Every year on the first Sunday of February, the Super Bowl experience is upon the American population. It always has been a massive phenomenon as the AFC and NFC conference champions of the NFL play in one game to determine the league’s best team. Furthermore, it has become a huge social gathering for all Americans. Similar American party practices from the 4th of the July are incorporated into Super Bowl parties including large amounts of food, lots of family and friends, and an only unique American custom that is celebrated; football. The Super Bowl has vastly expanded since its first game in 1967 including a halftime show and vast emphasis on advertising. With this being an annual occurrence, society easily doesn’t consider what makes this event such a massive deal. The halftime show is one of the many outer attractions from the big game. The halftime show has been around since the first game, however has evolved drastically. Until the early 1990’s, the Super Bowl performance was usually performed by local marching bands and acts from that year’s specific location. Currently, the games have had many of the biggest faces in music such as Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Madonna. This year, Coldplay was the original choice as the halftime performance but due to bad feedback from fans and fellow executives, the NFL also added pop icons Beyoncé and Bruno Mars. “I watched the Super Bowl for the halftime show, specifically Bruno Mars,” NHS junior Ben Dieckman said. This shows the power of the halftime show as it attracts much attention from not just fans of the game, but gives a reason for anyone to watch. Advertising is another outer attraction to the big game. For this year’s game, the average cost for a 30-second spot was at $4.8 million. As expected, big corporate companies like Pepsi, Doritos, and T-Mobile, (just to name) a few flood their commercials through national TV airways during the game every year. Companies try hard to grab the attention of all viewers with new and spontaneous commercials just for the large Super Bowl audience. This is a major cause for why you get “Shhh!” while your family is glued to the TV when the game is not actually occurring. “I consider the Super Bowl an unofficial American holiday as everyone watches the game,” Dieckman said. Dieckman also brings up a common phrase associated with the game; that the Super Bowl is an “unofficial American holiday.” NHS junior Colin Villamana agrees with Dieckman by saying, “Tons of people watch it, but how do we define a holiday? Based on looking how many people watched the Super Bowl with the 47.5 TV rating; we should get a day off that Monday.” There is so much media coverage during Super Bowl Sunday that it expands beyond sports news coverage and is focused on major TV cable broadcasting companies like CBS, NBC, FOX, and ABC. “There is so much attention around the Super Bowl as it is the only major sport that plays its championship in one game,” NHS junior Jason Hebner said. One can only wonder if in years to come, the Super Bowl Sunday phenomenon would consider to expand. “I don’t know if it will be expanding and with the introduction of E-sports, and so much other sports {but} if you don’t like football it is not {worth watching}, but if you follow football it is worth it,” Villamana said. Dieckman agrees with Villamana by saying, “Yes the Super Bowl experience is overrated because it is just another football game {the Super Bowl experience} is at its peak.” All in all, Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest days in America each year. With the NFL’s popularity continue to increase, it only gives indication that the Super Bowl viewing numbers will increase as well. Whether the attraction of the event is the game, the halftime show, or the commercials, the game will bring everybody to the couch on that February night. Americans always will gather and be patriotic towards a sport that is unique only to this country. Despite the abundant commercialism, there was still a game that was played. The major attention surrounding Peyton Manning regarding his future as it set the backdrop for the Denver Broncos. The Broncos wound up beating the Carolina Panthers 24-10. Despite the focus on Manning, it was the Denver defense that secured the victory. The Broncos defense forced three fumbles and also sacked Panthers quarterback and league MVP Cam Newton seven times with 63 yards lost. Super Bowl 50 did not meet expectations for football enthusiasts as it was a one-sided defensive explosion but who would have noticed from all of the surrounding attractions?
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