The biggest day in American sports is closing in. The 57th Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will be held at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona this Sunday.
The historic game, which airs on FOX, will be the first Super Bowl to feature two Black starting quarterbacks: Jalen Hurts for the Philadelphia Eagles and Patrick Mahomes for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Super Bowl is most known for football; however, it’s also become a massive day for entertainment, food and socializing. Students around USC are preparing for the big game in their own ways. Caitlin Kurzman, a Annenberg master’s student, said she plans to incorporate the game into her studies.
“I’m going with a group of masters kids from a Master of Science in Digital Social Media,” Kurzman said. “We’re going to a restaurant together to watch it because our professor wants us to watch and study the Super Bowl ads.”
A perennial tradition, Kruzman said she’s always enjoyed the advertisements, “I grew up watching the Super Bowl because my family are huge football fans,” Kruzman said. “The ads are always really unique and brand new.”
Third year doctorate of law student Summer Khatib doesn’t share the same sentiment.
“The Super Bowl is obviously a huge money maker for not only the teams playing, but all the ads airing on TV,” Khatib said. “I think there is a deeper meaning in the sense that it is the perfect opportunity to reach a wide audience to advertise to.”
Bobby Gifford, a junior majoring in journalism, echoed a similar message, “It’s a symbol of America,” Gifford said.”Look at the advertising money going into the commercials.”
Khatib is among a myriad of students sporting apprehensive thoughts about the game. Tim Topper, a first year graduate student at Rossier, said his evolving perspective on the NFL sidelined his viewing experience.
“It’s a super corrupt organization that runs as a non-profit, but its investors and owners take home billions of dollars and use fan contributions such as 50/50 raffles and cancer awareness jersey auctions for charity as tax write offs,” Topper said. “The NFL’s stance on domestic violence, sexual assault, the use of Native mascots and the exploitation of low-income neighborhoods where owners get to put their stadiums is abdominal.”
The NFL has continued to be rocked by a series of scandals and accidents throughout the season. Damar Hamlin’s onfield cardiac arrest, Cleveland Browns star quarterback Deshaun Watson’s sexual harassment lawsuits, and former Texans coach Lovie Smith’s claims of discrimination against ethnic coaches have all cast a damp shadow over the 2022-2023 season.
Despite this, many are still excited for Sunday.
Ryan Peterson, a senior majoring in political science, has his day fully planned in preparation, full of family, friends and traditions. “I was brought up in a household that watches the Super Bowl every February. I love the game,” Peterson said.
Above all, it’s the fanfare and community that consistently brings Peterson back to the big game every year.
“I think that the Super Bowl brings the community together, millions of viewers, celebrities sitting amongst common folk and sports goers. Even though we want different teams to win, we are all focused on the celebration and game itself,” Peterson said.