Super Bowl LIX was held on 9 February at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Kansas City Chiefs, winners of the last two editions, faced the Philadelphia Eagles to decide the 2024 National Football League champion. The Eagles triumphed with a decisive 40-22 victory, and their quarterback, Jalen Hurts, was named Super Bowl MVP (Most Valuable Player).
Once again, the Super Bowl confirmed its standing as the most important and popular American sporting event. It drew over 100 million viewers in the United States, and it was televised in 150 countries on all continents. The stands of the stadium were packed with celebrities, including newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump, the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl is also an entertainment spectacle. At its heart is the Halftime Show, an extravagant musical performance, one of the most anticipated moments in American pop culture. This year’s headliner was rapper Kendrick Lamar.
For many Americans, the Super Bowl is an opportunity to gather with family and friends, eat and celebrate. Fan spending for the event is estimated at over $18 billion, the majority of which will be spent on food. This makes it the second-largest food consumption day in the United States after Thanksgiving.
However, this excessive eating and drinking comes at a cost. The day after the Super Bowl, an estimated 16 million Americans call in sick, a phenomenon known as ‘Super Sick Monday’. There are even ongoing petitions to officially recognize it as a new, national holiday.
If you could attend any major sporting event in the world, which one would it be and why?
ACTIVITY 2: Debate
Pair up with one of your classmates and look at the proposition below; one of you will argue in favour of it and the other will argue against it.
Proposition: Declaring ‘Super Sick Monday’ a national holiday would be inappropriate, as it originates from excessive celebration rather than a meaningful cultural or historical event.
(Carlo Dellonte)
(Image:NEW ORLEANS, USA, JANUARY 27, 2025: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl LIX for season 2024, NFL Final, American football championship game in Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, kovop, shutterstock.com)
