There is nothing like it in American sports, broadcasting, advertising or pop culture: More than 120 million viewers are expected to tune in to Sunday night’s 60th edition of the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks.
The American monoculture has all but faded as appointment television viewing joined cigarette commercials and the Sears catalogue as relics of the 20th century. But — even as consumers spend more of their time on social media sites like TikTok and YouTube — the Super Bowl perseveres.
Almost half of American televisions will be locked onto NBC and its affiliate streaming services as Patriots quarterback Drake Maye looks to bring an NFL record seventh Lombardi Trophy back to New England.
This year’s Patriots, led by first-year coach Mike Vrabel, experienced a rapid turnaround after an offseason roster overhaul. New England’s front office spent $193 million on free agents after a 4-13 finish in 2024.
It worked.
With Vrabel and a new core of players — including receiver Stefon Diggs and pass rusher Milton Williams — the Patriots returned to their championship form. Critics cited a soft regular-season schedule; New England faced the weakest crop of opponents in the NFL based on the end-of-year standings. But the Patriots still secured wins in their three postseason matchups, allowing just 8.3 points per game.
The Seahawks, in the midst of their own resurgence, present more difficult opposition.
Second-year coach Mike McDonald leads a group that earned the top seed in the NFC after a dominant regular season. Seattle’s +191 point differential was by far the highest in the league behind a stout defense and an explosive offense.
Veteran quarterback Sam Darnold continued his career renaissance after a strong showing with the Minnesota Vikings last season. The former first-round pick developed a lethal connection with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Seattle’s defense allowed a league-best 17.1 points per game en route to the NFC title.
Sunday’s championship game is a rematch of the 2015 Super Bowl, which the Patriots won after securing a last-second interception at the goal line.
But a lot has changed in 11 years, on and off the gridiron.
Two screens, one show
Smartphones are now ubiquitous. A generation of young adults grew up with the internet in their pocket and will now watch the game with a phone, laptop or tablet within arm’s reach.
For them, conversations about Super Bowl commercials don’t occur around the water cooler on Monday morning. Those discussions are instantaneous, filling group chats and social media posts before the game even returns from commercial break.
“The younger generation is watching at least two screens at all times,” said Lisa Delpy Neirotti, a sports management professor at George Washington University. “They’re looking at what people are saying about the commercials online, but they really like to get feedback from other people, whether it’s influencers or just people in their community. They’re having their own little chats.”
The NFL, eager to meet potential fans wherever they are, has jumped headfirst into Gen Z’s brave new digital world. The changing halftime show is the most obvious — and controversial — example.
The league invited Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny to perform this year, much to the dismay of fans who became accustomed to hearing oldies acts like Tom Petty, Paul McCartney or The Who for much of the 2000s.
The change was subtle at first. In 2015, uber-palatable pop star Katy Perry was accompanied by 90s icons Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott for a halftime performance.
But by 2025, the league was ready to trot out Kendrick Lamar, who was embroiled in a hot-button feud with fellow artist Drake.
“Our society has changed a little bit and the NFL has become more daring in their selections,” Ms. Neirotti said. “They realize that it’s an opportunity to grow the viewership by bringing in people who may not, traditionally, always watch the Super Bowl.”
The Super Bowl broadcast still features the traditional broadcasters. Hall of Famers join the pregame coin toss and a patriotic rendition of the national anthem is a given. But the halftime show is a high-profile example of the NFL’s evolving growth strategy.
Aging out
“We’re seeing a shift. The NFL understands that, for the longevity of the league and the sport, we need to make sure we are inclusive of all generations,” said Kelly Greishaber, a professor at the University of South Carolina who researches the intersections of sports, culture and marketing.
As they grow older, Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) and members of Gen Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) have developed an increased stake in popular culture. Those younger audiences have different priorities when engaging with sports.
According to Ms. Greishaber, studies have found that less jaded viewers are more interested in personalities and storylines than specific teams. That applies beyond the field as well.
“Gen Z looks at sports through a much broader, more cultural lens,” she said. “The entertainment has to change with the audience itself. As one audience ages and kind of fades out, the other one comes up. And the NFL is a for-profit business; they make sure they’re talking to the right audience.”
For the most part, different generations’ mismatched sports viewing habits don’t impact each other. A Baby Boomer can enjoy their postgame content in the newspaper, while a Gen X-er watches “SportsCenter,” a Millennial turns to a podcast and a member of Gen Z seeks out their favorite YouTube creator.
The NFL has embraced these different tastes. The league has run its own website, podcasts and cable network for years. Recently, it has started to devote more resources to new media platforms like Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok.
NFL-approved highlights litter vertical video platforms. More clubs are attaching microphones to players during games. The resulting sound bites are golden to social-savvy young adults eager for any peek behind the curtain.
“They have slowly and subtly made changes that signal to any fan that, hey, we’re adapting,” Ms. Greishaber said. “We understand the times are changing. We understand that it’s no longer just about the product on the field, but also the entertainment around that game.”
Calling all creators
In that vein, the NFL welcomed 160 influencers and social media personalities to the Super Bowl festivities this year. The creators’ niches ranged from comedy to cooking to fashion to gaming. The NFL casts a wide net in its hunt for fresh blood.
“We have the unique opportunity to give creators the key to one of the biggest cultural events in the world, empowering them to create and distribute original NFL content to young audiences all over the world,” Ian Trombetta, NFL senior vice president of global influencer and content marketing, said in a statement.
The 20th century saw sports writers make the jump from print to TV broadcasts. Influencers from YouTube and TikTok could be primed for a similar leap over the next decade as the NFL tries to spread its media empire across the globe.
“Gen Z and Gen Alpha treat YouTube as the new cable TV,” Ms. Greishaber said. “I could see a lot more YouTube — and YouTuber — involvement in the future.”
The Super Bowl is no longer a single broadcast that captures the collective attention of the American public. It’s a football game, a concert, a commercial showcase and a gathering for YouTubers.
But thanks to the NFL’s indefatigable efforts to remain the center of attention, it’s still the anchor for conversations across social media threads, group chats and water coolers across the country.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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