Today is the day. This afternoon, the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will play Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders new super stadium (NFL, 2024). You can watch coverage all day and multiple networks leading up to the Kick Off Show on CBS at 3:00 pm Pacific. You can even watch the Super Bowl with Spongebob Squarepants from Bikini Bottom on Nickelodeon.
2023's Super Bowl LVII was viewed by approximately 200 million viewers, measured by Nielsen and the NFL in a custom survey collaboration (NFL, 2023). That number reflects how many people watched for at least one minute. It was a 9% increase from the previous years viewership. The NFL, already a pro sports behemoth, continues to grow in popularity. As of Wednesday, February 8th, the lowest priced ticket in the venue was more than $6.8k and prices rise well over $10k each (Elbaba, 2024). The City of Las Vegas is anticipating 330k tourists and workers for the Super Bowl festivities (Hughes, 2024).
While National Football League fandom calls to mind the die-hard fanaticism of a shirtless drunk guy cheering through a literal blizzard, 2023 has seen a significant addition to the ranks. You can't really hide from it can you? If you have an electronic device and some form of connectivity, you are most certainly aware of the NFL's new, most amorous celebrity fan, Taylor Swift. The media can't resist publicizing her romantic life but now, she's dating a star football player and the world is watching.
According to Adam Budelli, a StubHub ticket expert who spoke with NBC, over the 24-hour period after Taylor attended her first Chiefs game, the team saw its largest spike in sales all season (Elbaba, 2024). That same NBC Bay Area piece also mentions Marketwatch data referencing a 53% viewership increase in girls aged 12-17, 24% in 18-24 year olds, and 34% more among those 35 and older.
While this seems like good news for the game, the Swifties gridiron migration has become the source of some controversy. With Taylor's talents creating such a strong fanbase, coupled with her left-leaning political sentiments, it has become a source of inspiration for right-wing conspiracy theorists. I will spare you the details, as I have no desire for this site to become a political, let alone a conspiracy theory, focused outlet. You can read the Rolling Stone post by Nikki McCann Ramirez (linked below) about the various concerns of conservatives, including that the romance is a "deep state plot to reelect Democratic President, Joe Biden (McCann Ramirez, 2024)."
I've been around for the past few years so, I'm well aware of the remarkably chaotic society we live in. From conspiracy theories to social media's decay into bot frenzy advertising, I am not one to judge, or rule out, the possibility of people with power operating in shady ways but, this one seems a bit far-fetched. As an athlete, I know how difficult it can be to play well. As difficult as that is, it could be even more difficult to manufacture a result, as it would require the same amount of hand-eye coordination, physical prowess, and a fair amount of luck as it would to win a ball game. The idea that the highest level of professional football could manipulate an entire league of organizations, who all strive to succeed with real consequences if they don't, doesn't quite hold me.
However, this story has inspired me to think about some other sport related..."energies." If you know anyone who loves sports, you understand the power of superstition. Even if you are completely atheistic towards a game day ritual, or that any one fan can have an impact on the performance of a professional ball club, there is actually a fair amount of science to argue that, it is not entirely unfounded to believe in something more than purely physical contributions.
Mentality is not a new concept to any competitor. Whether you are playing for a championship or striving towards fitness goals, the way you think can be a deciding factor in failure or success. Confidence goes a long way. In competition, managing emotions can not only will you to victory but, allowing them to control you, can lead to defeat. As read on Psychology Today, above motivation, confidence, intensity, and focus, mentality is at the top of the Prime Sport Pyramid (Taylor, 2010).
However, does that mean that crossing your fingers before every free throw, or flipping your cap inside out when you need a hit actually affect your favorite players in a pivotal moment? The answer is debatable, sure but, it's not an emphatic "no." Studies have show that, for the fans, involving themselves with their local teams can lead to lower depression levels, loneliness and feelings of alienation (Association of Applied Sport Psychology, 2009). Identifying with pro clubs also leads to higher self-esteem, higher energy levels, and greater levels of trust in people.
As for the athletes, there is an entire discipline dedicated to maximizing mental performance. Clubs and organizations around the world have invested in sports psychology professionals to maintain emotional well being of players, particularly in how they deal with fan behavior (Association of Applied Sport Psychology, 2009). Whether home or away, positive or negative attention, players must be able to manage their mentality, and it is so relevant, that medical professionals are required at the highest levels.
I don't want this site to become a politically charged (let alone a conspiracy theory laden one). However, the latest news cycle has inspired a few questions. Is the NFL conspiring with the Democratic National Convention to manipulate the outcome of matches, like it's the WWE, for political reasons? As an athlete, I understand just how difficult it is to produce results consistently. More than that, how difficult would it be to convince an entire league of professional clubs, who live and die by their success on the field, to give up their own integrity and lose on purpose. Hell, even if that were the case, it would take the same level of dedication, practice, effort, and luck to play well enough to achieve the desired result and make it look convincing.
It seems more likely that conservative conspirators see one of the most watched cultural events on the planet as an opportunity to influence public opinion but, have they created a self-fulfilling prophecy? As we've established, sentiment can be a powerful force to an athlete. Who is to say that there isn't something to an entire city (or nation on a global scale, such as the Olympics, the World Baseball Classic, or the World Cup) focusing their collective attention behind their team doesn't have an effect? Even if it's not "juju," or "mojo," or whatever, couldn't the knowledge of that play a role in the mentality of a ball player? Imagine the collective energy of all of Kansas City plus, Swifties all over the world, and any romantic who believes the power of love rooting for the same team. Sure, "you still gotta play the game" but, if any team is likely to be affected, would't it be these Chiefs?
If you read this before the final whistle, leave your prediction in the comments and enjoy the game!
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Sincerely yours,
Joshua Lucero
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WriterJoshua Around the Web
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