SB: LVI – a post game view of everything but the game.

The Big Game – I get it. Lot’s of hype, lots on the line, lots of money invested. Money? Oh yeah … Not just for the players – Not just the ticket cost (between $4,000 to 10,000) – Not just the commercial expense (up to $7,000,000 for 30 seconds) … there is so much more. Winning players get minimum $150,000. Winning rings cost about $35,000. And its projected to bring up to $477,000,000 to the host town of LA. And I can’t even imagine how much money transferred hands through gambling. You know, this adds up to a lot of money. (Interestingly, the artists at half time don’t make any money!)

But I started watching with something a little different in mind. I looked from a different perspective – on what was being marketed, what was being shown as a way to we should be living. What attitudes, what perspectives and what mojo was being put out there. I listened of key words. I analyzed the commercials. And I tried to evaluate what was done in preparation and behind the scenes in getting ready for SB LVI. This list is not exhaustive, but just what I think was shown as what they valued.

ATTITUDES AND MORE …
Exceed ExpectatIon (Cincinnati)
Live Up To Expectations (LA)
Accomplish the Impossible
Amazing Story
Innovation
Performance
Ambitions
Staggering
Dreams
Fantasy
Wonder
Heroes
Champions
Triumph Over Struggle
Fortune Favors the Brave

WAYS TO LIVE LIFE …
Protect your players
Take away whatever you can
Stop the other side
Fight for every yard

MARKETING & MORE …
Talent
Creativity
Going Big
Crowd
Pride
Humor

So what is this telling us? Imagine you were an extraterrestrial and watched this event while you closed in on this third rock from the sun. What would you think was important to inhabitants to this planet? …
— We love food. A lot, especially chips and pizza.
— We have a huge entertainment industry. Not just the half-time, but all the movie commercials. I just hope they don’t think our entertainment is reality – well, maybe they won’t attack if they think we actually have super heroes. Or maybe they will think we actually have dinosaurs still around!
— We value sports and challenges of physical endurance
— They wouldn’t see Covid. This crowd was a huge crowd.

Is there anything you saw that needs to be added to this list?

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COMMERCIALS – So many good ones. My top ones (in order of appearance) …
– Start the Impossible – Toyota (heart tug)
– ETrade … baby investor (humor)
– Doritos sloth/animals (humor)
– Superior Bowling (series)
– Rocket Mortgage and Barbie House (humor)
– Keeping Up With the Jones – Toyota (humor)
– NFL Commercial with video game (humor)
– Pringles Stuck On You (creative)
– Alexa Reading Minds (humor)
So many good ones, but the favorite I had was the Doritos with sloth. When you consider the teasers and trailers they released prior to the SB, I think this was superb.

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What I didn’t see – the reality of man’s need for Jesus Christ. Does the church need these type of hype events? Maybe not the hype, but imagine what could be done in sharing the Gospel and caring for others with similar resources that were used in this type of event. I am not saying we need to cancel sports or big events. I completely enjoy the game. But in ten years, will this game really mean anything? But seeing the gospel of grace change one life – that impacts change for eternity!

Let’s always remember to keep the important things in the forefront of our lives. Let’s make Jesus first in everything.

And my favorite quote about football and the NFL – the G.O.A.T. is actually a Lamb – the Lamb of God.