Every first Sunday in February, the Super Bowl brings many Americans together behind their TV screens. In fact, it's the most watched sporting event on TV in the United States. In 2017, over 100 million viewers tuned in to watch the Big Game. But why is it so popular? And what is the history of this NFL final?
It all began in 1920, when the National Football League (NFL) was founded. At the time, the principle of the American Football Championship was simple: the team with the most wins at the end of the season was the winner. However, in 1932, two teams tied for the championship. To break the tie, the NFL decided to organize a match between these two teams. The idea of a final between two teams was born. The NFL then imagined two divisions with, at the end of the season, a final where the two best teams would face off in a dry match. But this first historic final, inaugurated in 1932 and featuring the Chicago Bears, was not yet known as the Super Bowl.
The term "Super Bowl" first appeared on the other side of the Atlantic in 1967. It was in this year that the very first American soccer final was held, pitting the winner of the NFL against the winner of theAFL. As a reminder, theAmerican Football League was founded in 1960 by wealthy owners. TheAFL soon became a serious competitor for the NFL, to the point where a merger between the two conferences was officially sealed in 1970.
But where exactly did the Super Bowl nickname come from, when the first finals between the two conferences were dubbed the " AFL-NFL World Championship Game "? There are several versions. One is based on Lamar Hunt, one of the founders of theAmerican Football League, and also owner of the Kansas City Chiefs. According to some, the businessman got his nickname from one of his children's toys, the " Super Ball ", which was very popular with youngsters in the 60s.
Others point out that the New York Times first used the term Super Bowl in 1967. But it was in 1971 that the nickname was truly adopted, for the fourth edition of the NFL-AFL finals. That same year, the numbering of the finals in Roman numerals was also approved. And why Roman numerals? Quite simply to avoid confusion linked to the year of the Big Game. Indeed, the Super Bowl is played one year after the season, i.e. Super Bowl LV, played in 2021, closes the 2020 season. For Lamar Hunt, again, the use of Roman numerals gave more value and prestige to the finale.
But let's get back to the nickname " Super Bowl ", and more specifically " Bowl ". Presumably, this word (" saladier " in French) was used to refer to the shape of the stadium in Yale, Connecticut, inaugurated in 1914.
In the end, whether you're an American soccer fan or not, you can't escape the phenomenon. And if you're not a fan of the oval ball, the Super Bowl also features a musical half-time show.
Super Bowl 2024: date, schedule, teams, where to watch... everything you need to know about the Big Game
It's one of the biggest and most-watched sporting events across the Atlantic. The Super Bowl, the famous American Football Championship final, is not to be missed on the night of February 11-12, 2024. So, what can we expect? Which teams are this year's finalists? Who's going to put on the half-time show? And where can we watch the sporting event live from Paris? We tell you all about it! [Read more]
Super Bowl 2024: date, schedule, teams, where to watch... everything you need to know about the Big Game
