Editorial: Fifty years of the 'Big Game'

Where were you Jan. 15, 1967? Some of you might remember a little football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs won by the Packers 35-10. It was the AFL vs. NFL and it was far from super. It was broadcast on both CBS and NBC and the cost of a 30-second commercial was $42,000. No flashy halftime show with top acts — instead, the marching bands of the University of Arizona and University of Michigan.

Fast forward to this weekend's contest, Super Bowl 50, between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. The game will be on CBS and a 30-second commercial now goes for $5 million. While Super Bowl I was watched by about 70 million people, SB 50 is expected to draw more than last year's game that had 188 million viewers just in the United States.

Super Bowls have become a cultural phenomenon for the games — sometimes good, sometimes not-so-good — and for the commercials — sometimes good, sometimes not-so-good — and all the gastronomic delicacies that go along with a game of such magnitude.

However, there will be sadness in the air no matter the winner or loser. Football will disappear until it's time to strap the helmets on later in the year. But don't fret, March Madness is just around the corner.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 8:35 PM with the headline "Editorial: Fifty years of the 'Big Game' ."