Superbowl Sunday
29/01/2009
In the States, Superbowl Sunday doesn’t mean weekend dim sum at the place with really large bowls of congee.
Makes sense, because I don’t see burly beer chugging dudes settling for a bowl of hot tjook.
Apparently, Superbowl Sunday is a big deal. It’s right up there with Thanksgiving, in terms of TV coverage (all the talk shows are talking about Superbowl Sunday recipes, who’s going to win…) and Target shopping deals. Advertisers pay something like $3 million for a 30 second spot during the game (that’s the going this year) and some ads (which might only be shown this one day) are remembered for years after.
Anyway, I’m all ready for Superbowl Sunday this year. After weeks of watching American Football on Sundays, I can sort of make heads and tails of what’s going on. So this Sunday I’m going to root for the Arizona Cardinals.
My team loyalties are based on geographical obligations. However, the SF 49ers didn’t have a great season. After that, it’s based on whichever team playing has a nicer mascot. Or cute name. Like Giants.
Between the Cardinals and the Pittsburg Steelers, you’ve to admit the Cardinals have a cuter mascot.
American Football – is a misnomer. The only thing that’s accurate about the name, is the American bit – its as American as it gets. There’s really very little foot involved, save when they’re trying to score field goal or passing the ball back to the other team. I mean, if that’s the naming convention, then the British should’ve called their football “handball”.
And why should English Football be referred to as “soccer”? It was there eons before American Football. Would’ve it be more appropriate to have called it American Rugby, since it is based off Rugby? Yet it wouldn’t be the last – or most – confounding thing the Americans have come up with. That honour, goes to driving on the other side of the road.
Yet American Football is a shining example of corporate America. How?
First – it is nothing, if it isn’t a money-making machine. Teams make money from ticket sales and endorsements, cities make money from the tax, companies make money from merchandising and advertising, and completely unrelated entities try to get in on the fun by offering products and services around the occasion that is Superbowl Sunday.
Second – the teams take the concept of division of labour so seriously, there is a different set of players that just play offense or defense. Consequently, there are offensive co-ordinators, defensive co-ordinators, quarterback coaches, I suppose there are more of these guys, but I don’t know them very well. The organisation is headed up by an owner, a General Manager (CEO) and a Head Coach (COO). It’s a large organisation!
Third -they believe in branding. Each team has an icon and an avatar – Arizona Cardinals have a stylised red bird, Tampa Bay Dolphins have a dolphin, Oakland Raiders have a pirate/rouge type dude. Even the teams that don’t have an animal have a stylised logo and are known by their brands – like the San Francisco 49ers or the Pittsburg Steelers. Even when the team leaves the city, they keep their brand, ensuring themselves some independance of their host cities, and some continuity – which, while a tad practical, is really quite modern and forward thinking.
Anyway, lest I take the fun out of my first Superbowl Sunday (think we were in SG last year), I’m going to leave it at that. Suffice to say, besides the wild, unpretentious testosterone-induced violence, American football has so much more in common with a suit-and-MBA-infested MNC than its less adorned cousin called Rugby.
Incidentally, before I get my head around baseball (baseball season should be coming up shortly), turns out my (current) home team, the SF Giants, started off playing in New York. Which is interesting, because New York is also home to the New York Football Giants.
I can safely say though, that the SF 49ers, though, always played in SF, and will probably keep doing so. It would be hard to find another home that is 7×7 square miles large, I guess.
