Well, it’s that time of year. The time of year that the glorious NFL football season culminates, and family and friends gather to watch the Super Bowl. The big game has become much more than a football game and is now more of an event.
Maybe it’s your wife or girlfriend, maybe it’s our annoying neighbor. We all have that somebody you don’t want to come to your Super Bowl party, but you ask them anyways simply because of their delicious seven-layer dip. These people aren’t football fans and know very little about the game, yet jump at the opportunity to get together with others for what is hopefully a good time.
Not everyone who watches the Super Bowl needs to be a football fan. With the clever advertising and plenty of laughs, the game has become more than just a game. It has literally become quite super. Let’s take a look behind some numbers and see why.
The 2012 Super Bowl match-up between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants set a record with an average of 111.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched TV show in U.S. history.
Those commercials we love so much don’t exactly come cheap. Over the last 10 years, a total of $1.85 billion has been spent on Super Bowl advertising. Yes, that’s “billion” with a B. Some 30-second spots can even cost up to $4 million apiece.
If not having enough time to make it to the kitchen and refill your plate is a concern for you, then fret not: There is an average of 47 minutes of commercials during the course of the game. Plenty of time to get to the kitchen and take a couple of bathroom breaks. That is, unless commercials are your thing, in which case you may have to wait until the Bruno Mars halftime show.
What if you wanted to go see the game in person? How much would you spend for tickets? According to TiqIQ, the average prices for tickets to the big game are a mere $3,447 each. It is also reported that, while the average ticket price has gone up and the premium seats are more expensive, the cost of the cheapest seats have actually gone down some to a face value of $500.
The players on the winning team pocket a measly $97K for their Super Bowl experience. The losing squads’ players are ungenerously compensated with $47K. Not bad in addition to already-high salaries, if you ask me.
Most of us aren’t going to make any money from playing in the Super Bowl, but we can take a gamble and wager to make some if we feel lucky enough. What should you bet on? In the past, 73 percent of the time, the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl has won. The Broncos are currently favored by -2.5 points. If that doesn’t interest you, though, then have fun with your bets and put your money on things like who wins the coin flip, or if it’ll be heads or tails.
Whether it is the want for watching great football, watching the many commercials, or just getting together with friends, Super Bowl Sunday is an experience unlike any other. It has the ability to pull together complete strangers and the ability to make best friends even better. Regardless of the reason, get together with someone somewhere and experience the Big Game.
