Super Fun

This past weekend, the eyes of most Americans (and many people across the world) were fixed on Las Vegas. The self-styled ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’ hosted what is arguably the largest single sporting event of the year: the Super Bowl. This version, number LVIII, saw the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers, but we went looking for a few “fun facts” surrounding the event:

• Roman numerals are used to identify the Super Bowl every year. The only exception is “Super Bowl 50,” which was played in February 2016.
• Initially known as the “AFL – NFL Championship Game,” the name “Super Bowl” was not used until version III. The term was coined by the founder of the Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar Hunt.
• This weekend’s game was a rematch from Super Bowl LIV (also won by the Chiefs), played in February 2020 in Miami, just a few weeks before the pandemic hit America.
• According to Forbes, the Kansas City Chiefs’ franchise is valued at $4.3 billion, whereas the San Francisco 49ers’ valuation is hovering around $6 billion. In 2023, the average value of an NFL franchise was $5.1 billion, compared to $4.47 billion the year prior.
• Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed a 4-year contract with the team this past season that guarantees him a whopping $52.65 million per season. With this sweet deal, Mahomes ranks as one of the highest-paid NFL players. In contrast, the 49ers’ winning quarterback, Brock Purdy, has the same contract length, but his guaranteed salary cap is a lowly $889,000 per season.
• The cheapest tickets to the game (found through common online platforms like Ticketmaster and StubHub) were $6,500. When Atlanta hosted this event five years ago, the average ticket price ranged just above $4,000.
• According to CBS News, back in 1967, a ticket to the Super Bowl cost $10 – or just over $90 adjusted for inflation. There are suggestions that $90 did not cover the cost of beer inside the game this year!
• This year’s Super Bowl was played at the Allegiant Stadium, the second-most expensive stadium in the world. It cost approximately $2 billion to build and can hold over 65,000 fans.
• The locations for the next three Super Bowls have already been decided. New Orleans will host next year’s game at Ceasars Superdome, Santa Clara will receive two NFL teams at Levi’s Stadium in 2026, and Inglewood will be the hosting city with the game being played at the SoFi Stadium (which is the most expensive sports stadium ever built at a whopping cost of over $5 billion!).

Whether you were invested in the actual game or only tuned in for the famous “Super Bowl Ads,” there is no question that the NFL has established itself as a money-making machine with its most famous event. Many say attending a Super Bowl is a once in a lifetime experience… perhaps one day, I will get to see it in person!

Nirvanna Silva