Star Quarterback Could Break Records in Frigid Super Bowl
The biggest sporting event in the United States, the Super Bowl, kicks off later today when the Philadelphia Eagles play the New England Patriots for the championship of American football’s professional National Football League.
The temperature for the 52nd annual Super Bowl is expected to be -17° C on the street, but in the 20’s in the enclosed stadium in Minneapolis, (in the northern U.S. state of) Minnesota.
The Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady could set several records during the game. He will be the oldest non-kicker to play in the Super Bowl and could be the oldest quarterback to win and pick up his sixth title ring, the most of any player in history.
Philadelphia is trying for its first Super Bowl win, but the Patriots are favored in the game that is expected to be viewed by more than 100 million people on television.
Advertisers are paying $5 million for a 30-second commercial during the broadcast, which is traditionally the most watched television show of the year in the United States.
Viewer ratings for this year’s Super Bowl are considered critical for the NFL. Its regular season ratings declined by 10 percent compared with the prior year.
The drop in ratings has been attributed in part to people boycotting NFL games because of player protests, including kneeling for the national anthem. Other causes include reduced subscriptions to cable television as online streaming services become more popular, and to some degree, declining interest.
The Patriots defeated the Eagles 27-24 in Super Bowl 39 in 2005.
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