A statistics-driven history of the Super Bowl celebrates the annual mega-event at the confluence of athletics, business, entertainment, and patriotism. Born of the 1966 merger between the National Football League and its younger rival, the American Football League, the inaugural inter-league championship game was thrown together in less than two months' time. Differences in television network practices, rules, and even footballs used by each league made for a less polished event than originally envisioned by league commissioner Pete Rozelle, who wanted a dramatic spectacle involving balloons, doves, and two jetpack pilots symbolically shaking hands. But soon the Super Bowl became the biggest extravaganza in sports. The most watched television event every year since 1972, it has an estimated annual economic impact of $48 billion (including $6 billion of lost productivity the Monday afterwards). A former sports broadcasting executive, Deninger emphasizes the Super Bowl's symbiotic relationship with television and shares revealing statistics. Acknowledging that event organizers and broadcasters haven't always responded nimbly to controversies, such as players kneeling in protest or concerns about concussions, Deninger remains optimistic about the big game's potential to unify Americans.
