Every year there are 32 teams that compete against one another for the chance to win the legendary Lombardi Trophy, but in the end, only one team can be triumphant.
The game that determines the victor of this prized possession is the Super Bowl.
The first Super Bowl was played in the year 1967, and in the last 40 years it has become exponentially more popular. In the beginning, the game was mainly projected toward a male-dominant audience, but as it has evolved so has the fanbase.
In American culture, the Super Bowl has developed into a national holiday, and in my opinion, it is the best sporting event in America.
A host city is selected every year to prevent either of the teams from having a special advantage during the game. Because of the influx of people into the city for the event, many businesses benefit from the game’s popularity.
In an article by Josh Ritchie, he breaks down the economic impacts Super Bowl XLVI had on Indianapolis. He stated that an estimated $384 million of revenue was brought into the city as a result of the Super Bowl. This is mainly due to the 150,000 fans that traveled to Indianapolis to see the game.
Moreover, Ritchie reported that the hotels in downtown Indianapolis reported a 99 percent capacity for nearly 10 days around the Super Bowl.
During this 10-day span, visitors remained in the city and they did what Americans do best: spent money. The money spent was divided among hotels, restaurants, shopping and retail, and car rentals. Nearly every industry of Indianapolis was positively affected by the Super Bowl and this is just one reason why the big game is important.
The influence of the Super Bowl is not just confined to the host city.
As a delivery driver who has had to work during many Super Bowl Sundays, this writer has personally witnessed the impacts of this event. During last year’s Super Bowl, the Papa John’s Pizza in Hagerstown almost tripled its profits of a regular Sunday.
So why has this one game become such a significant event for American culture?
The Super Bowl has become a way for us to create our own national heroes. When many people think about the Super Bowl, they think about the best football players in history whose names have been immortalized because of their athletic abilities: Joe Montana, John Riggins, Joe Theisman, Joey Galloway, Steve Young and Tom Brady to name a few.
There are so many stressors that plague our lives these days, but the Super Bowl is a way for millions of Americans to find common ground, escape daily realities and enjoy watching an amazing spectacle.
I suppose you could also say the Super Bowl serves as one of the largest excuses Americans have to get together and party.
Whether it is for the escape, the entertaining commercials, partying or the game itself, Super Bowl Sunday has become one of the most important days on America’s calendar and will undoubtedly continue to be.
What can I say? Football is America’s sport and we love it!