Anyone with an interest in sport will be aware of the hype surrounding Super Bowl Sunday, with football fans the world over settling in to watch one of the most exciting games of the year. As the annual championship of the National Football League, the Super Bowl has been running since 1966, when it became the official replacement for the NFL Championship Game.
The Super Bowl first came about when the NFL and the American Football League (the AFL) agreed to merge to form a combined league. Each would have its own conference of teams, organized into different divisions, and at the end of each season, the top team from each would play each other to ascertain which would be the ultimate champion.
Over the subsequent decades, the Super Bowl has seen some of the most exciting matches in sporting history, and there is currently one point between the two sides with the AFL trailing the NFL by 27 wins to 28. This makes this year’s Super Bowl even more exciting as the teams compete to try and either level the score or increase the gap and set the scene for the 2022 football season that will begin in September.
Football’s influence around the world
Although the Super Bowl is US-based, it has become increasingly popular around the world as online streaming and entertainment is more readily available globally. The 2021 game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs attracted 91.63 million viewers in the US alone with several million more tuning in around the world.
While sports fans tune in to see the game, there are plenty of other reasons to gather around the television, including some truly iconic performances from some of the world’s leading entertainers including:
- Katy Perry
- Janet Jackson
- P Diddy
- U2
- Beyonce
- Bruce Springsteen
- Justine Timberlake
- Lady Gaga
- Madonna
- Shakira
- Jennifer Lopez
As well as contributing to the spectacle of the Super Bowl and providing some pageantry to go alongside the sporting tension, the Super Bowl half-time show has become an integral part of the experience for fans. It is usually considered a spot for acts that are at the top of their game, cementing the show as an all-star performance that has something for everyone.
Advertising during the Super Bowl
The popularity of the show also makes it an ideal opportunity for advertisers to get their products in front of a huge audience. The cost of a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl has increased as the viewership has risen rapidly, from $2.3 million in 2002 to $5.6 million this year.
While advertising is often seen as an unwelcome intrusion into a television show, the Super Bowl advertising slots are an important part of the viewing experience. Alongside the traditional Super Bowl betting odds, there is always considerable speculation over which companies will be making the most of the chance to have their ads shown in front of an already engrossed audience.
The tradition of sitting down with friends and family to watch the ‘big game’ has provided millions of views for a variety of international businesses. Early Super Bowls featured ads for a number of the leading brands in the US, including Coca-Cola, Apple, Nike, and McDonalds and more recent spots have reflected the rise of technology with ads for Google, eTrade, and GoDaddy.
As one of the most popular sporting events on the calendar, the Super Bowl has a special place in US culture, both as a sporting experience and as a tradition that has much more to it than the game itself. As the anticipation builds for this year’s game, speculation abounds about every aspect of the show, from the team’s performances to those of the musicians and even who will be in the crowd.
With so much anticipation, there are a number of teams hoping to be a part of the action this year, including:
- Green Bay Packers
- Buffalo Bills
- Los Angeles Rams
- Dallas Cowboys
- Arizona Cardinals
- Cincinnati Bengals
- New England Patriots
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Tennessee Titans
Sports betting fans are witnessing ever-changing odds as the teams battle it out for a place in the big game, while training and injury stats are a hot topic of discussion among sports fans the world over. Some believe that the Rams will block the Packers from reaching the Super Bowl after a run of victories that have seen Cooper Kupp having one of his best seasons ever.
Many fans think that the Buffalo Bills might be in with a bigger chance than expected, with many believing that the team has what it takes to go all the way to the top. Josh Allen is part of a team that could be in line for a big win, although there is still all to play for in the run-up to the big game.
