Super Bowl Traditions and Superstitions

The Super Bowl is approaching and is considered by fans as a “holiday,” and an occasion to gather with family and friends. From the creative commercials, amazing halftime show and suspense-filled game, the Super Bowl is entertainment at its best! When it comes to American sporting events, nothing quite captures the essence of travel and tradition like the Super Bowl. As a travel expert with over two decades of experience organizing sports-related tours, I’ve witnessed firsthand how this championship game transforms entire cities into vibrant cultural celebrations that attract visitors from around the globe.

The Evolution of Super Bowl Host Cities

The Super Bowl has evolved from a simple championship game into a premier travel destination event. Each host city carefully prepares years in advance, developing infrastructure and creating unique experiences that showcase their local culture. From Miami’s art deco charm to Arizona’s desert landscapes, every host city brings its distinct flavor to the celebration.

When planning your Super Bowl travel experience, timing is everything. The game traditionally takes place in late January or early February, offering travelers a perfect winter getaway. The 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas marks a historic moment – the first time this entertainment capital hosts the big game, promising an unprecedented blend of sports and spectacle.

Did you know that there are a ton of Super Bowl Traditions and Superstitions?

At Atlas Cruises & Tours, we’re all about traditions, so we wanted to share some of the most popular ones with you.

Super Bowl Traditions

• Super Bowl Sunday is usually held in late January or early February. From 1967 until 2002, It was always held on the last Sunday in January. Because of the September 11th attacks that occurred the previous year, the Super Bowl was delayed by a week that year and has been held in February ever since.
• Roman numerals aren’t just for those in Rome. The tradition of using roman numerals to express what year the Super Bowl is, started in 1971 with the fifth Super Bowl. This system is used because it’s supposed to help eliminate confusion about what Super Bowl it actually is. For the first time since 1971 however, the NFL decided to drop the Roman Numerals for Super Bowl 50 two years ago.
• The pregame show is now a household staple. For some, the pregame show is just as important as the Super Bowl. It wasn’t until 1976 that it was actually broadcast on TV. The first pregame show featured a release of 4,000 pigeons. Nowadays, celebrities and fighter jets tend to be the stars of the show.

Official kick-off is usually at 6:30 pm EST.  You can expect to see a pre-Super Bowl show that starts 30 minutes before kickoff, which comes at the end of a four-hour Super Bowl pregame show.

• The halftime show & expensive commercials always leave people talking. In addition to the game, many look forward to the commercials and the halftime show. This year, Apple Music announced that singer and entrepreneur Rihanna will headline the inaugural Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. In 2021 Jennifer Lopez & Shakira performed for the Pepsi-sponsored event.  Pepsi and the NFL collaborated with Roc Nation to bring these two icons together for the first time ever, for what was an unforgettable performance on the world’s biggest stage.  The halftime show is the most-watched musical event of the year. Over 116.5 million viewers saw tuned into that halftime show.

Advertisers are expected to spend over $8 million dollars on a 30-second commercial. To put that in perspective, in Super Bowl I a 30 second ad cost only $55,000. Anheuser-Busch has 3 minutes worth of commercials but expect to also see Google, Doritos, Pringles, Hellmann’s, Little Caesars, Haagen-Dazs, Booking.com, Coors Light, Stella Artois, Instacart, Uber Eats will all be running commercials.

• Food: As you can imagine there will be a lot of food both at the game and at the homes of viewers around the world. Large amounts of foods are consumed during the Super Bowl, only second to Thanksgiving. Chicken wings, chips and salsa and pizza top the list as the most consumed foods. Just how much food? Well, an estimated 19 million pounds of chips, 1.4 billion chicken wings and more than 12-14 million pizzas will be served.
• The pouring of the Gatorade! The winning coaches normally get was is fondly referred to as a Gatorade shower.   It is highly contested what year this tradition started. Some claim is was the Chicago Bears pouring gatorade over Mike Ditka back in 1984 after they beat the Vikings in a regular-season game. Other claim is was in 1985 when the NY Giants beat the Redskins, also in a regular-season game. We do know that Coach Parcells was the first to get a “Gatorade shower,” at a Super Bowl when the Giants won in 1987.
• Bets:  Some will be watching the game just to bet on it. The Super Bowl is typically the most bet on sport each year. The American Gaming Association estimates that a record millions of people in the US would wager around $1.39 billion on this year’s game. You can bet on just about anything. From how quickly the first score will be made and what the longest field goal will be, to what color the Gatorade will be that is poured over the winning teams coach.
• Even the President gets involved. It is a decades-old tradition that the President of the United States calls the Super Bowl winners. The winning team also gets to visit the White House to get a behind the scenes tour. The Super Bowl champions in 1969, the New York Jets, were the first ones to start the tradition of touring the White House after winning the big game.  Whatever it takes to help our team, we are willing to do!

Super Bowl Superstitions

Super Bowl Superstitions are popular with hardcore fans. There are countless sports superstitions.  As rational as we are as people, we do believe that all things must remain constant to get the same results.

Here are some of the most popular Super Bowl superstitions:

1. Lucky attire!  Wearing their favorite team jersey, t-shirt, beanie, cap, pajamas, poncho, underwear, socks, or even blanket (some people won’t even wash them an entire season afraid they will wash away the team’s luck.)  Of course, there are various combinations of pajamas, underwear + socks, jersey plus beanie, etc….many people use various items to make up their perfect lucky outfit.  If you don’t have a lucky pair of underwear picked out, check out the post on New Years Superstitions to choose that perfect color.
2. Lucky colors! Wearing certain lucky colors or numbers. You can check out this years lucky colors.
3. Lucky cap! This can of course go under attire, but we thought it was worth mentioning on it’s own because many are convened they have to wear their team cap in a certain way…cap forward, cap backward or some even flip their cap from forwards to backwards depending on if their team is ahead or behind at the time or on offense or defense. Apparently, it’s a very precise strategy for many!
4. Location, location, location!  Sitting in the same chair or the same spot on the couch, OR watching the game in the same sports bar or restaurant you always go to. At times it goes deeper as in sitting with the same people in the same place you did throughout the season or some prefer to sit alone in their lucky spot so they can concentrate. Others feel they have to sit in a certain position…(legs crossed, reclining, or left leg under the right leg for example)
5. Not shaving before the game. Most that follow this won’t shave during the playoffs either. We hope they are referring to men’s faces here and not women’s legs!
6. Eating certain foods before or during a game. Others won’t eat at all. When New England was in the Super Bowl, GrubHub came out with some interesting stats like saag paneer, an Indian spinach and cheese dish, was ordered 169 percent more on days that the team won than on days that they lost. Carne asada, crispy chicken sandwiches, unagi rolls and breadsticks were also ordered at a high volume winning game days. We have a blog dedicated to New Years lucky foods that you may want to check out although for interesting reasons chicken wings which is a top food consumed during Super Bowl does not make the lucky foods list.
7. Hold it!  With the idea that your team needs your constant support and supervision, many will delay bathroom breaks (not going until commercials or half-time so you don’t miss a moment of the game.)
8. Praying (even those that are not religious)
9. To yell or not to yell? Some people want no talking during a game, where others screaming the entire game.
10. Walking away….this is perhaps the most painful and loyal fan of them all.  One that will walk away from watching the Super Bowl if their team is down, because he or she feel they are the cause of the bad luck.

The list goes on with rituals that fans feel they must do to avoid a catastrophe for their team.

Super Bowl Travel Guide

The Evolution of Super Bowl Host Cities

The Super Bowl has evolved from a simple championship game into a premier travel destination event. Each host city carefully prepares years in advance, developing infrastructure and creating unique experiences that showcase their local culture. From Miami’s art deco charm to Arizona’s desert landscapes, every host city brings its distinct flavor to the celebration.

When planning your Super Bowl travel experience, timing is everything. The game traditionally takes place in late January or early February, offering travelers a perfect winter getaway. The 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas marks a historic moment – the first time this entertainment capital hosts the big game, promising an unprecedented blend of sports and spectacle.

Beyond the Stadium: A Travel Expert’s Guide to Game Day

As someone who’s organized countless Super Bowl travel packages, I can tell you that the experience extends far beyond the stadium walls. Here’s what savvy travelers should know:

Transportation and Accommodation Strategy

Book your accommodations at least 6-8 months in advance. Host cities typically see hotel rates increase by 150-300% during Super Bowl weekend. Consider staying in neighboring cities and using public transportation or ride-sharing services to reach the venue. Many hotels offer special game day shuttle services.

Local Cultural Experiences

Each host city creates a week-long festival atmosphere leading up to the game. The NFL Experience, an interactive theme park, travels with the Super Bowl and offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in football culture. Local restaurants often create special Super Bowl-themed menus featuring regional specialties.

Super Bowl Traditions Through a Traveler’s Lens

While the article mentions several game-day traditions, let’s explore how these intersect with travel experiences:

The Pregame Show Evolution

The pregame show has become a celebration of the host city’s culture. From local music acts to regional dance performances, it’s a spectacular showcase of the destination’s heritage. Travelers can often attend rehearsals and behind-the-scenes tours in the days leading up to the event.

Culinary Tourism Meets Game Day

The Super Bowl has become one of America’s biggest food events, second only to Thanksgiving. Many host cities organize food festivals and culinary tours highlighting local specialties alongside traditional game day favorites. Smart travelers book food tours early, as they often sell out months in advance.

Travel Tips for Super Bowl Superstitions

For the superstitious traveler, here’s how to maintain your game day rituals while on the road:

• Pack your lucky jersey carefully and consider having it professionally cleaned before travel
• Research sports bars in the host city that cater to your team’s fans
• Look for hotels that offer in-room game day experiences if you need your specific viewing spot

Making Travel Plans for Future Super Bowls

Looking ahead, future Super Bowl host cities are already preparing their travel infrastructure. Consider these tips for future planning:

• Book flights and accommodations as soon as the host city is announced
• Join travel loyalty programs that offer Super Bowl package deals
• Consider purchasing travel insurance that covers event cancellation
• Research local transportation options and book airport transfers early

Another interesting superstition after the game has been played, has to do with the stock market. It is believed that if an NFC team wins, the market and economy will do better during the year.

So who are you rooting for?  Will you be taking part in any of the superstitions mentioned above like wearing the same unwashed socks from the winning season or not shaving before the Superbowl? We’d love to hear from you!

Super Bowl Food Consumption

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Source: https://blog.atlastravelweb.com/special-interests/super-bowl-traditions-and-superstitions/