GoDaddy Bailing on the Super Bowl?

After making a huge splash in 2005 when GoDaddy.com had its ads rejected for airing on the Super Bowl, and so instead put them online, CEO Bob Parsons is now considering ditching the event for 2008.

Writing on his blog, Parsons says that even though their ads during the following years Super bowls have brought them new business, that “Advertising during the Super Bowl is ‘super’ expensive.”

“Consider that a 30 second spot is $2.7 million. Then figure 2 or 3 spots, then add another few million or so to produce several commercials – we never seem to get the first couple approved – and then include the cost of concurrent promotions, the total cost will exceed 10 million dollars,” he wrote.

The “first couple approved” line is clearly a dig at Super Bowl broadcasters, and an badge of honor for Parsons, as GoDaddy year after year fails to get its initial ads approved (usually for their risqué exposure of nubile female flesh), and then posts them online. But the company has recently expanded to sponsoring other sporting events, including the Indianapolis 500 broadcast, which Parsons also refers to.

“All this considered, there’s a strong argument for staying on the sidelines this year and taking that Super Bowl advertising money and using it for other opportunities,” he wrote.

Of course, this all most likely a large ploy to either get Super Bowl ad pricing reduced for the company, or to just drum up more online controversy, or it may be a sign of more advertisers going online for their marketing needs.