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What is the Super Bowl?

Sherry Holetzky
Sherry Holetzky

The ultimate championship of all championship games for the National Football League and millions of fans around the United States is the annual Super Bowl. In this game, the championship teams from the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference face each other to determine which team is the best in the league.

The Super Bowl has been a fan favorite since it began in the late 1960’s and decades later it is still the most watched sporting event as well as being frequently cited as the most watched overall event in television history. The Super Bowl is considered by many to be the equivalent of a major holiday in the United States. This extraordinary popularity has led to enormous amounts of money being spent by advertisers for mere seconds of air time during the broadcast and has also led to some very creative commercials and half-time shows.

The Super Bowl is an American football game that determines the National Football League's champion.
The Super Bowl is an American football game that determines the National Football League's champion.

Roman numerals are used to designate respective Super Bowl games, which are played in January or February of the year following the official season. Each game is marked with a number rather than according to the year, since each football season begins in one year and ends in the next. Using Roman numerals helps avoid confusion. For example, the 25th Super Bowl game is represented as Super Bowl XXV.

An AFC team faces an NFC team every year in the Super Bowl.
An AFC team faces an NFC team every year in the Super Bowl.

The tradition had long been to schedule the Super Bowl in January, but the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, caused that season’s game to be changed to February for the first time. The following year, the Super Bowl was once again scheduled for January, but since 2003, it has been played in February. It doesn’t seem to make much difference to fans when it is played, according to record-breaking television ratings and ticket sales.

Peyton Manning, who has played for the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts, is considered one of the best quarterbacks of his generation.
Peyton Manning, who has played for the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts, is considered one of the best quarterbacks of his generation.

The team that wins the Super Bowl is awarded the Vince Lombardi trophy, which is custom crafted by Tiffany and Company. A new trophy is crafted each year, unlike various other sporting awards and trophies. The winning team keeps it permanently, instead of returning it to be awarded to the following year’s Super Bowl champions. Each player and the coaches of the winning team are also awarded extravagant Super Bowl rings.

As of 2006, the record for the most Super Bowl wins was a three-way tie between the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the San Francisco Forty-niners. Each team has five wins to their credit.

Discussion Comments

anon144177

Whoever the above is, has no idea about what he or she is talking about. The two best teams in the NFC/AFC (= four NFL teams) play for the conference championship, which brings it down to two NFL teams, one from the NFC and one from the AFC.

Then those two teams play in what is called the Super Bowl. The winner of that game is called the Super Bowl champ for that season, period! Any questions?

anon121920

A championship is just the two best teams play against each other, and then the winner is the champion. The super bowl is the overall professional football champion. Hope that helped a little.

anon6964

what is the difference between championship and superbowl?

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    • The Super Bowl is an American football game that determines the National Football League's champion.
      By: Pete Saloutos
      The Super Bowl is an American football game that determines the National Football League's champion.
    • An AFC team faces an NFC team every year in the Super Bowl.
      By: Richard Kane
      An AFC team faces an NFC team every year in the Super Bowl.
    • Peyton Manning, who has played for the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts, is considered one of the best quarterbacks of his generation.
      By: Jeffrey Beall
      Peyton Manning, who has played for the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts, is considered one of the best quarterbacks of his generation.