The Super Bowl, one of the biggest sporting events in the world, is nearly here.
The final pieces of the Super Bowl puzzle are landing into place, as the two teams tick off their extensive media commitments and finalise their preparation.
All that’s left to do is wait patiently for the day to arrive. It’s a Sunday event in the states, of course, but a Monday lunchtime ordeal down under. There will be pubs all over the place screening the game – you might still find a sweet Sydney or Melbourne sports bar here if it’s not too late.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 Super Bowl.
Who is playing?
Jalen Hurts’ Philadelphia Eagles will meet Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
The Eagles were the first team through, beating the San Fransisco 49ers in Philadelphia. They made the most some unfortunate 49ers injury luck; quarterback Brock Purdy the key loss. Philly locked up the one seed in the NFC after an impressive 14-3 season.
The Chiefs emerged out of a loaded AFC, taking down the Cincinnati Bengals in a nail-biter. Like Philly, KC also enjoyed the bye in the opening round of the Playoffs as the conference one seed.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes made a miraculous one week recovery from a high ankle sprain to steer his side to a third AFC Championship in four seasons. KC lifted the Lombardi Trophy in early 2020, beating the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. They lost to Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay in the decider a year later.
One interesting side note to the matchup is that it’ll be the first time in NFL history where brothers will go head-to-head, the ultimate way to claim family bragging rights. It’s Chief Travis Kelce (33), one of the greatest tight ends in league history, up against big bro Jason (35), who plays centre for the Eagles and is also a standout at his position. Let’s go.
When and where is the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl is on the 13th of February (in Australia), with kickoff at 10:30am AEDT.
The big game is at State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Arizona. In America’s southwest, it’s being played at the home of the Arizona Cardinals. The venue was formerly known as Cardinals Stadium and also University of Phoenix Stadium, before insurance company State Farm took over naming rights in 2018 (an 18-year deal).
The stadium hosted Super Bowl XLII in 2008 and also XLIX in 2015. It has 63,400 unobstructed seats, but expands to 73,000 for mega-events (like the Super Bowl!).
State Farm stadium is enclosed, but games are still played on real turf – the best of both worlds for players and fans. Last year’s Super Bowl arena SoFi Stadium is also a dome, but has artificial grass.
The match is set to be absolute fireworks; not just because it’s two supreme offences doing battle. The indoor venue allows for a controlled – dry, no wind – environment, lending itself to more throwing and sharper skill execution.
How much are Super Bowl tickets?
Not cheap. That’s the short answer.
Multiple sources have noted a seat at the Super Bowl is around $6,000 USD; around $8,000 AUD. Premium seats closer to the action can cost up to $27,500 USD ($39,000 AUD).
There have been tickets found on SeatGeek for $4,886 USD ($6,900 AUD) for each ticket.
Who’s playing at halftime of the Super Bowl?
Barbadian singer Rihanna is headlining the Super Bowl’s famous halftime show this year.
Her powerful but simple instagram announcement in September was well received and has become an iconic image.
Rihanna also recently dropped a teaser of what things might look like on Feb 13.
Now 34, she has sold over 250 million records worldwide.
Are there any Aussies playing in the Super Bowl?
You bet there are.
The Eagles have two Aussies on their roster; one of them plays a crucially important role.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata is one-fifth of arguably the best offensive line in football; he protects Jalen Hurts’ blindside, a role where the importance just cannot be understated. Mailata has an incredible story, drafted in 2018 as a raw prospect crossing over from rugby league and the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The other Australian in Philadelphia is punter Arryn Siposs, who played 28 AFL games for St Kilda between 2011-2015. The Victorian is reportedly set to return from injury for the Super Bowl, after injuring his ankle in Week 14.
When will the Super Bowl ads be released?
It’s not just about the football with the Super Bowl of course. The commercials are another fun element of the off-field part of the spectacle, with companies tipping insane resources into ensuring their ad stands out on the coverage that is expected to yield around 100 million viewers (it was 99.18 for last year’s game)
Commercials will air during the coverage, but in today’s age they’re normally ‘leaked’ or thrown around social media before the big day.
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This truly has the hallmarks of potentially one of the great Super Bowls in recent memory.
Enjoy the build-up and keep a close eye on Travis Kelce’s antics.
