ANDERSON, Ind. —
When it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, the commercials pick up a lot of the talk and can be as entertaining as the game itself for some. But for many of those who go out and watch on the big screens of bars and restaurants, it’s really about the football.
“It should be about the game,” Daniel Morgan, of Anderson, said.
He said many use Super Bowl as a reason to throw big parties and not even pay attention to it. He and wife Ellyn typically watch big games like it by themselves at home because “it gets too tense” amongst a group, Ellyn said, adding friendships have likely been lost to rivalries.
But they were out grocery shopping when they decided to stop by Art’s Pizza on Broadway to grab a bite to eat.
“They have it on so we’ll watch it while we’re here,” Daniel said.
Both are Chicago Bears fans and Ellyn said she follows their season, along with the Miami Dolphins, fairly closely. But the Super Bowl is the big one of the year.
“It’s neat there’s two brothers coaching in the game,” she said. “It makes it more interesting.”
This was the first Super Bowl game in history that featured opposing head coaching brothers, San Francisco’s Jim Harbaugh and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh.
While Ellyn leaned more toward the Baltimore Ravens over the San Francisco 49ers for the title of Super Bowl XLVII champion, she said she wouldn’t be disappointed either way. She just wanted to see Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis end his career on a good note since he’s retiring.
Planning to meet some friends at Scampy’s, Sarah James, of Pendleton, said she really only watches the Super Bowl because her boyfriend makes her. But she does enjoy the commercials companies pay big bucks to air during advertising’s biggest stage.
More than 111 million viewers were expected to tune in, The Associated Press reported, and 30-second spots went for as much as $4 million this year.
Ads in 2012 cost roughly $3.5 million, according to superbowlcommercials.org, and television host CBS anticipated raking in more than $225 million in ad revenue this year.
One of James’ favorites was the Best Buy commercial featuring “Parks and Recreation” star Amy Poehler asking a Best Buy employee questions.
“A lot of the commercials are just really cute or really funny,” she said. “I like watching out for what they’ll put out next.”
James’ boyfriend, Nathan Wilson, of Anderson, likes the commercials, but they’re not his reason for tuning in.
He watches every year regardless of who’s playing, too.
“It’s one of those games you just have to watch if you’re a football fan,” he said. “It’s a must-see.”
An Indianapolis Colts fan, Wilson would like to see them in the big game again soon, but noted it’s about seeing who takes the title of champion home, to see who’s really built a great team that year.
And he enjoys watching with buddies. He said he likes the loud sports bar atmosphere. That makes the game more exciting.
Wilson might’ve gotten a little more than he bargained for.
Power went out at the Louisiana Superdome early in the third quarter, causing a 35-minute delay with the Ravens leading the 49ers 28-6.
The lights shut off shortly after Baltimore’s Jacoby Jones returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown, and play resumed with 13:22 left in the third quarter.
The Ravens won 34-31.
Find Dani Palmer on Facebook and @DaniPalmer_THB on Twitter, or call 640-4847.
