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The Eagles won their second ever Super Bowl on Feb. 9.

As over 100 million viewers sat down in front of their televisions to watch the long-awaited Super Bowl LIX, they expected a competitive game between the top two teams in the league, the Philadelphia Eagles and the back-to-back champions the Kansas City Chiefs. Unfortunately, they were disappointed as the game was not close, and by the end of the first half the Chiefs had not scored any points. 

On top of the expected pressure and excitement of the Super Bowl, both teams had extra motivation to win as two years prior, the Eagles had lost the Super Bowl to the Chiefs. Additionally, the Chiefs were attempting to win their third consecutive championship, which would have made them the first team in history to accomplish this feat. 

The game started extremely slowly for the Chiefs with only one first down and 23 total yards in the first half. In comparison, the Eagles had 24 points and 179 yards in the first two quarters. While the Chiefs were able to score 22 points in the second half, it was a little too late. The Super Bowl ended 40-22, with a victory for the Eagles. 

While I usually enjoy watching the Super Bowl, I found this game somewhat boring as there was little happening on offense and almost no competitive plays or drives between the two teams. The only noticeable plays to me were the numerous interceptions, and one over 50 yard touchdown pass for the Eagles.

In addition to the fans that tune in for the game itself, almost 20% of viewers reported tuning into the Super Bowl for the commercials according to Statista. Along with the routine movie trailers and restaurant ads featuring famous actors and sports players, this year I saw a record amount of commercials discussing women’s sports, healthcare and ending hate.  

Commercial highlights included a short ad featuring Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady critiquing the reasons for hate, including hating someone because they’re different or because your friends hate them, which was played twice. A commercial with Wanda Sykes discussed the importance of early screening for breast cancer, with one part saying that “over six million women watching today’s game may be diagnosed with breast cancer.”

This Super Bowl also had the first Super Bowl Nike commercial in 27 years, noteworthy for exclusively featuring female athletes, including Caitlin Clark, Jordan Chiles, Sha’Carri Richardson and others. The commercial focused on how female athletes need to defy expectations and pursue recognition, even when it seems impossible or challenging. 

A final unique ad was the women’s flag football commercial messaging: “Leave the past behind.” The ad followed the story of a fictional girl in the 1980s being told football was for boys, but after she is seen out playing the boys team, she is depicted in a modern day setting playing varsity flag football. This commercial stood out from others, as rather than advertising a product, it advocated for social change in all 50 states.

The increase of female representation is noteworthy in the Super Bowl, as according to Ms. Magazine, football “is a sport drenched in violent masculinity.” Domestic violence rates, predominantly against women, even rise by ten percent on NFL game days. The audience, along with their interests, are evolving which is clearly displayed by the increase in messages that discuss the importance of change.  

In addition to the commercials and game itself, the halftime show was a major event of the night. This year’s performance was by American rapper and Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar. The artist has since received much hate regarding his performance, as some viewers found it boring or controversial, but I think the show had many strengths.

The show’s simplicity allowed Lamar’s skills to speak for themselves. The performance showcased his rapping skills alongside impressive choreography, without being drowned out by guest stars and extravagance. While some might prefer a singer coming down from the ceiling or many guest stars, I thought this performance shed light on important causes while providing amusing music. 

The halftime performance also featured Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam, who provided commentary throughout the performance, such as the music being “too ghetto.” To me, these comments served as social commentary on how Black voices are often silenced in America. 

While I found the game itself rather boring, I believe that the voices the broadcast promoted were important and interesting. By shedding light on women’s sports and challenging norms, the coverage was both entertaining and thought-provoking.