Super Sunday: A Petition
02/12/2023
By: Jeff Yoder
It’s Time. Let’s Make The Super Bowl A National Holiday Already…
You could list the biggest sporting events on the planet and tell me I’m wrong. You could try. And you would fail.
The Olympics. March Madness. Indianapolis 500. Kentucky Derby. Tour de France. The Masters. World Cup. You name it. There are sporting events of magnitude across the globe throughout the calendar that command attention, and lots of it.
For weeks on end, the Olympics, World Cup, and other globally-renowned events garner eyes from more than just one nation. Those are tournaments. They proceed in excess over an extended period of time. And while the championships of those respective sports are accomplishments etched in history, some of which date back hundreds of years, the Super Bowl is sports’ modern-day spotlight spectacle. And it’s time we make it a holiday.
You could make the case for the World Cup Final or the Olympics as a bigger global presence — so special and so wide-reaching they’re only held once every four years — and I’ll concede. But as for the singular event, one with a gravitational pull unlike anything else in entertainment, it’s the Super Bowl.
A ticket to the World Cup Final in 2022 costs an average of $1,600. A ticket to Super Bowl LVII costs an average of $10,000 with the upper end going for nearly $70,000. And don’t even get me started on commercial spots. We used to laugh at the absurdity of ad dollars in the big game, and it’s even more ridiculous this year. It costs $7 million for a 30-second placement.
That’s right. The tech giant you work for might’ve spent $7 million on a commercial you missed when you went to the restroom, but you’re still clocking in on Monday.
Don’t look at me as an excuse, either. I signed up for this. I’m not only working Monday, but I’m working today. There’s no beer, chips, or a banger of a party while I write tomorrow’s edition of The Sportsletter. But you? You deserve the day off. All of you.
While a combined audience of well over 100 million viewers will tune in tonight, the World Cup saw roughly 25 million viewers this past year. That’s the “World” Cup…
Remember back to Thanksgiving Day? Less than 25 million watched the Macy’s Parade. I know, I know. There’s so much history and enriching tradition that goes into celebrating major holidays with historical significance. The crucial holidays celebrate religious events, national pride, and cultural icons. And I get it. You won’t see me putting the Super Bowl above Independence Day, Easter, or Memorial Day. But here’s a thought…
A “holiday” is defined as a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done — a day marked by a general suspension of work in commemoration of an event.
A whopping 100 million-plus viewers will watch tonight’s game, and many of those televisions are hosting parties with dozens or more people that become incalculable viewership stats. Chances are you’re at one of them tonight. Or better yet, you’re hosting. Kudos to you.
Snacks, drinks, friendship, and games will make tonight one of the most unique days in our culture. What other event comes with expectations of a social gathering? One that likely includes alcohol, no less. Followed by a Monday morning at the office?
The phrase “Super Bowl hangover” is comical to me, and it’s gotten more relevant in my years as a sports journalist. Ask any sportswriter about the least eventful day on the sports calendar. Spoiler: It’s the Monday after the big game. All we do is replay highlights and no other sport is breaking any major news.
The players who win the Lombardi Trophy won’t be able to function — they’ll party for three straight days until a Wednesday parade where they get an excuse to give drunken speeches to the masses. Remember when Tom Brady tossed the trophy from a boat in the Tampa harbor? Even the GOAT gets rowdy.
But then there’s you — John Q. Viewer — the law-abiding citizen attempting to enjoy one of the American culture’s best social events of the year while knowing what awaits tomorrow morning. As the game ends, you responsibly make your way home and set your alarm for a Monday morning of the mundane. How sad.
You might’ve started faking that cold on Friday. For most of you, there’s a 50/50 chance you make it on time. But what’s a 50/50 chance really look like? There’s a prop bet for that.
Seriously. You can bet money on the coin toss in Super Bowl LVII. That’s right, America. This is what it’s come to. We’re all tuned in to a spectacle so grandiose that we’re wagering on heads or tails? And if I’m a betting man (I’m not), I would wager that more than 50 percent of America gets little-to-no work done tomorrow.
So let’s call it already. Make Super Sunday trickle into Super Monday, a nationally recognized holiday, and let’s all enjoy some football without the Sunday night blues hovering over the greatest night in sports like the Grinch looking down on Christmas in Whoville.
Bet on heads. Lose your money. Enjoy the big game. Then immediately set the saddest alarm for 6:00 am. Happy Super Sunday, America!
Super Bowl LVII
Eagles vs. Chiefs (6:30 pm ET, FOX)
Additional Storylines
People: Student’s Petition to Move Super Bowl to Saturday Gets Over 100K Signatures
News Journal: Should the Monday After Super Bowl Be a Holiday? One State is Trying to Make It So