Every year, the Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, typically drawing in around 120 million viewers. This year, the spotlight will be set on the Bay Area at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. While the Super Bowl can bring a lot of good publicity and economic opportunity to the city, it can also bring pressure to be good hosts and a nuisance for residents who will have to deal with an influx of fans.
There is no doubt that there are many benefits to hosting the Super Bowl. It is a massive economic driver, drawing in fans, sponsors, and celebrities from across the country. However, this could increase traffic and congestion on BART. This is a concern for Senior Greydon Ting, who said, “I’m expecting much more traffic over the next week or two”.
While another big advantage of hosting the Super Bowl is the opportunity to watch the game in person without flying to another city, the tickets are extremely expensive, with the lowest tickets going for 6,000 dollars. Because of this, there is not much opportunity to watch the game in person. However, some students will be able to make it to the game, such as Senior Wallace Arney, who said, “I got it as a Christmas present, and I’m excited to go.”
In contrast, many people are planning to simply watch the game at home or with their friends. For example, Junior Nick Taubes said, “I’m probably watching at my friend’s house”. Greydon Ting said the same, and added that this is the second year in a row he will go to his same friend’s house to watch.
For fans who still want to see some live football, the Pro Bowl offers a cheaper and more unique experience for fans in the Bay Area. The Pro Bowl will take place at Moscone Center in San Francisco, with tickets ranging from 20 to 60 dollars. Therefore, if going to the Super Bowl is not a viable option, there is still a unique opportunity to see some of your favorite players compete in skills competitions and a flag football game.
Additionally, the city of Oakland, with support from the Oakland Ballers and Roots are planning a Super Bowl watch party. It is all day on Superbowl sunday and will be at the Henry J Kaiser Center in Downtown Oakland. The event will include live entertainment, activities, and local food vendors. So if you can’t make it to the game, this is a great option if you want to watch it with fellow Oaklanders.
Either way, whether you watch with your friends, family, or in person. The Super Bowl is sure to bring excitement and energy to the Bay Area.