ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the origins of the Super Bowl, especially how the event has evolved from a cold war, mythic spectacle to a televised carnival, with multiple – but still US-centric – narratives. It analyses the meaning of the Super Bowl as an international phenomenon and discusses why the United States’ favorite professional sporting event is unlikely to become the favorite sporting event of the rest of the world. The chapter argues that the ritual competition of the actual championship game has steadily declined in cultural relevance – especially in relation to the increasing public fascination with both the advertising discourse and half-time entertainment. Over the course of more than 30 years the centrality of the Super Bowl’s championship game spectacle has been undermined by a decentralized Super Bowl carnival with multiple narratives. The most successful advance promotion of Super Bowl advertisements is the recurring ‘Bud Bowl’ campaign.
