hennemusic

There’s a buzz in the sports community that Van Halen could be on tap to play Super Bowl 47 next year in New Orleans.

NBC Sports first speculated on the band’s involvement a few weeks ago following comments made by Eddie Van Halen regarding the group’s touring plans.

On the heels of canceling a full run of summer US tour dates, Eddie told USA Today that "a lot of the canceled dates were in cities we already played. So in November we'll hit Japan, and in the new year we'll possibly do something special, but I can't talk about it."

Read more of Eddie’s interview here.

On Monday, NBC Sports made more references to Van Halen’s involvement in the 2013 event while addressing the news that Pepsi is returning to sponsor the half-time show following the departure of Bridgestone.

As sponsor of the Super Bowl halftime show — and, from the sound of it, having greater say in who the act will be — NBC Sports says the SportsBusiness Journal reports that Pepsi will pay “upward of” $7 million per year.

Pepsi reportedly hopes to use the sponsorship to link “its sports and music platforms,” via what the marketing types call a “season long music and sports platform that could be leveraged at retail throughout the season and would culminate in the usual Super Bowl halftime appearance by a major musical act.”

Van Halen may just fit that Pepsi bill.

Super Bowl 47 is set for February 3, 2013 in New Orleans.

Van Halen wrap up the first leg of their “A Different Kind Of Truth” tour on Tuesday in New Orleans before taking a summer break.

To check out a list of potential Super Bowl rockers posted by hennemusic back in February of 2011, click here.

Stay tuned.

Van