The Kansas City Chiefs are set to go head-to-head with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in one of sport’s all-time biggest and greatest events, the Super Bowl. Across America and all around the world, people will tune in to see Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady face off as they battle it out for football’s ultimate prize. But for some, being able to watch the game will be a lot easier than for others.
Super Bowl LV is set to kick off at 5:30 p.m. C.T. on Sunday, but that start time looks a little different on the other side of the world.
I live in Melbourne, Australia, and the time difference between here and Tampa means the start time for the biggest game of the year doesn’t sit in the same friendly, weekend evening slot. Instead, the game will start here at 10:30 a.m. on Monday. As a result, Super Bowl Monday is a different kind of experience, one with its own set of quirks and hurdles.
Super Bowl Sunday is a fantastic day, but what if it’s on a different day?
The first obstacle is a major one, with the game running smack bang through the middle of a regular work day. If you want to watch it live, you’ll have to take the whole day off. Of course, it can be tricky to get the day off , especially on short notice. So to maximize the likelihood that you’ll have your work responsibilities taken care of for the big game, it is best to arrange it sometimes weeks in advance, usually before the Super Bowl matchup has even been confirmed.
If getting the day off isn’t an option, you can always stream or watch the game on delay later, but that leaves you exposed to one of the sports fan’s most dreaded foes: the spoiler. To avoid finding out about the outcome, you’ll need to avoid the news and social media. On top of that, it is best to let your friends know that you will be steering clear of the score, lest they send you a message revealing the result out of the blue.
Once the work situation is sorted, the morning kickoff throws more curveballs into the mix.
If you are hosting a watch party at your house, the 10:30 a.m. start time means that without the whole day ahead of you, things will have to be organized a lot earlier. Decorating will have to be done quick smart in the morning, and if you plan on cooking up a spread, you’ll either have to be up early or prepare stuff the day before. Of course, if you’re planning on inviting friends or family over to watch the game, they will have to make work arrangements, too
If a house party is not your style you can always head to a bar to watch the game, but even that can be complicated and requires planning. With the game kicking off so early, most bars won’t even be open for kickoff unless they are specifically showing the game. That means you’ll have to check beforehand which venues will be showing the game live, or you’ll risk getting caught out and missing the action.
Once the game starts, the quirks and anomalies continue. Over here we get different commercials during the game, not the same ones that are shown in the U.S.—meaning we miss out on the world famous Super Bowl ads. And that’s not the only peculiarity.
It is strange to watch a game being played at night while it is the middle of the day, and while the weather might be cold stateside, here it can easily be 100°F. And while having a beer during the game is always enjoyable, it isn’t quite the same when you’re doing it at 11:00 a.m.
All around the world, the Super Bowl experience is different. The game will kick off just after midnight in Europe, at 5:00 a.m. in India, and at 8:30 a.m. in Japan, with each time slot providing its own game day experience and quirks. Super Bowl Monday in Australia might not be quite the same as Super Bowl Sunday in the U.S., but it is still just as special. It’s the same things that make it unique that make it special.