Super Bowl 50: The Teams, QBs, Fans and Food by the Numbers
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Super Bowl 50: The Teams, QBs, Fans and Food by the Numbers

REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine

For the first time since 1971, the NFL is sacking its standard use of Roman numerals and is simply calling this week’s matchup between the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers Super Bowl 50.

The alternative, Super Bowl L, was just too problematic.  “L immediately brought up so many negative connotations,” NFL creative director, Shandon Melvin, told CBS Sports. One of the most common associations for the letter L is the hand gesture that universally means “Loser.” The league was, understandably, not willing to risk having people refer to the Super Bowl in a negative way.

Related: 15 Most Iconic Super Bowl Moments

The league plans to return to Roman numerals next year for Super Bowl LI. And the official name of every championship game for the next 39 years will start with the letter L until we get to the unwieldy Super Bowl LXXXIX. 

Feel free to trot out that little nugget of trivia during any lull in the action at your Super Bowl party on Sunday. Below are 32 other numbers about Super Bowl 50 that may impress friends and family between bites of chips and guac.

The Quarterbacks

39: Manning’s age, making him the oldest starting QB in Super Bowl history.

13 years and 48 days: The age gap between Broncos QB Peyton Manning and Panthers QB Cam Newton, making it the greatest age difference between starting QBs in Super Bowl history.

1: This will be the first NFL final in which both starting QBs were the top draft picks. Manning was chosen No .1 in 1998, while Newton led the 2011 draft class.

2: Teams that Manning has taken to the Super Bowl — the Indianapolis Colts and the Broncos. He’s the only QB to have taken multiple teams to the championship game.

36-14: The final score the only time Newton and the Panthers have faced off against Manning and the Broncos, back in 2012. The Broncos won.

3rd: If Carolina wins, Cam Newton will become the third starting QB in history to win both a collegiate national championship and a Super Bowl. The other two are Joe Montana and Joe Namath.

The Teams

$102,000: The amount of money each member of the winning team will receive.

$51,000: The amount of money each member of the losing team will get.

5: Super Bowls that the Broncos have lost, more than any other team.

10: Number of the last 11 Super Bowl winners that were wearing white uniforms. The Broncos chose to don their white threads in this Super Bowl.

7: Referees who will work the game. The crew has a combined 97 years of experience.

8: Super Bowl appearances for the Broncos, tying them with the Patriots, Steelers and Cowboys for the most ever. They’ve only won two, though.

13: Teams that have never won a Super Bowl, including the Panthers. Carolina made it the big game in 2003, but lost to the Patriots.

4: Teams that have never played in a Super Bowl — the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans.

The City and Stadium

1 million: Number of people expected in San Francisco for Super Bowl events.

$4,881,625: Estimated amount spent by the city of San Francisco on Super Bowl-related events and celebrations. As of now, most of that spending will come from the city’s General Fund.

$3,597,300: Estimated amount that the City of Santa Clara, where the Super Bowl will be played, will be reimbursed by the NFL’s host committee for its services.

80: Percentage of seats for the Super Bowl that are given to VIPs and NFL sponsors.

Related: Where It Costs the Most to Watch an NFL Football Game

The Fans

$23,000: The most expensive ticket sold for the game, as of Feb. 1.

$3,301: The cheapest ticket sold for the game, as of Feb. 1.

$15.5 billion: Projected total Super Bowl spending by viewers and partygoers, according to the National Retail Federation. The average fan’s spending on food, decor and team apparel is projected to be $82.19, up from $77.88 last year. 

$4.2 billion: Amount that Americans will bet on Sunday’s game, according to the American Gaming Association

$4.1 billion: Portion of that total that will be wagered illegally.

The Food

2: The Super Bowl is the second-largest eating day in the U.S., behind only Thanksgiving.

1.3 billion: Number of chicken wings that will be eaten during the game — enough to place more than 600 on each seat in every one of the 32 NFL stadiums.

4 million: Number of pizzas that will be consumed during the game, making it the busiest day of the year for pizza restaurants.

1.2 million: Pounds of potato chips expected to be eaten on Sunday.

Related: The 15 Highest-Paid Coaches in College Football

The Broadcast

70: Cameras that CBS will use to televise the game.

256: Microphones that CBS plans to use.

$4.8 million: Average cost of airing a 30-second commercial in Super Bowl 50.

$40,000: Average cost of 30 seconds in Super Bowl I. Adjusted for inflation, that’s $289,000.

$5.9 billion: Total amount spent on commercials in the Super Bowl from 1967 through 2016, adjusted for inflation.

114.4 million: Viewers of Super Bowl XLIX last year, making it the most watched broadcast in U.S. television history. 

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