NFC Battles AFC at the Superbowl on February 3rd

The NFC and AFC League Champions will soon be heading for Glendale, Arizona for Super Bowl XLII. The 42nd annual championship game, to be broadcast live on FOX, will be played at the University of Phoenix Stadium, February 3, 2008. Kick-off time is 6:18 p.m. EST.

The annual clash between the NFL's Champion Teams has come a long way since the AFL-NFL World Championship Game of 1967, which was the original title of the game.

Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers and Hank Stram's Kansas City Chiefs took to the field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on 15 January 1967. Despite perfect weather conditions, 72° and sunny, and a modest ticket price of $12 when compared to this year's tickets which range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, the recorded attendance of 61,946 was well below that of a sellout crowd. In fact, Super Bowl I is the only game in Super Bowl history to not draw sell-out crowds.

The game was broadcast live to approximately 60 million viewers simultaneously by both NBC and CBS, which ranks as another historical moment in Super Bowl history as all other games have been broadcasted to US fans by a single station. Ray Scott, Jack Whitaker and Frank Gifford announced play-by-play action for CBS with Curt Gowdy and Paul Christman calling the plays for NBC. In more recent years the game has been watched around the globe by hundreds of millions of football fans.

Advertising costs too have dramatically come a long way since the birth of football's traditional showdown. A one-minute television commercial sold for tens of thousands of dollars in 1967. Sponsors for this year's program will be paying between 2.5 and 3 millions dollars for a 30-second time slot!

It comes to no surprise that the Super Bowl, which is the most watched sporting event, has consistantly gotten bigger and better, drawing top-notch entertainers and off-the-field events and parties, since 1967.

The first Super Bowl halftime show featured trumpeter Al Hirt and marching bands from the University of Arizona and Grambling State University, which unquestionably pales in comparison to the appearances of Rolling Stones (Super Bowl XL), Michael Jackson (Super Bowl XXVII), U2 (Super Bowl XXXVI), Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson (Super Bowl XXXVIII) and Paul McCartney (Super Bowl XXXIX).

This year's halftime show, which is one of the most anticipated musical events of the year, will feature one of the greatest rock and roll bands, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The halftime show, which is being sponsored this year by Bridgestone, will be broadcasted worldwide to more than 230 countries. Singing the National Anthem will be American Idol Winner, Jordan Sparks.

Off-the-field Super Bowl events have become almost as big as the game itself, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the host city in the final days leading up to the game. Football fans heading to Arizona won't want to miss the following scheduled events:

The NFL Experience

The NFL Experience Built By The Home Depot, a theme park featuring numerous interactive games and attractions for the whole family, will take place January 26-27, January 31, and February 1-2 in the West Parking Lot adjacent to the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. Football fans will have the opportunity to participate in meet and greet sessions and autograph signings with as many as 50 players scheduled to appear at the festivals Topps Super Bowl XLII Card Show, which will include a rare collectible exhibit. Admission tickets, $17.50 for adults and $12.50 for children 12 and under, will be available at the gate beginning 26 January. Advanced tickets can be purchased online at www.superbowl.com. The National Football League will donate the proceeds from ticket sales to the NFL/Youth Education Town, an educational and recreation facility for at-risk youth.

Super Bowl XLII Celebrity Golf and Bowling Events

The third annual Super Bowl NFL Charities Celebrity Bowling Classic will be held on Thursday night, January 31st at the AMF Christown Lanes followed on Saturday, February 2nd by the 23rd annual Super Bowl NFL Charities Celebrity Golf Classic at the famous Wigwam Golf Resort. The bowling classic, which is sponsored by the Strike Ten, will see teams of five amateur bowlers joined by a former or current NFL player for three games of bowling. The cost to participate is a $500 donation to NFL Charities. In the golf classic, a former or current NFL player will be assigned to each fivesome of amateur golfers. The cost to participate is a $1500 donation to NFL Charities. Prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place teams in both events. Bowlers will receive a commemorative Super Bowl XLII bowling ball and pin. Golfers will receive a commemorative photo plaque. Those participating in both events will also receive a gift bag of official Super Bowl XLII apparel from Reebok. For more information contact Nick Nicolosi, tournament director, at (201) 489-0049.

Big Ticket Gala

A Big Ticket Gala, emceed by ESPN football anchor Chris Berman, will be held at the Phoenician Resort, which is located at 6000 E. Camelback Rd, on Wednesday, January 30. Late night host, Jay Leno, will be the headline entertainment for the black-tie event showcasing the Hall of Fame's traveling exhibit of football memorabilia. The evening will include live and silent auctions including a Harley Davidson motorcycle which will be autographed by Leno, former Raiders linebacker Howie Long and other Hall of Famers in attendance.

NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards Dinner

The NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards Dinner will be held Friday, February 1^st at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch, which is located at 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona. Nominated players will receive their awards from various Football Hall of Fame legends. The cost of the dinner, which includes dining with an NFL legend and guest, is $12,500 for a table with seating for eight persons. Proceeds from the dinner help fund the NFL Alumni's youth-oriented programs. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (800) 878-5437 ext. 212.

Super Bowl of Golf Showcase

The Super Bowl of Golf Showcase will be held Friday, February 1^st at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch. Grab your clubs and join numerous current and former NFL greats for a challenging round of golf. The cost of the event, which includes an NFL star host for each foursome, upgraded tee package and full hospitality for the day, is $7,500 per foursome. For more information or to play, call (800) 878-5437 ext. 212. Interested person should call ahead as space is limited.

NFL Alumni Sporting Clays Team Challenge

The NFL Alumni's Ninth Annual Sporting Clays Team Challenge, featuring Olympic Shooting medalists, NFL legends and current players will be held Saturday, February 2^nd at the Rio Salado Sportsman's Club, which is located at 3960 N Usery Pass Road, in Mesa, Arizona. The cost of the event, which includes an NFL celebrity team captain for each foursome, instruction and safety seminars, an upgraded shooter gift package, Southwest barbeque lunch, and awards program, is $4,500 per foursome. For more information or to play, call (800) 878-5437 ext. 212.

Sources:

1 "Super Bowl." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 2 Jan 2008, 06:48 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 3 Jan 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Super_Bowl&oldid=181550689

2 Tom Petty To Perform At Super Bowl Halftime Show, Retrieved January 1, 2008, http://nfl.com/superbowl/story?id=09000d5d804bb825&template=with-vidoe&confirm=true

3 Arizona Host To Super Bowl XLII, Retrieved January 1, 2008, http://www.scottsdalecvb.com/football/

4 Super Bowl XLII Celebrity Golf and Bowling Events Retrieved January 2, 2008 http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story?id=09000d5d804c4a1a&template=without-video&confirm=true