How To Watch The Super Bowl - The New York Times

Sports|It’s Time to Answer Your Questions About Super Bowl LVIhttps://nyti.ms/367VA61

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It’s Time to Answer Your Questions About

Super Bowl LVI

By Ben Shpigel and Michael Beswetherick February 11, 2022

1 I

What time is the Super Bowl?

1 I

The official kickoff for Super Bowl LVI is listed as 6:30 p.m. Eastern, although the bonanza of pregame coverage starts at noon Eastern on NBC and several eternities earlier in other corners of sports television.

The start time for the game itself is at 5:30 p.m. Central time, 4:30 p.m. Mountain time and 3:30 p.m. Pacific.

2 II

Where is the Super Bowl?

2 II

The game will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles. It is located beneath a flight path for Los Angeles International Airport and cost almost as much to build.

3 III

What channel is the game on, and how can I stream it?

3 III

The game will be broadcast in the United States on NBC and streamed on Peacock and the NBC Sports App, which is available on various smartphones and streaming platforms. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will provide the commentary. Telemundo will provide coverage in Spanish.

You can also follow along with New York Times reporters as we discuss the game, the ads and the halftime show. We highly recommend it!

Among the broadcasters worldwide are Seven Network (Australia), CTV (Canada), L’Équipe (France), DAZN (Germany), SportKlub (Macedonia) and the BBC (U.K.).

4 IV

Isn’t NBC broadcasting the Olympics?

4 IV

It is, it is, it is. And coverage will lead in from the Games and shift right back to China after the presentation of the Lombardi Trophy. Maybe the losing team should take a red-eye to Beijing to compete in luge.

5 V

Who is playing?

5 V

The Los Angeles Rams, playing in their second Super Bowl in four seasons, went 12-5 and defeated San Francisco to capture the N.F.C. title. The Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) advanced to their first Super Bowl in 33 years by outlasting the conference’s top two seeds, Tennessee and Kansas City, on the road.

6 VI

Wait, you didn’t say the Bengals, did you?

6 VI

We did!

7 VII

No, stop.

7 VII

Seriously. The Bengals, who hadn’t won a playoff game since 1991, won three in two weeks. They’re in the Super Bowl. True fact. This is their coach and the man who led them there, Zac Taylor.

8 VIII

Who will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show?

8 VIII

One, two, three and to the four. Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre is at the door.

The two rap titans — and Southern California natives — will be joined by Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and Eminem. On the same stage. Together.

So, sit back, relax, and strap on your seatbelt. You’ve never been on a ride like this before.

9 IX

What time is the halftime show?

9 IX

It depends on exactly how long it takes to play the first half, but probably around 8 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific). And yes, we fully understand that the concert is the main event here for plenty of people.

10 X

Has either team ever won a Super Bowl?

10 X

The Bengals, who began play in 1968, are playing for their first championship. The Rams, led by four Pro Football Hall of Famers — Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Orlando Pace and Kurt Warner — defeated the Tennessee Titans to win the Super Bowl at the end of the 1999 season.

11 XI

Why does Los Angeles have a home-field advantage?

11 XI

After 54 years of no teams playing at home in the Super Bowl, the Buccaneers won last year in Tampa, Fla. Conspiracy theorists would have you believe that the N.F.L. launched a new tradition in response to give this year’s site to the N.F.C. champion. In reality, sites are chosen many years in advance, and it just happened to be the Rams’ good fortune that it’s SoFi’s turn.

12 XII

Who are the big names?

12 XII

The biggest names in this game are Vernon Hargreaves III and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. They sure do fill out a nameplate.

That’s not what you meant? Sorry. Two of the most recognizable names belong to quarterbacks Joe Burrow (Cincinnati) and Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles), both former No. 1 overall draft picks. Burrow, a former Heisman Trophy winner and national champion at Louisiana State, has won all seven postseason games across college and the N.F.L. Stafford, acquired last off-season from Detroit, won his first N.F.L. playoff game four weeks ago.

There’s plenty of star-power elsewhere, too. Receivers Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr., defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey for the Rams. Receiver Ja’Marr Chase, running back Joe Mixon and defensive end Trey Hendrickson for the Bengals.

13 XIII

Who would win in a fight: a Bengal or a Ram?

13 XIII

Yes.

14 XIV

I’m feeling lucky. How can I bet on the Super Bowl?

14 XIV

The Rams are a 4.5-point favorite. If you live in one of the 30 states where betting on games is legal and underway — California is not one of them — you’ve probably seen many ads for online sports books. (That’s thanks in part to the N.F.L. itself, which has had a tricky relationship with sports betting.)

You can also set up a box pool — also known as squares — and then rue the money you flushed away by drawing a 9 and a 9. If you want to know just how lousy your chances are on winning at squares, here’s a tool to look at the probability of each number combination coming up (0 and 7 is your best spot at 3.57 percent — have fun with that).

15 XV

Who will be coaching in the Super Bowl?

15 XV

Two men who never played a down in the N.F.L. Sean McVay, in his fifth season in Los Angeles, will try to outwit his former Rams assistant Zac Taylor, who is in his third season with Cincinnati. The matchup between McVay (36) and Taylor (38), who will be a combined 74 years and 299 days old on Sunday, is the youngest among opposing coaches in Super Bowl history. With a victory, McVay would become the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl. With a loss, he wouldn’t.

16 XVI

What should we be watching for in the game on Sunday?

16 XVI

So much: Can the Bengals’ offensive line slow Donald, Von Miller, Leonard Floyd and the rest of Rams’ formidable defensive front? Can Burrow get enough protection for the Bengals’ downfield routes develop? Can Cincinnati’s defense coax Stafford into making a bad decision or three? Will the Rams stick Ramsey, one of the league’s best cornerbacks, on Chase? Will Evan McPherson miss a field goal?

17 XVII

Who’s Evan McPherson?

17 XVII

A kicking god. The lone kicker drafted in 2021, he has made all 12 attempts this postseason for Cincinnati, including three of at least 52 yards and two on the final play of the game.

18 XVIII

How is the Super Bowl dealing with the pandemic?

18 XVIII

Unlike last year, when players, coaches and team personnel were tested twice daily for the coronavirus, only players who report having symptoms — vaccinated or not — will be tested. In other words, don’t expect anyone to acknowledge any symptoms until the day after the game.

As for fans attending the game, with Covid-19 cases spiking around the Los Angeles area, anyone 5 or older will be required to show proof of vaccination — or a negative test — to gain entry. Masks are also mandated.

19 XIX

Who’s singing the national anthem before the game?

19 XIX

The honor of singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” goes to the country music artist Mickey Guyton. “America the Beautiful” will be performed by the R&B singer Jhené Aiko.

20 XX

How much did Super Bowl ads cost this year?

20 XX

Several companies, according to NBC, paid $7 million for a 30-second spot. That’s about $233,333 per second. Or, roughly, the cost of two beers and a barbacoa burrito at SoFi.

21 XXI

What’s with the Roman numerals?

21 XXI

The N.F.L. says that Super Bowl are numbered because the game is played in the calendar year after the regular season, and “Super Bowl 2022” could be ambiguous. Also, Nero loooooooved football.

22 XXII

Is Tom Brady playing?

22 XXII

He just retired, so no, he will not be playing. But yes, he will still win.

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