Figure 1 The Super Bowl has become so much bigger than just a sports event
Ever since 1967, the Super Bowl has been the pinnacle of the football season and one of the biggest sports events in the country. But for a while now, it could be argued that the Super Bowl has become more than just a sports occasion – and more of a cultural phenomenon.
It is understandable that the biggest sports events will attract those who do not take as much interest throughout a regular season. The FIFA World Cup brings together soccer fans and non-soccer fans wanting to enjoy the occasion. The Kentucky Derby is not just followed avidly by horse racing fans. It has become part of the calendar and something much bigger than originally intended.
These days the NFL betting websites offer markets covering all kinds of wagers – from whether a particular running back will score a touchdown to what color Gatorade will be poured over the winning coach. This year Taylor Swift has been included in the pre-game hype but she is just the latest pop culture icon to become wrapped up with the Super Bowl. How did this championship game become so popular? And what does it mean for the US – and beyond?
Who Watches the Super Bowl?
The simple answer to that question is, just about everyone. In the history of television ratings, only the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969 was seen by more people – and that was broadcast over a number of different networks. Other events, such as Nixon’s resignation and the finale of M*A*S*H break up the top 20, but it is Super Bowls all the way when it comes to ratings in the US.
Over 100 million people watch the Super Bowl each year in the US alone. A Super Bowl has never dipped below a 60% network share. But that is just in America. More than 200 countries show the game – at varying times of their day, of course – making it one of the most-watched sports events on the planet.
The Rise of Television Ownership
The Super Bowl has obviously come a long way since 1967 but it is very important to note the date of its inception when we try to figure out why it has become just so popular. The US enjoyed a boom time just after WW2 but by the 1950s, televisions were still not a common stylusworlds sight in most homes.
But by the time that first Super Bowl was held in 1967, almost all households had a television. Color TVs were becoming popular and the NFL recognized the opportunity of making the Super Bowl a communal event. Now there are many more televisions per household, making it an even bigger event and one that is seen by even more people.
Patriotism and US Pride
Every major league sports game in the US is preceded by the national anthem. There is an in-built patriotism when it comes to sports and that has been the case for a long time. But the early Super Bowls developed that pride in the country, with the first military fly-over taking place before only the second-ever championship game.
As much as the Super Bowl is essentially a game to decide which is the best football team in the country, it has become so much more than that. The game has now become an event that celebrates sport itself – and a very American way of doing it. It is easy to see how the Super Bowl is a celebration of America itself and that patriotism has been welcomed by football fans and non-football fans as well.
A Built-In Rivalry
If we take away the cultural elements of the Super Bowl that make it so popular, we can see that even the sporting angle has been accentuated from the beginning. Championship games in any sport are deemed exciting because we are witnessing the best two teams or players going head-to-head. But the Super Bowl was born out of rivalry.
The first Super Bowl was held to see if the nascent American Football League could compete with the more established National Football League. After three years, the leagues merged but the teams were still split into conferences, with each one deciding on its best team to represent them in the championship game. There is nothing that sports fans love more than a rivalry – and the Super Bowl had that from day one.
Figure 2 Patriotism and pride are wrapped up in the Super Bowl spectacle
Ads and Entertainment
A major reason why non-football fans get genuinely excited about the Super Bowl has nothing to do with the football, of course. Super Bowl ads are some of the most eagerly awaited television moments of the year and are talked about like top-rated shows. They also come with huge fees – a 30-second ad can cost around $7 million.
The halftime show can actually boast even higher ratings than the game itself. It is estimated that over 121 million watched Rihanna perform in 2023 and many of those non-football fans can lose interest once the third quarter starts. It has come a long way since the marching bands of the first few Super Bowls, that’s for sure. Michael Jackson changed the way the halftime show was regarded and now Jay-Z’s Roc Nation organization arrange what is considered one of the most prestigious gigs in music.
A Cultural Moment
At its core, the Super Bowl is still just a game to decide the football champion in the US. But is so much more than that, having long been considered a cultural moment on the calendar. It is not exaggerating the point to state that the nation stops for the Super Bowl – and much of the rest of the world joins in too.
Patriotism, sporting rivalry, celebrity, and a sense of occasion all make the Super Bowl the biggest single sports event of the year. People love the Super Bowl and its importance is not going to diminish any time soon.
