The Covid-era Super Bowl put on an unusual spectacle. Unlike the full stadiums and the celebration that reaches carnival levels in the United States, this time it was restricted by the pandemic and sanitary measures to prevent this NFL final from becoming a trigger for new infections.
Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, had attendance of about a third of its capacity. Only 25 thousand localities to keep the necessary distance and 7 thousand 500 of those tickets were given to health personnel already vaccinated. The open shots made for a packed colossus, but it was only a visual effect thanks to the cardboard images on the empty seats.
Those who attended had to wear face masks in the stadium, they could only be discovered to eat and drink. Ushers with signs enforced the rule. However, some offenders could be seen at different points in the stands.
The start of the party was also different. The young American Amanda Gorman, who wowed at the inauguration of President Joe Biden, opened the 55th edition of the Super Bowl with an original poem in homage to essential figures against the coronavirus pandemic.
At 22, Gorman became the first poet to participate in the final of the NFL, the great American sports spectacle whose television broadcast is the most watched in the country, with about 100 million viewers.
For Gorman to bring poetry to an act characterized by excess was almost a feat. The poet proved that she has captured the country’s attention since the investiture ceremony. Recited his poem Chorus of the Captains (Captains choir) through a video broadcast on the screens of the Raymond James. The play was a tribute to three people who were declared honorary captains in the Super Bowl drawing: an educator, an intensive care nurse, and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
The halftime show was also in keeping with the era. Aimed primarily at viewers, The Weeknd made a display that included a long labyrinth sequence, somewhat less like a mass concert than a traditional music video clip.
For several days, match organizers and health authorities have urged Americans to stay home to play the game and avoid gatherings or congregate in bars and other tight indoor spaces.
Anthony Fauci, responsible for fighting the pandemic in the United States, asked that barbecues and traditional meetings be left for another time to see the final. While the mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor, ordered the mandatory use of face masks and banned crowds around the stadium where the game was played.
For his part, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called on fans to watch the game in very small groups inside their homes.
“They must be smart. They should meet in small groups, ”he said.
