Fun facts about Super Bowl Sunday

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When Pizza Hut rebrands itself as "Pizza Hut Hut" and the consumption of chicken wings is enough to circle the Earth three times, we know the Super Bowl is here.

Super Bowl LIII will be played this Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta between the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL).

This marks the third time that the "City in a Forest" will host the NFL's championship game, but the first time in the new downtown stadium that opened in 2017.

An outside view of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. /VCG Photo

The cutting-edge stadium is home to the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and features an impressive "halo board" – a 360-degree screen that has been called the world's largest video board.

'Winging it' for the Big Game

Courtesy of Yin Yating

Whether inside or outside the stadium, most viewers like to watch their sports with a snack.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Super Bowl Sunday has been marked as the second highest day of food assumption after Thanksgiving in the U.S.

Each year, the National Chicken Council (NCC) projects the amount of chicken that will be consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.

According to statistics released on January 23, Americans will consume more than 1.3 billion chicken wings for the Super Bowl, which is enough to circle the Earth three times.

Compared to last year, the figure is up 2 percent, approximately 27 million wings.

The NCC also points out that timing is what correlates chicken wings to American football.

When boneless-skinless breast meat became a favorite on American tables in the 1980s, wings, an inexpensive byproduct, became easily shareable and affordable at restaurants and bars.

Sales skyrocketed when they appeared along with beer during sport events, especially American football as it was the country's most popular to watch with family and friends.

Busiest pizza day

Meanwhile, Super Bowl Sunday is the busiest day of the year for pizza restaurants, according to the American National Restaurant Association.

Pizza Hut has temporarily "changed" its name to Pizza Hut Hut on its website for the Super Bowl as it's the franchise's first year as the sponsor – the official pizza of the Super Bowl. Previously, Papa John's had been the NFL's pizza sponsor from 2010 to 2018.

The double hut is a play on "hut, hut, hike!" – a phrase that many quarterbacks say before a play begins during a football game.

Halftime show

Maroon 5's lead vocalist Adam Levine (C) and his band members perform at a show in Napa, California, U.S., May 26, 2017. /VCG File Photo

Maroon 5 will take center stage of the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The three-time Grammy Award-winning band promised to work together with rapper Travis Scott and Atlanta native Big Boi in "bringing together the broadest range of musical genres ever seen on the Super Bowl stage," according to their statement at a news conference on February 3.

There is also a group of people paying attention to the commercials, as the sporting event with its massive viewership has become one of the top marketing opportunities for brands. A 30-second slot during the game reportedly costs between 5.1 and 5.3 million U.S. dollars. As always, lots of joy, surprises and stories relating to the once-in-a-year event will happen on Super Bowl Sunday.

(Top image by Yin Yating)