The 2016 Super Bowl occurred Sunday, Feb. 7 in Santa Clara, Calif., and BYU–Hawaii students weighed in on how the Super Bowl is not only a game, but also a tradition that allows family and friends to gather and celebrate what makes them distinctly American.
Nesha Havili, a senior elementary education major from Texas, shared although she does not care about football, she enjoyed “the culture of the game itself,” because she gets to get together with everybody she loves. She enjoyed participating in the parties, food and commercials that revolve around the game.
“It is just an American thing to watch commercials and attend parties where there is American food like chip and dips with hot dogs. It makes me feel happy to be American,” continued Havili.
The Super Bowl is an annual game that determines the National Football League (NFL) championship and is one of the most-watched events in the world, as reported on New York Times.
“Its important for us Americans because football has been part of the American past time for the longest time. Its something we’re proud of. Also, its one of the biggest sporting events here which involves the biggest sports leagues in the world,” said Paul Barcera, a senior majoring in business marketing from Guam.
Being an avid football fan, Barcera supports the Seattle Seahawks and shared if they were at the finals, he would be wearing his Seahawks shirt and cheering for them to win. However, Barcera thinks each Super Bowl event is enjoyable and different. “The setting is like a sports movie,” explained Barcera, “its that one game that decides everything. We can’t determine who will win or lose. Anything can happen. You never know what to expect.”
Rachel Liz Chambers, a freshman generals major from Utah thinks that the Super Bowl is a fun event even if she “is not a football fan, doesn’t really watch it, understand it or know what is happening.”
Chambers considers the Super Bowl to be a great time to gets together with family and friends. “It is just fun to be a part of something and be passionate about it. You get to yell and see the aggressive side of your friends which is really funny.”
The first game was played in 1967 and has become so much more since then with over-the-top commercials, big-name musical acts at half time and a holiday when families and friends gather to watch the game, stated New York Times.
“I didn’t know anything about the Super Bowl till I came here to America,” said Marina Dorff, a junior majoring in elementary education from Japan. Dorff commented it was interesting how the Super Bowl was so important to American culture and there was a lot of hype and energy surrounding this event.
“Even though its Sabbath day, people will still watch the Super Bowl. It is like its not Sabbath day because its Super Bowl,” added Dorff.
The Super Bowl is the most-watched single-day sporting event in the world, with a potential global audience estimated at more than 1 billion. The 2017 Super Bowl is set for Feb. 5, 2017 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, according to Washington Post.