The Super Bowl has become a unique, shared experience in American culture. It combines sports, music, and advertising into one large event, providing ideal entertainment.
Many viewers are glued to the television screens watching the same broadcast, even if they are indifferent about the teams or the outcome of the game.

Super Bowl and American Culture

The Super Bowl is a popular sporting event that takes place each year to determine the championship team of the National Football League (NFL).
Super Bowl is broadcast in more than 170 countries and one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. It has elaborate halftime shows, celebrity appearances, and cutting-edge commercials adding to the appeal.

The Super Bowl

<ul>
<li>During the 1970s, three NFL teams dominated the NFL scene and won a combined eight Super Bowls in 10 years.</li>
<li>Franchises from the NFC won 16 of the 20 Super Bowls played in the 1980s and 1990s.</li>
<li>The Buffalo Bills became a powerhouse franchise in the 1990s but lost four title games in a row from 1991 - 1994.</li>
<li>Between 1995 and 2016, five teams—the Broncos, Patriots, Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Indianapolis Colts—were represented in 20 of the 22 AFC Super Bowl appearances.</li>
<li>The Patriots have established themselves as a dynasty since 2001, leading them to nine Super Bowl appearances and five wins.</li>
<li>The 2010s were more evenly matched. The NFC and AFC each won five Super Bowls.</li>
</ul>

Super Bowl: 1970s-Present

<ul>
<li>The NFL restricts the use of the phrase “Super Bowl” for advertising purposes.</li>
<li>The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots each have six Super Bowl victories—the most of any team.</li>
<li>The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots are tied for the record for the most Super Bowl losses, with five defeats each.</li>
<li>The championship team receives the Vince Lombard Trophy, which is named after the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, who won the first two Super Bowls.</li>
<li>Because the football season runs into two calendar years, Roman numerals are used to identify each Super Bowl.</li>
<li>The Super Bowl venue changes each year, and no team has ever played in its home stadium.</li>
<li>Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest day for food consumption in the United States.</li>
<li>According to Nielsen rating, Super Bowl LI drew an average of 111.3 million viewers in the United States - more than one-third of the country’s population.</li>
<li>A typical 30-second commercial that airs during the Super Bowl costs advertisers more than $5 million.</li>
</ul>

Fun Facts

Earlier Super Bowls had modest marching bands from local high schools or colleges during halftime shows. With time the shows evolved into bigger spectacles, including internationally famed artists such as Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and others. Now, the halftime show is a bigger event than the actual football game.

Super Bowl Halftime Show

<ul>
<li>Super Bowl LI (Feb. 5, 2017): The Patriots overcame a 25-point deficit to win against the Atlanta Falcons in the first overtime Super Bowl game in history.</li>
<li>Super Bowl XXV (Jan. 27, 1991): A missed field goal by the Bills gave the Giants their second Super Bowl win in five years.</li>
<li>Super Bowl XIII (Jan. 21, 1979): Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw lead his team to victory over the Cowboys by throwing for 318 yards and four touchdowns.</li>
<li>Super Bowl XLIX (Feb. 1, 2015): The Seattle Seahawks decided to pass the ball instead of running it at the 1-yard line, which resulted in an interception and a win for the Patriots.</li>
<li>Super Bowl XXXIV (Jan. 30, 2000): The St. Louis Rams stopped the Tennessee Titans at the 1-yard line to win the game.</li>
<li>Super Bowl XXXVI (Feb. 3, 2002): A game-winning field goal as time expired secured victory for the Patriots against St. Louis Rams.</li>
<li>Super Bowl III (Jan. 12, 1969): It was the first time an AFL team was victorious over an NFL team. Joe Namath&#39;s famously guaranteed that his team would win despite the odds stacked against them.</li>
<li>Super Bowl XLII (Feb. 3, 2008): The Giants ruined the Patriots&#39; hope for a perfect season by scoring the winning touchdown with 35 seconds left on the clock.</li>
</ul>

Memorable Matchups

The FNL officially formed in 1920. In 1960, a group of businessmen wanted to own football franchises but were denied by the NFL. They decided to launch an alternative league, known as the AFL (American football League).
The NFL and AFL competed for fans, players, and support. In 1966, the leagues were merged, and the first Super Bowl took place.

History of the Super Bowl

<ol>
<li>Super Bowl I took place on January 15, 1967, at the Los Angeles Coliseum, and the NFL&#39;s Green Bay Packers won against the AFL&#39;s Kansas City Chiefs. It was the only Super Bowl that didn&#39;t sell out. The game aired drew in an audience of more than 61,000 fans.</li>
<li>The next year, the Packers won again, and many began to question whether the AFL teams could hold their own in the NFL.</li>
<li>The year after, the AFL&#39;s New York Jets defeated the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.</li>
<li>Super Bowl IV was the last game played between the two leagues.</li>
</ol>

The First Four Super Bowls

The Super Bowl is an enormously popular sporting event that takes place each year to determine the championship team of the National Football League (NFL).