I was lucky enough to be invited by a client and friend to attend the Super Bowl this past weekend. While the final score was not what I had hoped for, the experience itself was unforgettable. For any sports fan, it is the kind of event that earns a permanent spot on the bucket list.
What makes the Super Bowl feel so different from any other game? It is hard to fully capture, but from the moment the day began, you could sense this was not just football. It was something bigger.
Game day for me felt like Christmas morning as a young kid. I woke up early thanks to my internal clock still operating on East Coast time, and truthfully I had to get my jitters out. The first hard decision of the day was what to wear. After a quick debate, I reached for a trusted favorite: my 20-plus-year-old Rodney Harrison jersey. It has seen plenty of victories and heartbreak over the years, and it felt right to have it with me for this one.
Like the planner I am, we arrived more than 3½ hours before kickoff so we could get into the secure area for a tailgate party. After waiting in line and making our way through some intense security, we walked into an open-air tailgate with endless food options, experiences, bars, and even a mini Patriots pep rally. We strolled around, bumped into a few people we knew, and soaked in all of the excitement.
As we eventually made our way to our seats with plenty of time to spare, we could tell right away we’d won the lottery on who our seat-neighbors were (after all, a game can be made or broken by who you sit around.) While Seahawks fans outnumbered us two to one, the ones near us were incredibly polite and respectful. My favorite person, though, was in the row in front of us – a 90-year-old woman who wanted to check off her bucket list item of attending a Super Bowl. Her son was the one who brought her. How darn cute is that? She also told that she wished she’d done it 20 years earlier…if that doesn’t inspire you to stop postponing important experiences then I don’t know what will.
As kickoff approached, another detail stood out. I have never seen a stadium completely full that far ahead of a game. But the Super Bowl is a production in every sense of the word. Green Day set the tone, the national anthem gave everyone chills, and the flyover (with one bonus plane 30 seconds behind) was so loud you could feel the roar in your chest.
By the time the ball was kicked off, my energy (and probably my blood pressure) had reached its peak. The game itself was an emotional ride, and unfortunately, it didn’t end the way I wanted. Still, seeing the halftime show live and watching a full production come together in just a few minutes was impressive in its own right.
So, would I go again despite the loss? Without hesitation. The entire day was so thoughtfully executed, and the attention to detail shined throughout the entire day.
Sharing a few photos below that captured what turned out to be a perfect Bay Area day.
Until next time…
