It sorta feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it? But honestly, if you're trying to pin down exactly when is superbowl 2024, you are looking for February 11, 2024. That was the Sunday the NFL finally decided to gamble on Sin City.
For years, the league stayed far away from Las Vegas. Gambling was the big scary monster under the bed. Then, suddenly, we’re all watching Patrick Mahomes sprint across the turf at Allegiant Stadium. It was the first time Nevada ever hosted the Big Game.
The Logistics: When and Where It Went Down
Super Bowl LVIII—that’s 58 for those of us who still have to Google Roman numerals—kicked off at 3:30 PM local time. If you were on the East Coast, you were probably ordering your wings around 6:30 PM.
The game was a rematch of 2020. Chiefs vs. 49ers.
The venue was "The Death Star." That’s what people call Allegiant Stadium. It’s this massive, black, sleek dome that looks like it landed from outer space right next to the Las Vegas Strip. It cost about $1.9 billion to build.
Funny enough, the game was originally supposed to be in New Orleans. But because the NFL expanded the season to 17 games, the Super Bowl date got pushed back. It ended up clashing with Mardi Gras.
New Orleans basically told the NFL, "Yeah, we can’t do both." So, New Orleans got bumped to 2025, and Vegas stepped up to the plate.
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Why Super Bowl 2024 Was Actually Historic
A lot of people think every Super Bowl is the same. They aren't.
This one was the longest in history by game time. It lasted 74 minutes and 57 seconds of net playing time. Most games end in 60 minutes. Not this one.
It was only the second time a Super Bowl ever went into overtime. The first was that wild Patriots comeback against the Falcons in 2017. But this time, the rules were different.
Under the old rules, if the team that got the ball first scored a touchdown, it was game over. Now? Both teams get a chance to possess the ball.
The 49ers won the coin toss. They chose to take the ball first. Some people, including some of the players themselves, were kinda confused by the strategy. They kicked a field goal.
Then Mahomes happened.
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He drove the Chiefs down the field and found Mecole Hardman for a 3-yard touchdown with just three seconds left on the clock in the first overtime period. If he hadn't scored there, we would have gone into a second overtime. Imagine the stress.
The Numbers That Make Your Head Spin
If you think your rent is high, look at the commercial prices. A 30-second spot cost roughly $7 million.
And that doesn't even include the cost to actually make the ad. Companies spend another $15 million to $20 million just on production.
Nielsen reported that 123.7 million people watched. That makes it the most-watched United States broadcast since the Apollo 11 moon landing. Think about that. More people watched Travis Kelce and Brock Purdy than almost anything else in human history.
Maybe the "Taylor Swift Effect" had something to do with it. She was there, of course. She’d just flown in from Tokyo.
The Usher Concert (With a Side of Football)
The halftime show was basically an early 2000s fever dream. Usher headlined.
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He didn't just sing. He roller-skated.
He brought out everyone: Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Lil Jon, H.E.R., and will.i.am.
It was a massive celebration of Atlanta culture right in the heart of the desert. The show peaked at 129 million viewers, which is actually higher than the average viewership of the game itself. People love the hits.
What This Means for Your Next Watch Party
Knowing when is superbowl 2024 helps put the current NFL landscape in perspective. We are officially in the era of the "three-peat" chase.
The Chiefs became the first back-to-back champions since the Patriots did it twenty years ago.
If you're planning for future games, keep a few things in mind. The Super Bowl is now almost always the second Sunday in February.
- Check the date early because hotel prices in host cities triple the second the matchup is set.
- If the game goes to overtime, don't leave the couch. The new rules mean the game isn't over just because someone scores once.
- Watch the "Alternative Broadcasts." In 2024, they had a version on Nickelodeon where SpongeBob and Patrick Star did the commentary. It was surprisingly hilarious.
The 2024 game proved that Vegas is a viable home for the NFL's biggest stage. It won't be the last time we see a trophy raised under those desert lights.
To stay ahead of the curve for the next season, start tracking the AFC West standings by mid-October. That's usually when the Chiefs start their inevitable "slow start" before winning everything anyway. Keep an eye on the injury reports for key playmakers in the NFC West too, as that division remains the most likely to produce a challenger.