Love and Money: Unpacking the Valentine's Day Spending Phenomenon Plus Super Bowl Super Ratings

This is Right About Now with Ryan Alford, a Radcast Network production. We are the number one business show on the planet with over 1 million downloads a month. Taking the BS out of business for over six years and over 400 episodes. You ready to start snapping necks and caching checks? Well, it starts right about now. Hello and welcome to Right About Now. It's Friday, February 14th, 2025. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone out there. We love you and hopefully you love us back. If you don't, then just pretend, you know, isn't that what makes the relationships go around, thinking it till you make it. Yeah, acting as if acting as if I'm Ryan Alford your host. I'm here in G Vegas. It's also known as Greenville, South Carolina in the lovely social house on the swamp rabbit trail downtown. Come by and see us anytime. My cowork lounge is the coolest spot in Greenville. Another coolest spot is where my buddy, Chris Hanson is down in Miami. What's up, Chris? What's up, Ryan? How you doing, Doug? I'm good, man. I got my noise maker that will come into effect here shortly. It's red too for Valentine's Day. You know, will you be mine, Chris? My friend. We're in the friends today, just today. We hope everyone's, you know, getting hit by Cupid or nothing nefarious out there with hearts and dinners and lovely events and Valentine's Day was wonderful for you. We need a men, men in time's day or something, a guy in time's day. I don't know if they gullantine, I don't know. What do you call it? Dude, dude, time. Yeah. I'm really, I'm really trying to find some cool sounding, but I can't. Yeah. Bro time. I don't know. Who knows? But anyway, it's a day of love. We do love you for choosing us. We know you have choices. So we appreciate you wherever you are, whenever you're however you're listening and our business news here of the week. On February 14th, lots happening, we got two, oh, yeah, so much happening. We had our boy David on, yes, I mean, look, so many things happen, we had to have two news episodes. You're going to see more of that two to three a week when we could fit him in long term. That's the plan. So David called well, appreciate him, business mentor, XNFL and just one hell of a good guy. Ultimately, right? Solid. Solid. Solid. Yeah. Might be your date tonight. I don't know. Could be. It might need to go grab a steak with one of the boys. I'd say there it is. You got gallon. I got a reservation, but oh, yeah, you don't or you do know, I do. I had a reservation set at a steakhouse. I plan ahead. It's the first year I've actually done that. Usually it's like when I have a girlfriend, I don't even plan it, but Roland Solo, I figured, you know what? The homies always show a lot of love. Let me go get a steak with one of the boys. I like that. I need to give you like a so much better. I guess that's the point. I picture you watch around your house narrating every, like, moments with it. Yes. Like your wife's dad. Time for dinner and you're like, boom, boom, boom. Yep. Yep. There it is. So, yes. I'm going to fill with this. My kids, I'm doing it. We're open to pack a baseball cards. And if, you know, it's no good, it's like Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl. Yeah. But hopefully it's. So, I did want to talk about, from a business perspective, Valentine's Day is big business. You know, hearts and love and all that stuff. We're going to talk about the economic, Valentine's Day 25 will create an economic impact in communities across the country. Here's some numbers. Just staggering, Chris. Staggering. So, sure it is for everyone out there, sit down if you aren't already. The National Retail Federation estimates that 56% of consumers plan to celebrate Valentine's Day. Thank you for you. For you. So, we like that. We want to celebrate the love. And with an estimated 27.5 billion dollars spent on the holiday in the U.S. alone, that's about $188 a household. So, in a real time, man, I saw last night, I see a lot of dudes walking around with flowers and balloons, getting it in early, a lot of money. So what's popular this year for Valentine's Day? We're going to go down that path. We really pray at the uschamber.com for this stats, by the way, uschamber.com. Good partner and friend of, right about now. We like chambers, Chris likes those torture chambers. So, here we go. Flowers. The Society of American Flores reports 250 million roses alone are prepared by U.S. Flores. 250 mil. It's a lot of roses, man. I mean, bushes. Dude. Where are they coming from? Where are these roses? Farms, that is. There's people that their whole living is made on roses. Like, that's all they do. They farm them all year. That's it. It's all about love. They're a part of a wonderful time in people's lives. We need to get one of them on the show. Yeah. We should. Rose farmer. Rose farmer. You know, every rose has its own. They can talk about the thorns and the not. And I will promise not to ever sing again. Chocolate and candy, sweets are the most popular gifts with 56% of Americans planning to purchase candy. All right. So, I will give you a couple of examples. Wallet hubs. 2025 Valentine's Day. Surveys notes that 6 million marriage proposals are made on February 14th each year and 36% of Americans agree that proposing on Valentine's Day is romantic. I was going to say cringey but okay, 36. Where did it go? The guy in Times day here. edition. 36. So 64% thinks it's cringey. So the majority still is anti-proposing on valentines. That's good to know. We're in the majority there. Don't forget pets. Love to love. They do love to love the love them. Don't forget pets. Valentine's Day isn't just a time to shower your classmates, significant other or family with gifts. Capital one shopping reports that pet owners spent 1.5 billion on valentines' day's gifts for their pets last year. 31.24, $31.24 for dogs and $27.42 for cats on average. Attracts. Bus people having kids, more people treating their animals like you know the most disappointing fact of all of that is how close the the number is for the cats is to the dogs. I mean that's just bullshit. We know like you don't think cat people love their cats as equal as dogs. They do but the cats don't earn it so much. They don't earn it. Let's be honest, the dogs should get twice as much you know like there's twice there's four times as better four times as that's my grammar for the day. Four times better and they get only on a 5% less money spent on them. Oh man I'm gonna have to really fight that. Oh wait you down that hill. Like cats? I've met some good cats in my day and I've got some friends that are cat owners so I can't and I love them so you know okay balance we need them we need them. Our relationship just changed. I don't want to cat in my house though. I'll make that very clear. I don't want to own one but I'm a dog guy through and through you know that. I know that storms hearing every word you're saying and I'm going to have to come rescue you and if you talk about cats anymore. Heard cat he peaked on the corner. Yeah. Local restaurants step up on Cupid's big day dining out on Valentine's Day represents a large portion of consumer spending positively impacting workers and businesses throughout more tips through more tips and bigger overall dining checks. Yes. Again, test to that. According to survey data from toast Valentine's Day was big business for restaurants last year even though the holiday fell in the middle of the week. Overall transactions were up 41% at full service restaurants for that same day. Takeout sales were up 46% diners were out later with the busiest time being 7 pm. The same survey listed steak seafood sushi and pasta as top food items of Valentine's Day compared with a typical Wednesday at a full service restaurant. Since the Valentine's Day is a great time for establishments to offer their customers specials including gift cards, perks and cross business promotions. If you aren't doing that you're listening early in the day you need to get on that. Bring the number to Friday night man. Friday night Valentine's Day you know hardest is probably to get it you can't get it anywhere on Friday night anyway. You're too late now. You know right. You know what I will be three weeks ago. Super romantic and different waffle house on Valentine's Day. You get me a girl that wants to go to a waffle house on Valentine's Day. Dude get a heart and have a wedding ring. You know bring a shape that they could do like a heart shape waffle or something. Definitely they could do that. And see if they'll let you bring in like some champagne or something. Little mimosa. I don't know if they'll do that but maybe you sneak it in. I mean I'm on full of ideas here. There's every woman that listens to this show just unsubscribed. Like I ain't going to no waffle house. Yeah and they might not want their boyfriend listening either after that. I'm just saying here's where the idea is not to be cheap. The idea is actually more thoughtful. It's unique. It's probably one of the only places that you might could slip in on a Friday night on Valentine's Day. And you know what? The company makes the date not where you go. My grandmother always said it's the company you keep whether having steaks or hot dogs. This is true. Yeah it's very true. It is very true. Hey and you know what from a marketing standpoint of your in the social media game you're going to stand out much different if you're posting at waffle house for your Valentine's dinner. Exactly. It's a moment in time. It's a curve ball. Yeah. It's kind of a throwback. Agreed. Hit me in the DMs if you want to hit waffle house. Yeah exactly. Chris is single. Hey ask Chris out. You know still got time. We recorded this today early. So you got time. DM Chris at you'll be hearing it Friday morning hopefully our loyal listeners playing it first thing on the treadmill or wherever you are. But yeah get out there. Make it happen. So lots of I mean I still go back to the very right where we started there. A big 27.5 billion. We throw a lot of numbers around a lot. That's a lot of money man. Yeah. With I was surprised about the $188 per household. I mean that candy for your kids is just not I mean you know take those Valentine's school even he's think it doesn't roses in a dinner nowadays. That's right. And you want 80. If I get a waffle house man. You know waffle house. It's not fast food. Yeah you get it's home cooked right there. It's made to order. Made to order. Go to a breakfast place. Breakfast for dinner. Go to I hop. You know or dinnies. Yeah it could be a little breakfast and take a little thermos with mimosas or something. Make it romantic. Take your roses in there. And you know make it happen. Just just some terrible ideas for me just just not because I think they're actually bad ideas but because I do know and have been married twice and very happily married the second time that I know better that that doesn't that shit don't fly. But they don't they don't see the same sentiment that you do in it. You know the romantic side that you see is not no and I would go I'd go what I'd get the heart shape thing and go in there like pre and talk to the waffles but I can y'all make this. Can you I'll slip them a hundo or something and be like come on. Make me a heart shape. You would do it upright. You would do it real nice. Good up nice. Real nice just for you. Oh I'm glad I hope everyone enjoyed the Valentine's Day economic special here now moving on to the other news. Other regularly scheduled programming here. China launches limited tariffs after Trump imposes sweeping new levees. We got levees and tariffs and you know levees levees are broken. Says new US tariffs on China Trump imposed a temperature tariff on Chinese imports. Chinese retaliate China responded with tariff targeted tariffs on 20 billion worth of US imports. China seeks to avoid escalation and aims for negotiations. I mean that's what needs to happen. We're in a world economy now. I know I'm not defending China. Believe me. No we ought to win on that escapade last week with TikTok. I'm just saying but at the same time let's just let's get to the negotiation tactic to the table right. I mean this is standard negotiating. This is how you do business you know I mean and I can't remember which president it was I was reading yesterday I want to don't quote me I want to say James Madison but it was a president that eliminated our national debt in one of basically the top three things he did was tariffs. Yeah I thought this had all sort of been you know started to get there but sounds like it's still waffling back and forth a bit with threats and stuff like that but I will say one thing that's unfortunately still waffling which is inflation and here's I want to table this a little bit you know we try to tell all sides here I mean you probably know where my beliefs and a lot of my policy leanings are but they're not political links or policy links and I'll say this that I would even I would say this no matter who was the president really would it's February we've been in office for 30 days of give or take you everyone that should know this nothing a president does or in acts is you know you can enact things and I love the actions that are taking place from this administration but the impact the outcomes of these enactments and and policies that they don't happen in 30 days so I just think we got to be careful with both positive and negative news not to weigh it too much I look I much like we talked about earlier this week the activity going on all I like it a lot but the impact of that positive or negative is not taking place and when looking at inflation which worsened in January with prices for groceries and gasoline higher that I don't lay at the feet of the new administration so and I and this particular article wasn't necessarily going there but it had a hint of it and it's like no matter what side it is I'd be going one month 30 days in they haven't caused more inflation now Donald Trump's come out said there could be short term pain with some of the things he's doing and getting people to negotiate some tables so our respective for saying that but even him saying that doesn't mean it's actually here yet I mean I agree Chris like if we had inflation increases in January had nothing very little minuscule amounts to do with the the new administration no and if it was the other side they would definitely say oh well this is obviously from the last administration exactly and I know we've said this before like you can't turn a ship on a dime and I think of what popped in my head was obviously a gym you know comparison of like you just get back in the gym and you work out for the first time you're going to be sore a little bit before you start seeing the results and the gains and the positive progress so in my mind actions are being taken one where previously it seemed not much was getting done at all actions are being taken you know we're tossing the rock in the pond the ripples are going out and we're going to see you know what breaks on the shoreline essentially but I think if I'm a business owner standpoint you can relate we've been in this where you're negotiating you're trying to work a deal it can take weeks you know just to get the agreement set in place and then it can take weeks to actually start seeing the changes happen and the results come in right so I think everyone would love a very quick fix you know we'd love inflation to go down and housing to be more affordable groceries to go back down but like you said dude we're not even the first quarter yet you just you just pop the top on this so exactly so I think we got to be patient a little bit and I think you nailed it with either current administrative whoever was in office would be going this is at the table then I think the bigger challenge in the same article it's going to come to a head Chris is the interest rates things you know they're not going to want to lower them with inflation where it's at Trump's belief along with mine I've shared it before away before they had anything to do with trumping in office which is the interest rates and mortgages and refinances get this ball rolling and I recognize the inflation thing and I people smarter than me you know do some of these things but we got to be careful with not bringing continue to bring that down if at all possible I don't know if you agree yeah and I'd I'd call earlier today with a buddy of mine in the mortgage real estate business and he actually is put an offer on a house himself he's like I'm not going to lie man he goes that monthly payment like I'd sticker shock just because interest rates right now and he's in the business he knows what he's doing you know yep so kind of the same sentiment is like I know we all want to rush to fix things but right now we kind of just need to sit and know like you know the cruise ship is slowly turning right yeah we don't feel it we don't see it but it's still doing it right yeah so it's kind of just just got to hold on tight man we're still in the trenches we're we're climbing up peaks and valleys you know yeah I like that cruise ship and now it's you cuz dude I don't like to cruise I've but the last when you go on them though the motion is so subtle though it's like you go to sleep you're in the middle of nowhere and you wake up and you're in a you know beautiful you know Caribbean spot you don't feel the wrong you don't feel the moves or the waves and all that but it's happening you're getting to a destination and it could be the Caribbean and blue water it could be you know Titanic oh boy that's dramatic I mean I'm just saying there's iceberg I'm thinking I watch cruise ships leave every day literally in paddle that's why the analogy came to me and I'm like you're not I'm just saying not as dramatic of a you're right you're like people dying I'm just saying like yeah you know there's icebergs everywhere you don't know four years ago they were turning the ship and you're watching them implement DI policies and you're thinking fuck the ship is turning in the wrong direction and now at least I can see positive of the plays being made seem to be good plays even though we haven't scored a touchdown yet right yep so but you got you're saying one thing you got the Fed Reserve chair Jerome Powell saying we do not need to be in a hurry well I'll speak for myself I don't really care what the Fed has to say I don't have a whole lot of faith in them they haven't exactly done right by us I'm gonna say something and I'm probably gonna regret it that because somebody's gonna DM me that's probably smarter me in like all this but or just things they are inflation hurts the most when you don't have the money to pay it so if we get the ball spinning is the inflation felt less even if it sort of continues a bit like I don't I know you can't outrun that thing but you know what I'm saying like if Americans have you get the interest rates lower get more money in the market you get more money in everybody's pockets theoretically I'm not saying you can't worry about inflation I don't I'm not insinuating that but it just seems contrary to go the other direction I don't know none of saying Chris if you got five dollar eggs but the interest rates are low and you got more money in your checkbook yeah you know it's like again someone smarter me is gonna go well you can't outrun that rate or whatever but I'm not saying we don't need to get the the cost of things down but I think some of the inflation wages to catch up yeah you know but the wages aren't going to catch up if money's not in the mark it in they didn't the interest rate money you know refinancing and just the I don't know the swell of all that smarter people to me sure Jerome Powell other than just being Jerome is smarter than me what you're doing Jerome yeah anyway Super Bowl 59 attracts a record 127.7 million viewers record viewership Super Bowl 59 attracted to historic 127.7 million viewers as per Nielsen making the most watched and stream Super Bowl to date or ever broadcast and streaming the game aired on Fox's broadcast network Spanish language Fox to Portaise and NBC Universal's Telemundo it was also available on 2b in the NFL's digital platforms Fox reported over 800 million in advertising revenue across all platforms with individual spots costing up to 8 million we talked about that a couple weeks ago well nice little day there 800 mil saying bro a lot of money live sports man still there sports people want to watch the live sports the other linear TV not so great terrible you know streaming's where it's at but it's live sports Super Bowl and that's where you know we had a debate on I had a date on LinkedIn with some people about advertising I'm like you know people say oh I just not buy a million dollars in Facebook ads I just not the same and it depends on what you're trying to do I'm not suggesting that everyone it makes sense but you actually have people paying attention to the ads which is unique and so anyway historic I thought the ads sucked though I mean this might have been an episode that just talked about Super Bowl ads but you know quite frankly and I had a few people most people agreed in some people but I there was like three or four that were memorable and there was a lot of turds if you ask me a lot of people trying to be creative and working too hard but not it's like what the hell is it in coherent like it wasn't even funny I was like what is this did you watch much of the Super Bowl I didn't watch any of the Super Bowl dude you're the non-sportsiest guy I know I didn't even remember it was Super Bowl till like 5 p.m. that night were you what were you doing like walking storm or something yeah and I went and I actually went and had dinner with a buddy in his wife and he played football I mean he was an athlete he was a football bass player play college ball it's so funny the people that are in it and it's a lot 127 mil I want to hold on that one but half the country yeah but you're either in it or you're not it's like if you're not it's just another it's just all right yeah and I know that's a kind of a no shit statement but it's like it seems like it's all or nothing if I had someone like hey I'm having a Super Bowl party and I was like oh that'll be fun you know I'll do that but like when I was at my house I'm like I don't really care I'll see I'll see the cool parts on on social media but if you rewind last week's episode I did open a pack of cards and there was a certain player on the front of it and anyone that wanted to listen I said that he goes to win by two touchdowns um and say quan barkley was the first part card pooled I said this might be an omen and they did win that I mean that was a basic beat down I'm in a beat down you should maybe start sports betting right no absolutely not I am opening our good friends at panini Don Ross I guess let's just see maybe let me we'll use this pack to predict next year's next year's winner who's on the front oh wow Super Bowl winner right now wow and this is who I'd probably pick who would you most likely pick right now after the most recent Super Bowl the Eagles Darius Slay Eagles on the front again oh my gosh telling you all right go ahead and put your money in guaranteed not really this is just you know we're in opinion show this is not better get vice however Darius slay junior right on the front Eagles let's see if there's anything any other tail signs here in these packs these are Don Russ football cars 2024 Devonte Adams Justin Haybert Herbert and look oh the special card in the pack Chris this isn't it to be I'll put all your I'm putting I'm putting five G's on it today Super Bowl next year Will Shipley he went to Clemson and he's on the Eagles and he is the special rookie card in the pack are you kidding me I can't make this stuff up the Eagles are definitely winning I'm putting five G's on it today maybe well I'm just telling you there you got to admit that's a little random right there's 32 teams now I was going to ask was this printed post Super Bowl this pack of cars oh no four hey we can go conspiracy right where supposedly certain teams they choose who's going to win certain years could be yeah maybe they're putting predictive programming in do you use peppers I mean is that another Eagles now Terry Arnold plays for Detroit so Detroit Detroit if you go by the rookies in the pack and it's could totally make well Detroit's NFC can't be Detroit and Philly in the Super Bowl they could be in the AFC team should underrated Anthony Munoz sold school guys but the the till here is two the main two people out of the pack are Eagles and the special rookie card is my boy will Shipley had some great returns in the playoffs and I'll tell you it's meant to be Eagles next year appreciate patine penini Don Russ for the packs O cards Super Bowl is it's just huge huge numbers all the way around want to move on to the last article of the day Tom Brady buys ownership stake in the sports card collectibles company it's perfect timing right we go from one another this is all aligning perfectly with my new passions Tom Brady's new venture new adventure and venture seven times Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has accepted a 50% stake in card vault the sports card memorabilia retailer this comes with us from our friends cnbc.com rebranding and expansion company will be renamed card vault by Tom Brady plans include rapid expansion in sports hubs and a flagship store at the American dream mall card collecting has seen a significant revival since the pandemic with record breaking sales fueling growth in the industry hey we're telling you this the people you think I'm just you know being into something that I'm into a lot of people are into the shit and making a lot of money and it's fun so this is cool I did go online the card vault your prices were a little little high um nonetheless Tom get the fly I just fly guys oh the upcoming flagship store at the American dream mall that's a pretty cool mall you're a bit of that no it's huge it's crazy I I would love to go I was just thinking today as a roller coaster I think if I'm remembering right like this is a good Friday Saturday night at the mall man yeah dude mall rats just bring me back yeah get some sabaros pizza in your finest yeah I'm just chicken in the food course yeah I'm just chicken and sabaros and you know like some generic Chick-fil-A version a little Panda Express oh hey I like what you did hey no I want to get a one of those anti-ans you're not worried about pretzel yeah oh yeah we're making you hungry now you walk by anti-ans that don't smell well that old cinnamon oh it's like walking dispensers and it's like the two best bites you ever have then from there on it's like then you're just still the sitting so will yeah I don't feel so good I don't maybe it's the maltros yeah it was the orange chicken mix with the anti-ans yeah there's blue raspberry icy I don't know why am I somewhere here's Tom Brady's vision this isn't just about buying and selling cars it's about curating history building community turning fans into collectors and giving them access to own great moments in history I think Brady really said that or that is PR guy I just when I've seen him talk I've never that would be like me talking like that it's just not this I it ready it's very each are sounding it is sounds like that was a HR I'm calling AR AI or your PR director and he I'm sure they tell you go with this quote uh yeah good with it so they look like Tom we need to quote he's like let me pull chat GPT real quick yeah exact that's how it does it does it's very clean and simple and very yes curating history building community it's like buzzwords yet curating history building community turning fans into collectors and giving them access to own great moments and sports I mean that could be a commercial right there I think that's their new commercial card card vault dot com you know I mean it could that be the tagline right there it's not just about buying and selling cards it's about curating history yeah it's about building community turning fans into collectors collectors into dreamers dreamers into the next card superstar welcome card vault I added a little bit there for effect hey you can hire me for that give your voice over free lines whatever you need you would love that will not oh god be awesome I would totally do that and I won't make it I don't need chat GPT it's a theater of my mind uh card business is huge business it's uh I'm about to go home my parents I still got a three-ring binder with a bunch of cards from back in the day like King Griffey Jr and stuff like that do you take some pictures and send that shit to me I will I'm interested I might be sitting on a gold mine you might be at least have tell my national but don't sell it don't sell it no I might buy it from you don't tell the card shop like 60 percent I might give you less than that okay sort of oh we appreciate everyone last bit of news beer industry is in decline as crapper worries face higher costs I think people are drinking less man I'm drinking less people are drinking less I think it's just yeah I actually have a buddy in Atlanta that opened a craft brewery and he's killing it but I think I think one people are drinking less too I think these craft breweries are offering better food options with the the drinking yes that's where I think these food halls kind of with micro breweries that's where I can see I've seen more people kind of into that totally which I think your gardens yeah I think it's cool that's I look at it like you're supporting small business my buddies doing great I'm super happy for them and it's uh and I think some of those beers are even healthier they are some of them I think less of the bad stuff and or maybe I don't know you're getting some great maybe because you got high alcohol you drink less I don't know if it's too strong let's do about yeah like 12 percent like exactly yeah you're not gonna shot him yeah exactly we appreciate you we love you it's happy Valentine's day out there folks give you give give your loved ones a hug you know hug hug a love one day show the love hey you know you should love tell tell a friend about the show you know that's what makes us go round share share what Ryan and Chris are doing here multiple shows this show vibes alliance we'd appreciate you really love them yeah tell them about the show exactly we make you smile we make it laugh we hope you learn all around Chris free subscription just hey they can subscribe for fun YouTube subscribe for free it's a free that's that's your love that's your Valentine's gift honey I got you this subscription to the right about now YouTube channel you just click right there you just keep giving the whole year long you know and then we appreciate you go check out that YouTube channel we gotta get those numbers up we're like a 15 20 000 subs let's get it up people love we love you Chris did he final words be kind be kind to people show love today yeah show love every day I love you we appreciate you go to Ryan is right.com find highly clips linked all our sponsors we love them the most exponent branded bills independent center go support them we've got links there we couldn't do it without them we can't do it without you that's how this works see you next time I'm right about now this has been right about now with Ryan Alfred a radcast network production visit Ryan is right.com for full audio and video versions of the show order one choir about sponsorship opportunities thanks for listening