Every professional sport has its event. An event that the entire nation holds in very high regard and, in some cases, obsesses over.
Each of these events can change a team, player or driver’s reputation and legacy. They are events that are the pinnacle of long and hard-fought seasons. The NFL has the Super Bowl. Major League Baseball has the World Series. The NHL has the Stanley Cup Finals. The world of European soccer has the UEFA Champions League Final. The NBA has the Finals. Golf has the Masters and motorists have the Indianapolis 500.
Each of these sporting events is special to different people on different levels. So the question is, “Which event do Chico State students enjoy the most?”
The Orion polled 150 Chico State students on this topic. They were asked to choose the one event they enjoy watching more than all others. There was an overwhelming favorite: the Super Bowl.
The far-and-away favorite pulled 70 votes by the student body. People’s rationale varied but, no matter their reason, both men and women seemed to have no problem pegging the Super Bowl as their event of choice.
It soon became evident that one of the main reasons the Super Bowl is so popular is that it is more of a social event than some of the other games.
“I like watching a bunch of sports but I think the Super Bowl is the most exciting,” said junior nutrition major Allie Berryhill. “Plus all your friends get together and have a fun time.”
Sports fans always have a favorite team. Usually, it’s a team from their hometown or surrounding area. But when it came to the Super Bowl, the teams playing didn’t seem to affect the viewership.
“It really doesn’t matter who is playing,” Berryhill said. “I just get excited and pick a team.”
The other major professional sporting events that received votes were all team sports. The World Series picked up 18 votes. The NBA Finals grabbed 18 votes. The Stanley Cup Final and the UEFA Champions League Final each had 21 votes.
One of the main reasons some students prefer other events compared to the Super Bowl is that the Super Bowl is over relatively quickly.
“The World Series has seven games, first off,” said senior recreation management major, Devin Nelson.
Individual sporting events such as The Masters and the Indianapolis 500 received zero votes.
“I’m not that surprised,” Nelson said. “The Indy 500? I didn’t even know they still did that. And the Masters? I’d watch it if Tiger was playing, but it is not my top choice.”
Many college students love sports and adding a fun social aspect to those games only makes them sweeter. Only nine months until the next Super Bowl and, according to Chico State students, many are really looking forward to it.
Kevin Bakken can be reached at
kbakken@theorion.com
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