Super Bowl Some Day

Yesterday was the Super Bowl, or as lawsuit-fearing business owners call it slyly, 'The Big Game'. Does that fool a soul? Now, the Super Bowl party is now a fixture of the average American's social calendar. Last year I went to an unbelievable blowout party which would have been better only if the rabid Indiana expatriates dominating attendance had their way and saw a Colts victory. I mean they had homemade blue donuts, so that should give you some idea. I and one other guy were for the Saints, and we were terrified. This year's party was good too, but I'll tell you what it was not: it was not the experience of seeing the world's biggest single sporting event live.

Most people go to what now is termed a viewing party, for the game, the food or the obnoxious reason of only caring about the commercials. Who actually attends the game? The answer is uncertain to me, but I know that it is not many average fans. How does one get tickets? I have done a little looking into the matter, and it's somewhat interesting how the distribution of tickets breaks down. I understand that 17.5 percent goes to each of the teams playing to do with what they will. The hosting team gets 5 percent, and the other teams get 34.8. The league holds the balance. A lottery is held for disseminating the only tickets which can be bought by the general public. I understand there may be no more than five hundred such tickets. This year's game will be attended by over 100,000. People are paying to watch on big screens outside the stadium, and some parking spots are costing over 1,000 dollars.

I love football. There's no denying that it's the favorite sport of this country, with there being considerably less interest in baseball and other sports. People love football in part because each team is on a level playing field, so to speak. The one thing that makes the NFL so profitable is the proceeds from their television contracts, and that money is evenly divided. Consequently, the New York Jets and Chicago Bears have no better of a chance at the title than the teams playing this year, whose home cities combine for a population of less than 500,000. It is an entirely meritorious pursuit in that respect.

It's unfortunate then that one's only prospects for seeing the game live are being a celebrity, winning a lottery or being the 11th caller to a sports radio station. It is the biggest turnoff to me about the game. I believe in the so-called American Dream. I believe in this country as a meritocracy, where all it takes to get everything you want is being good enough. With talent, hard work and adherence to the rules, one ought to be able to do anything. That the acquisition of tickets to a sporting event should be an exception to that is incredibly galling.