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Last year’s NFL champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, are scheduled to take on the San Francisco 49ers for the 2024 NFL Championship in the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 11.

Super Bowl LVIII will be held in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, which can seat 71,500 fans. The latest consumer spending data from NRF (National Retail Federation) and Prosper Insights & Analytics’ survey found that a record 200.5 million U.S. adults plan to tune in to the broadcast of the Super Bowl on CBS. The big game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. CST.

Ticket prices for the Super Bowl are the most expensive ever. The cheapest seats will cost you over $6,000, the average seats $12,000 and if you want the best seats you will pay $47,500.

Every year the Super Bowl commercials draw as much media attention as the game itself – primarily for the high prices of the air time and their unique content. The ads this year cost $7 million for 30-seconds. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “Time is money.” He could have never imagined that price!

Some of these commercials take on a life of their own. Who can forget the 1979 commercial featuring Pittsburgh Steeler Mean Joe Green walking back to the locker room when a little boy offers him a Coca-Cola? The towering, sweaty pro-football player takes the cold drink from the little boy and then throws the thrilled youngster his jersey.

During the 2010 Super Bowl an ad aired, featuring Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam. She showed a picture of her “miracle baby” and began to tell how she almost lost him when her doctor told her she should abort her baby after pregnancy complications. Pam and her husband, Bob, had prayed for another child and chose birth for their son, Tim. He eventually won the Heisman Trophy and later played in the NFL. The commercial faced criticism against airing it. But, Super Bowl viewers watched the pro-life, pro-family message.

Last year, two commercials aired during the Super Bowl that shared a unique perspective promoting Jesus and Christianity. He Gets Us. All Of Us “took Super Bowl watchers to church,” according to a CNN article. “Whatever you are facing, Jesus faced it too,” the campaign stated. Their website says, “He Gets Us is a movement to reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible and his confounding love and forgiveness. We believe his words, example and life have relevance in our lives today and offer hope for a better future.”

“The campaign is a natural fit with the NFL, whose games have long contained symbols of religion. Players often pray on the field and point to the heavens after touchdowns,” a CNN article goes on to say.

Sports Spectrum reports on the recent playoff game when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Detroit Lions. After the win, Safety Tashaun Gipson commented to the media, “Honestly, it’s just God. Without Him, this wouldn’t be possible.” His words come from Jesus’ own words in John 15: 5, “For without Me, you can do nothing” and the angel’s words in Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” Jesus’ words apply to our everyday lives too. Remember, He, too, has faced whatever we are facing.

— Jan White has compiled a collection of her columns in her book, “Everyday Faith for Daily Life.”