Seattle Seahawks' Russell Okung smiles during media day for NFL Super Bowl XLIX –AP photo / Reuters
What makes the Super Bowl so super?
By John Marshall | Associated Press
The Super Bowl determines the NFL championship. But it has become so much more.
The first Super Bowl game was played in 1967.
Super Bowl Sunday has become an unofficial holiday in the United States. Families and friends gather to watch the game. They enjoy the fresh, new commercials and musical acts at halftime.
This year's game is scheduled Sunday. It will be played between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
Here are some reasons why the Super Bowl is so special.
Baseball is known as America's pastime. But football is woven into the country's fabric.
The NFL season has far fewer games than the other major North American sports, 16 compared to 162 in baseball. That makes every NFL game an event.
Once the season gets to the Super Bowl, many of the fans don't get a chance to go. Tickets started around $800 for this year's game. Most are snapped up by corporations.
Cities bid for the right to host the Super Bowl. The location is rotated every year. The game is usually played in a warm-weather city or one with a domed stadium.
Last year's game was played in the stadium the New York Jets and Giants share in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was the first outdoor game in a cold-weather city. Future games will be in San Francisco, Houston and Minneapolis.
Sunday's game will be at Arizona's University of Phoenix Stadium. It has a retractable roof. And it even has a field that is wheeled outside so the grass can get sunlight.
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched events in the world. It routinely draws more than 80 million viewers. The game has eclipsed 100 million viewers each of the past five years. A record 111.5 million watched Seattle roll over Denver a year ago.
Millions more watch the game around the world.
Super Bowl commercials have become a part of the show. They lure viewers who might not otherwise watch.
The rate for this year's game is $4.5 million for a 30-second spot.
This year's halftime show will feature Katie Perry and rock guitarist Lenny Kravitz. Other halftime Super Bowl performers have included Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Prince, Madonna and Bruno Mars with the Red Hot Chili Peppers last year.