By Zach 守道 Ahearn The Super Bowl is the most hyped-up sporting event in America. Often referred to as the “Big Game,” the Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL). Super Bowl Sunday has effectively become an unofficial national holiday, marked by socializing and greasy finger food. Evolving far past a sporting event, it has culminated into a cultural phenomenon that brings together fans and casual viewers alike. Let’s dive into the heart of the Super Bowl to explore what makes this event so special. The Super Bowl is the finale of the NFL season. It is typically played annually on the first Sunday of February and serves as the NFL season’s end. The game pits the victors of the league’s two conferences against each other in one game of football to see who is the best of them all. The winning team is awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after renowned NFL coach Vince Lombardi, signifying their achievement as the champion of that year’s NFL season. Not only are people pulled into the top-tier athletic competition, but also for the witty commercials, fun social experience, and over-the-top halftime performance. That’s right, commercials play a big part in the NFL Super Bowl. This may have surprised you, but Super Bowl ads have gained massive popularity over the years because they’re unlike anything seen before. The bar for entry to show an ad in the Super Bowl is extremely expensive. If you wanted a 30-second commercial slot for the most recent Super Bowl, it would have cost you 7 million USD. That’s $233,333 for every second of airtime. Only the largest companies get a slot in the Super Bowl, so they go all out. Nearly all the ads played in the Super Bowl will feature some well-known celebrity in an effort to be memorable or unique. Most try to be funny with their ads; some try to make a statement, while others are plain weird. At the end of the day, each company strives to be the memorable ad everyone remembers from the Super Bowl, and some achieve that goal. Photo source To name a few, last year, a Super Bowl ad featured Byan Cranston and Aaron Paul in their hit show Breaking Bad as characters Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Instead of creating meth in their signature trailer, they made Popcorners, a famous brand of kettle corn chips. This year, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in a State Farm Superbowl Ad where the entire ad focused on Arnold’s accent. Unable to say “neighbor” in the popular catchphrase, he keeps saying “neighba.” You get the idea. Suffice it to say, it provides a lighthearted secondary form of entertainment while the players are resting. Another form of secondary entertainment many people look forward to is the halftime show. The halftime show is a highly anticipated musical performance during a large break in the middle of the game. It features a well-known artist or a group who gives a 13-minute elaborate show of their music. In the past, legendary artists such as Prince, Beyonce, and Michael Jackson have performed for halftime. It’s the same, even in the current age. Some of the artists in the last three years were The Weeknd, Rihanna, and most recently Usher. The flashy halftime shows are something no one wants to miss. Katy Perry in 2015 rode in on a giant metal tiger while singing “Eye of the Tiger.” Last year, Rihanna performed all her songs on floating moving platforms. In the latest Super Bowl, Usher went around on roller skates while singing all his hit songs. Even if you do not listen to the artists performing, the A-tier production keeps viewers glued to their screens. Super Bowl 58 recently took place on February 11, 2024. The above picture shows the match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The action-packed game ended in an overtime win for the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 25-22, marking a back-to-back win as they won the previous year. The game averaged 123.4 million viewers, which broke Super Bowl viewership records. To put this into perspective, it was the largest audience for an event since the Apollo 11 moon landing.
There may even be another reason why so many people tuned into this year’s Super Bowl. Famous American singer Taylor Swift attended Super Bowl LVIII and had been following the Kansas City Chiefs the entire season. Not because she randomly became a fan but because she started dating star player Travis Kelce last summer. She’s not the only celebrity to attend the Super Bowl this year as Elon Musk, Lady Gaga, and Jay-Z were some of the few to sit in the front row at the Super Bowl. In summary, the Super Bowl isn’t just a football game; it’s a cultural phenomenon that brings people together. From the exciting competition and humorous commercials to the dazzling halftime shows, it’s an event that captivates fans and casual viewers alike. Super Bowl 58, held on February 11, 2024, saw the Kansas City Chiefs triumph over the San Francisco 49ers in an overtime nail-biter, breaking viewership records with 123.4 million tuning in. With events like this, the Super Bowl remains a must-watch spectacle, showcasing the magic that makes it a cherished national tradition. a
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May 2024
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