Embassy of the United States of America Super Bowl Sunday An Unofficial Holiday for Millions Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson holds the Lombardi Trophy after the 2014 Super Bowl game. The Seahawks will again vie for the championship in 2015 against the New England Patriots. © AP Images ach year, on a Sunday at the this is because the Super Bowl is a single game each year between end of January or beginning a single game, a winner-take-all their respective champion teams. Eof February, tens of millions contest. Add the televised enter- Because many collegiate football of Americans declare their own tainment that surrounds the game, championships were known as unofficial holiday. Gathered in and Super Bowl Sunday becomes “bowls” for the bowl-shaped sta­ groups large and small, nearly half an event even for those who are not diums that hosted them, one AFL of all U.S. households participate football fans. owner referred to the new game as vicariously in a televised spectacle a “super” bowl. The name stuck. that has far outgrown its origins as Super Bowl Beginnings Four Super Bowl games were a sporting event. American football is unrelated played before the two leagues The Super Bowl, which deter- to the game most of the world knows merged in 1970 into a single mines the championship of by that name, which Americans National Football League, which American football, is most of all a call soccer. For most of its history, was subdivided into the American shared experience, when Americans professional American football was and National “conferences.” Each choose to watch the game with played within a single National year, the champion teams of each friends. Neither the hugely popu- Football League (NFL). In 1960, a conference play against each other lar Major League Baseball World rival league, the American Football in the Super Bowl to determine the Series nor the National Basketball League (AFL), began to compete for NFL champion. Association championship com- premier talent. As the leagues con­ mands such attention. Possibly templated a merger, they agreed to Super Bowl Sunday: An Unofficial Holiday for Millions While most U.S. sports cham­ pionships are played in the home cities of the contestants, a Super Bowl — as with the Olympics and the World Cup — is awarded to a city some three to five years in advance, opening the door to broad marketing and promotional opportunities. Because the game is played in winter, it affords warm cities like New Orleans, Miami and Los Angeles a substantial advan­ tage. The University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, won the bidding to host the 2015 cham­ Seattle Seahawks fans cheer at a victory parade after the Super Bowl in 2014. © AP Images pionship game, Super Bowl XLIX — between the New England Patriots of the American conference and the A Social Event display their most creative efforts Seattle Seahawks of the National Americans increasingly gather and introduce their newest prod­ conference — on February 1. in private Super Bowl parties, where ucts. Given the huge audience, Arizona has a dry climate they enjoy food, drink and televised advertisers are willing to pay with little rain, and weather fore­ football with family and friends. dearly to parade their wares on the casts predict the temperature at The game is always played on a Super Bowl broadcast. According the venue will be a comfortable Sunday, when most Americans are to entertainment trade magazine 21 degrees Celsius. The stadium, not at work. Because of the event’s Variety, a 30-second ad will cost a which opened in 2006, is the first national prominence, even those record $4.5 million this year. to employ an innovative, retract­ who are not football fans often join Although serious football able natural grass playing surface. friends to watch the game and cheer fans would disagree, Super Bowl One side of the stadium opens, for one of the teams. Some of the Sunday, for millions of Americans, allowing the playing field’s turf to most-watched television programs is less about which team prevails be moved outside for exposure to in U.S. history have been Super than it is about fun. Whether at the the elements. That feature also pro­ Bowls. The game played in 2014, stadium or with family and friends tects the grass from damage when Super Bowl XLVIII, set a record of in front of the television, most the stadium is used for other activi­ 111.5 million viewers. Americans find something to enjoy ties, such as music concerts. Another key to the Super on this unofficial national holiday. A Super Bowl generates sub­ Bowl’s success is the carefully cho­ Although serious football fans stantial economic activity within reographed entertainment events would disagree, Super Bowl its host city. Many ticket holders, that surround the game itself. Sunday, for millions of Americans, media representatives and oth­ The “halftime show,” musical and is less about which team prevails ers arrive a week before the game, other entertainment offered by than it is about fun. Whether at the exploring the area and spending major stars, takes place on the field stadium or with family and friends freely. during the mid-game rest period. in front of the television, most Cities that seek to host the game Singer Katy Perry will perform at Americans find something to enjoy must submit environmental plans the 2015 halftime. on this unofficial national holiday. detailing how they plan to make the For many television view­ Super Bowl as “green” as possible. ers, the highlight of the Super See Super Bowl XLIX official website. Bowl isn’t the game, it’s the com­ mercials. Advertisers compete to January 2015 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS .