The championship of U.S. professional football, the Super Bowl, is underway in Detroit, Michigan.
The National Conference champion Seattle Seahawks are playing the surprising Pittsburgh Steelers. Even though Pittsburgh became the first sixth seed in the playoffs to win the American Conference, the Steelers have been listed as slight favorites to win.
Super Bowl Sunday has become an unofficial holiday in the United States, with almost half of the nation gathering for parties to watch the game on television. As a result, commercial advertisers will pay about two-point-five million dollars for just 30 seconds of broadcast time. The contest will also be seen in many countries around the world.
With snowy conditions outside, the 67,500 spectators are warm inside the enclosed Ford Field. Super Bowl tickets with face values of between $600 and $700 were being sold on the street for as much as $4,000 each.
Several top musical acts will perform before the game, including Detroit legend Aretha Franklin who sang the U.S. national anthem. The Rolling Stones are providing the halftime entertainment.