Pro football’s biggest game has arrived. Super Bowl LVIII will be played Sunday in Las Vegas, the first time the game has been played in what has been called “Sin City,” “The Entertainment Capital of the World” and the city of “Lost Wages.”
Unlike the first Super Bowl, which was not a sellout at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Jan. 15, 1967, tickets are at a premium this year. The halftime show has evolved, too, from the University of Arizona and Grambling State University bands at the first game to international stars performing now.
The subplots have also evolved, with the Kansas City Chiefs looking for their third title in five seasons, and the San Francisco 49ers, led by a quarterback who was the last pick of the 2022 NFL draft, seeking their first championship since the 1994 season.
Oh, and the Taylor Swift angle: Will the 14-time Grammy Award-winning singer make it to the game on time to root for the Chiefs and her romantic interest, tight end Travis Kelce?
So many questions. Here are some answers
What time does the game start?
Kickoff is shortly after 6:30 p.m. EST, but there will be pregame shows on CBS Eastern, but pregame shows begin at 11:30 a.m. Eastern on CBS. The NFL Network is even more heavily involved, providing more than 11 hours of pregame and postgame coverage. The NFL Network begins its coverage at 9 a.m. with a special 8 1/2-hour edition of “NFL GameDay Morning.”
Who is playing?
The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (14-6) of the American Football Conference will square off against the San Francisco 49ers (14-5), champions of the National Football Conference. The game is a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, won 31-20 by the Chiefs.
Where is the game?
For the first time, the Super Bowl will be held in Las Vegas. Allegiant Stadium, the site of Sunday’s game, is one of the smallest sites in terms of attendance. According to its website, Allegiant Stadium, the regular-season home of the Las Vegas Raiders, can hold up to 65,000 fans. The domed stadium will be the smallest capacity crowd in Super Bowl history, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported -- except for Super Bowl LV, which was capped at 25,000 fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That game attracted 24,835 to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2021.
Who is carrying the game?
CBS and Nickelodeon will broadcast the game. Nickelodeon is airing an exclusive children- and family-friendly telecast, according to CBS Sports. The game will also be livestreamed on Paramount+. Customers with subscriptions to YouTube TV, FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV can also view the game. According to CBS Sports, the game will be available in 1080p high dynamic range and 4K high-dynamic range formats.
Who is calling the game on TV?
Jim Nantz will be the play-by-play announcer for CBS, with former NFL quarterback Tony Romo as the analyst. Sideline reporters will be Tracy Wolfson and Evan Washburn. Former NFL kicker Jay Feely will be the special teams analyst, while former NFL official Gene Steratore will be the rules analyst.
Noah Eagle and Nate Burleson will call the game for Nickelodeon, with Young Dylan Gilmer and Dylan Schefter serving as reporters. Eagle was NBC’s top college football play-by-play announcer.
Who will sing the national anthem?
Country music star Reba McEntire will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the game. Rapper Post Malone will perform “America the Beautiful” and singer Andra Day will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” according to CBS News.
Who is the halftime performer?
Eight-time Grammy Awards winner Usher will headline Super Bowl LVIII’s halftime show. The legendary R&B and pop singer has hinted that he will not be alone on stage during the show. The NFL has not yet said if any other artists will join Usher on stage, according to CBS News. TMZ, however, is reporting that Alicia Keys will be performing with the singer. If Keys does hit the stage, an inevitable song in the set would be her 2004 duet with Usher, “My Boo.”
Rihanna was a solo headliner last year, although she did hint during the show that she was pregnant. That was confirmed after her set.
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