person. More

NFL partners with Disney on Super Bowl training

The NFL has enlisted the Disney Institute to put on a training program for more than 20,000 employees who will interact with fans at the 2012 Super Bowl. The goal is to make visiting fans "feel like VIPs". The move is a response to serious logistical issues during the 2011 Super Bowl, when more than 3,000 ticket-holders wound up without seats. More

Giant Super Bowl ads planned for downtown buildings

Several building owners in Indianapolis are hoping to sell space for giant ads for NFL sponsors. The first two banners, for Frito Lay and Pepsi, will hang on two sides of the Pan Am Plaza office building. An Indianapolis consulting firm is leading an auction to sell space on 17 other prominent buildings. More

It's official: Madonna will provide half-time entertainment

The NFL announced this week that the pop star Madonna will sing at half-time of the big game on Feb. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium. It will be the first Super Bowl performance for Madonna. She follows The Black Eyed Peas and The Who as the most recent big-game performers. The Indiana University Marching Hundred will perform during the pre-game festivities. More

Super Bowl 2012 News Roundup

A Super hideaway for VIPs
The NFL is working on plans to transform a portion of Union Station into an ultra-exclusive hangout for corporate sponsors, team owners and former players. The league is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to build the ski-lodge themed NFL House, the first time it has put together such a venue. More

Super Bowl advertising lineup takes shape
TV ads during the NBC broadcast of the big game are going for as much as $3.5 million for a 30-second spot. Of course, the usual suspects Anheuser-Busch Inbev, Coca-Cola, General Motors and Doritos will be well represented. Spots also are expected from Century 21, Best Buy, Cars.com and GoDaddy.com. More

Game time for food-truck owners
Indianapolis food truck owners are gearing up to serve football fans during the Super Bowl week. Among the top attractions are Mable on the Move, Edward's Dashboard Diner and West Coast Tacos. Fun fact: Americans consume more food on Super Bowl Sunday than every other day except Thanksgiving. More 

Colts honor Marvin Harrison
The Colts won't be playing in the Super Bowl Feb. 5, but one of the team's legends soon will have a permanent place in the host stadium. The team plans to add Harrison to the Lucas Oil Stadium Ring of Honor during halftime of the Carolina Panthers game Nov. 27. He'll be only the eighth member of a group that includes Robert Irsay, Jim Harbaugh and Tony Dungy. More