This Sunday, millions of people will tune into watch Super Bowl XLIII, where the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet the Arizona Cardinals in Tampa Bay, Florida (home of ReadWriteWeb’s Sarah Perez) to decide who is the best team in professional football – or more correctly, given our international audience, American Football. Whether it’s the game, the musical entertainment, or the ads, the Web is sure to be buzzing with information about the big game. But where can you find the best information on the Super Bowl? We did some digging to answer that question.
For a sporting event, the Super Bowl generates a great deal of content and analysis – and not just from the United States. It’s the one day when practically everyone – perhaps even begrudgingly – becomes a football fan.
How big is the Super Bowl? The Guardian summed it up this way:
“To put it into context, the American football showdown on 1 February between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals is America’s equivalent of the World Cup, the FA Cup, Wimbledon, the Ashes and the Ryder Cup all rolled into one.”
Here at ReadWriteWeb, we’re all for using the Web to make any experience better. So, we’ve gathered some of the best resources from around the Web to help you get the most out of your Super Bowl experience.
The Basics
The most obvious place to start is the official site for Super Bowl XLIII, hosted by the National Football League. This is by far the most comprehensive resource for the game. You can find additional details at NBC Sports Super Bowl XLIII.
More interested in the teams? Then head over to the official sites for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals.
Who’s going to win is anyone’s guess, but the experts have weighed in with their Super Bowl predictions. Knowing you, we’re assuming you’re much more trusting of the bloggers. So we’d also suggest you spend some time reading some fan predictions before the big game. Blogs.com has gathered the Bloggers’ Guide to Super Bowl XLIII.
Of course, we’re all interested in the technology associated with the show. And that makes Daily Wireless’ detailed roundup of cameras, mobile coverage, wireless access, and more a great place to get an idea of all the tech at play during the game.
Getting Social with the Play by Play
Twitter will be full of Super Bowl tweets on Sunday. You can follow the official Super Bowl Twitter stream. If you’re more interested in following your favorite team, then watch the mentions of the Steelers or the Cardinals as they stream in. Or watch the tweets side-by-side on the Twitter Bowl 2009
Interested in a more dynamic flow of comments? The real-time Friendfeed room for the Super Bowl is sure to gather in intensity as the game goes on.
Or if Facebook is more your style, you can install official apps for Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers, and the Cardinals.
And Now a Word from Our Sponsors
Often discussion of the game itself is dwarfed by the discussion about the ads that run during the game. In fact, there’s already been a great deal of hubbub about the first 3D ad to be aired during the Super Bowl, Hulu launching an ad campaign, and the fact that Monster is returning to the ad line-up for the show.
So we wanted to make sure that you were up to speed on all the Super Bowl Ads.
As with anything else, these days, there’s the pre-requisite Twitter account for Super Bowl ads. Or for more than 140 characters at a time, the folks over at Mahalo will be live blogging the Super Bowl ads. They’ve also provided a number of links to the advertisers to help get you ready.
Interested in a higher level of criticism? Then get analytical about this year’s ads with the Kellogg School of Management’s Super Bowl Advertising Review blog. Or revel in the glory of Super Bowl ads past with MSNBC’s Top 10 Super Bowl ads of all time or by voting CBS favorite Super Bowl ads of all time.
Walk Down Memory Lane
Speaking of nostalgia, there’s no shortage of Super Bowl history at your disposal. Maybe this is your first time tuning into the Super Bowl. Or, maybe you’d just like a little more context for the game in general. Why not use the resources on the Web to give you that kind of context?
Who won Super Bowl I? What was the final score of Super Bowl XVI? When was the first Super Bowl played in February? Ask and the Internet delivers. Visit the NFL’s site to review the scores, stats, and recaps for every one of the 42 previous Super Bowls.
Maybe you’re more interested in the “Halftime Show” than the game itself. Dive into the history of one of the most watched performances in the world by visiting Rolling Stone. They’ve gathered details on this year’s music and a look back at musical acts of past games.
And what historical review would be complete without the worst teams in Super Bowl history?
Snacks
What’s the spectacle of the Super Bowl without snacks? If you’re having trouble figuring out what to serve for the big day, the Web will help.
Wired provides some tips on making scientific Super Bowl snacks, including beer ice cream and puffed sauerkraut. Looking to keep in a little healthier? Try these green Super Bowl snacks.
And no matter how healthy you’re trying to be, it’s difficult to resist marveling at the Greatest Snack Food Stadium ever built.
… And All the Rest
Need more TV to watch the game? Obsessable has some tips on how to grab an HDTV for Super Bowl. Because “trying to watch the Super Bowl on a tiny television is the equivalent of sitting in the last row of Raymond James Stadium, with the Goodyear Blimp buzzing inches from your head.”
Watching the game doesn’t have to be hard on the earth, especially if you follow Supereco’s 5 tips to green your Super Bowl.
And with the strangest Super Bowl addition – next to the Snack Food Stadium above – we close out with Smule’s Sonic Lighter Super Bowl, where fans are encouraged to choose the lighter color of their respective team to show their support. Judging by the map, we’d say the Smule fans are pulling for the Steelers.
Enjoy the Game
That’s just a smattering of some of the resources out there, but that’s certainly enough to keep you busy until kickoff – and likely beyond. Enjoy the game.
