They manage to get their foot on the list of the top 100 Oscar galathe State of the Nation speech and the thanksgiving day parade. What is missing is a special program before superbowl. It is obvious to say that the oval ball with a helmet is the national pastime. The most watched program, the Super Bowl, attracted 115 million viewers last year.

Open matches

It is taken for granted that this year’s edition will break that historical record (00:30 hours, Movistar+). Two franchises compete with each other, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ersand if there were Dallas Cowboys (the team with the best audience average), the counter would skyrocket to madness. As a columnist from the ‘Sportico’ portal wrote, “if the NFL decided to project the Super Bowl on the face of the moon, 120 million Americans would rush to buy a telescope.”

The NFL arguably benefited last year from the long Hollywood writers strike, which paralyzed movies and series. But in 2022, 82 games from the league that produces the most bruises and neck pain have already been placed in the top 100. The trend is unstoppable. He baseball, which used to be the sport that generated the most childhood fantasies, has been displaced in the fierce entertainment competition. The NBA He does what he can, like everything else.

Unlike European football here, almost all matches are broadcast freely (although streaming is beginning to make its way). Television consumption in the US has fallen by 7% (constant downward trend); the NFL, on the other hand, has grown 8%. Against the current of new customs. And demographically, the public is plural, both in race, age, political inclination and lately even gender (and here the factor comes into play. Taylor Swift).

New stars

The romance of the most famous and influential singer on the planet with Travis Kelce, the big, charismatic Chiefs player, has expanded interest and the fan base. It is the romantic spectacle of Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe transported to the contemporary era.

The ‘Swift effect’ has garnered countless discussions, articles and comments of all kinds. It has been one of the stories of recent months. Not even the most exhausted fan of the artist’s ubiquity can deny the boost to competition.

The television production usually dedicates a few seconds to its exclamatory gestures from a VIP box. No more. Enough for many swifters. So much for the ‘haters’. Heading into the Super Bowl, attention is focused on if he will arrive in Las Vegas on time from Tokyo, home of his last concert.

There is a consensus that we are experiencing a golden stage of the competition. New stars with hooks have emerged, such as quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, who has taken the baton of laurels and popularity from Tom Brady, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow or even the poor star of the 49ers, Brock Prudywho earns the minimum wage and must share a flat with two teammates.

The competition model also helps. It is a short season, from September to February, just 17 games per team if they do not qualify for the playoffs. Each game is like an event in itself. Big difference with the NBA (82 regular season games) and let alone with baseball, which is 162.

As it could not be otherwise, the highest paid analyst in professional sports will comment on the Super Bowl this Sunday. He is the former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Earns 17 million dollars per season on the network C.B.S.. It is in the eye of the hurricane. They say that he is very witty, but that he does little preparation for games. Millions and millions of Americans will surely listen to him today. It is the day when the television set regains its prominence in most homes.