It's that time of year again. The Super Bowl has arrived, and it seems as though everyone on the UW-Madison campus is being sucked into the vortex that is one of the biggest events of the year. Students are planning where to put the keg so as to not block the television, betting pools are already forming by the hundreds and girlfriends across the campus are rolling their eyes as their boyfriends get that glazed look in their eyes that usually only \Halo 2"" brings out.
Dethroning and dissecting the American Pastime
Once upon a time, the story was much different. During the 1980 World Series, baseball was the true American pastime, drawing close to 32 percent of all American households to their television sets for the series. Twenty-two years later, the 2002 World Series was the lowest-rated World Series in television history, drawing only 15 percent of U.S. households. The Super Bowl, on the other hand, has become as popular a tradition as baseball ever was, boasting over 137.65 million viewers during the 2003 championship. That's almost half of all households in the United States watching the game.
So why the sudden rise in popularity of the Super Bowl? According to James Hoyt, an emeritus journalism professor, there are a number of factors involved.
""Unlike the World Series, which could be over in four games or seven, the Super Bowl is one game that you know is going to be on Sunday and will definitely decide the championship."" Hoyt added that the NFL has also helped give the event a little nudge in the right direction.
""The NFL and the networks have carefully designed this event to be a central part of American culture,"" Hoyt said.
And these designs have worked. Whatever their intent, it's obvious that the NFL has not stayed true to its historic ""roots."" While our parents might have been merely satisfied with a good ol' fashioned slugfest on the gridiron, nowadays the football game seems secondary to, well, everything else.
The Party
This is a no-brainer. These days, half the reason for the Super Bowl is its social aspect.
""Even if you don't watch football, you're going to do something for the Super Bowl,"" said Brandon Marks, a sophomore at UW-Madison.
Marks said he often goes to his father's bar, the Silver Eagle in Monona, to celebrate the Super Bowl with his family. But if you don't own your own bar, beer and a nice TV work as well.
""Our [Super Bowl] party is usually just a lot of drunk people eating chicken wings,"" said sophomore Nathan Schreiber.
He added that while he would watch the game, he sees the Super Bowl as more of a social event than a championship. ""Unless it's my home team, I really don't give a damn who wins.""
Perhaps one aspect of the party often overlooked by most guys is the growing number of women who enjoy it just as much as the guy. It's sometimes easy to forget that in addition to the twins from the Coors commercial, some women do enjoy watching the biggest game of the year. While many women still don't know how many points a safety is worth, times are changing. As the Super Bowl's popularity has grown, many women now are becoming just as or more informed than many men.
""A lot of guys are surprised that I know just as much as they do,"" freshman Ashley Foss said.
Gambling on the game
If commercials and overdone halftime performances don't spark interest, knowing your college tuition is riding on the game might hold one's attention. A Chicago Sun-Times report put the total number of Super Bowl bets placed at online sports books in the $400 million range. And that doesn't even include the millions from private bets, office pools and illegitimate gambling. To up the ante even more, more money will be gambled on this year's Super Bowl than on any other sporting event in history.
""I usually put $10 or $15 in a pool with some friends,"" said Josh Williams, a sophomore at Carthage College. ""People treat the Super Bowl like a raffle.""
And the gamblers are getting younger. Recent studies done by ESPN have revealed that even teens as young as 13 are gambling on the Super Bowl through betting pools and private wagers with friends. Even the poorest of college students are willing to sacrifice some of their beer money for a piece of the action.
Mary Beth Manning, the Clinic Director of Aro Counseling, an addiction counseling center, says glamorized gambling and online sites make the slip towards an addiction that much easier.
""Super Bowl gambling has gotten completely out of control,"" Manning said.
Manning stressed students should pay attention to their gambling habits and seek help if they actively seek out Super Bowl gambling besides friendly wagers among close friends.
Entertainment over football?
But for all those who don't care or know the teams playing in the Super Bowl, there are plenty of other reasons to join in the Super Bowl fun. On what other day of the year do people look forward primarily to commercials on the TV?
With the average commercial costing advertisers anywhere from $1.9 to $2.4 million, many viewers actually run back to the couch during a commercial break. Who could forget the Budweiser frogs or the Jordan vs. Bird McDonald's commercial? For many, the ads are better than the games themselves.
""The commercials are the best part,"" UW-sophomore Veronica Barnes said. ""I don't remember the last game I watched, but the commercials are always great.""
Then again, other entertainment aspects of the game are not always as pleasant.
After last year's Janet Jackson debacle in which Jackson flashed her breast, Fox debated and ultimately rejected a five to ten second delay during the halftime show. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy stressed that there would be no ""surprises"" this year.
""Unlike last year, we are working directly with the talent and have final approval on all facets of their performance, including song selection, choreography and staging,"" McCarthy said.
Not that anyone really expects Paul McCartney to experience a ""wardrobe malfunction"" during his halftime performance, but one can never be too careful.
