It’s February, it’s cold, and we’re all eagerly awaiting the Big Game this weekend.
Will the 49ers take home the Lombardi Trophy, or will Joe Flacco lead the Ravens to victory?
Going into Sunday, both teams are undefeated in the big show, as the 49ers are 5-0 in Super Bowls and the Ravens are 1-0, so somebody’s record will be tarnished.
And while many of us don’t have any dogs in this race, as long as its a close game and there’s plenty of food, this weekend will be a great way to cap off the season.
In lieu of yet another Super Bowl analysis (I’m sure you’ve already read several), I thought we’d go over some fun Super Bowl facts.
As always, one of the biggest draws of the game will be the year’s biggest and best commercials.
According to Time Magazine, a 30-second spot will cost an average of $4 million dollars, up from $3.5 million just last year.
It seems like a far cry from the first Super Bowl spots in 1967, going for a paltry $42,000 dollars.
Seems like a tall order for a short amount of time, but when you consider the ratings, many find the price tag well worth the exposure. Of the ten most-watched shows in U.S. television history, nine of them are Super Bowls.
Last year’s Super Bowl drew in an impressive 111.3 million viewers. You just can’t match those eyes on the screen.
And the other huge Super Bowl draw (besides the game of course) is the headlining half-time show.
But big names like Beyonce and The Rolling Stones haven’t always been the case, as the Super Bowl’s first halftime shows started out as just small marching bands demonstrations, similar to college games.
It was only in the mid-eighties when the NFL started to book notable past performers like Michael Jackson, Chubby Checker, Tendy Pendergrass, and Diana Ross.
Of course, Super Bowl XLVII will be special for another reason: It marks the first time sibling coaches will go head-to-head, with John Harbaugh of the Ravens and Jim Harbaugh of the 49ers both vying for Sunday’s win.
And while the 49ers may have five Super Bowls in the bag, they’re still not close to the two teams tied for the most Super Bowls played: The Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. Each team has played in eight bowls.
But who’s on top? The Steelers have taken six games while the Cowboys have won five.
And while excitement of the game will be the focus for most of us, there are some that would argue that the best part of this weekend is the food.
According to the Calorie Control Council and Snack Food Association, the average fan will consume 1200 calories and 50 grams of fat from snacks. Keep in mind that’s just snacks, not meals.
The National Chicken Council predicts that fans will be eating a combined 1.23 billion chicken wings and 11.2 million pounds of potato chips on Sunday.
And many forgo the variety and just stick with the tried-and-true classic: Dominoes alone anticipates it will deliver over 11 million pieces of pizza to frenzied-fans.
Hear that? That’s the sound of thousands of New Year’s resolutions being broken.
But for many of us, Super Bowl XLVII is a long-anticipated holiday from moderation, so unbuckle those belts and clear out your Sunday, the last big game will definitely make for a great day.