Super Bowl 44
I’m reading reports about the cancellation of gala, big-ticket events surrounding this weekend’s Super Bowl, a true sign of the economic apocalypse. Playboy and Sports Illustrated both cancelled what in the past have been some of the hottest parties taking place in the host city. Restaurants and strip clubs–both big attractions during Super Bowl week–are reporting sagging sales. And celebrity golf and poker tournaments have been abruptly cancelled this week because corporate sponsorships have disappeared. Analysts are predicting at least a 20% drop in revenues for Tampa associated with the Super Bowl, with less visitors and less spending this weekend. Hotel rooms are still available. And so are tickets–the official ticket site, TicketsNow, has hundreds if not thousands of tickets available, ranging from $1600 for the upper deck to $197,000 for one of two dozen unsold luxury boxes.
This is unprecedented. There seems to be little demand, and very little interest, in what’s usually the first major holiday of the year for Americans.
But now I realize we already celebrated our Super Bowl. A week ago. On January 20th.
There was no cutback on celebrations, or parties, or ticket demand for events surrounding the inauguration. It sold out instantly, but that didn’t stop people from showing up. All the celebrities were there, as were a million, literally, fans. Not to mention the millions more who watched it on TV and online.
The events were eagerly witnessed by a global audience (I know because many of my european friends texted their POVs while they watched the live streams).
Remarkable.
Our culture is always about what’s new. For the first time in a long, long time, the cultural catalyst was not a quarterback.
It was a skinny, left-handed basketball player.
January 27th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Maybe, just maybe it’s a weird karma or a numerological phenom because we are into Super Bowl 44 and our new President is… our 44th. I’ve seen more bizzare things.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Not to put down the athleticism of pro football players, but maybe much of America doesn’t care for the off-field behavior and personas of some of these largely over-paid and under-educated individuals. To see a dignified, articulate person in Barack Obama is a wonderful contrast to the abundance of overdone tattoos, stories of gunplay and criminal behavior, lack of philanthropy, splurging on diamonds and gold chains and teeth, etc. Also, America is hungry for optimism.
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:02 am
It was Super Bowl 43, not Super Bowl 44. How can you mess that up?
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:11 am
@Pete Pyeatt Says:
I was thinking the same thing.. How can you mess that up, isn’t the Superbowl 44 suppose to be in Miami 44th.
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:46 pm
read the piece. OBAMA is our 44th president. His inauguration was, in effect, our superbowl. so i figured it was SB44. a little subtle, i guess . . .
February 5th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Nice piece Tom. Spot on. Saw more resteraunts in New York with TV’s carrying the inauguration then bars advertising Super Bowl parties.