The Sports Archives – Do Male Or Female Golfers Make More Money?

Posted on February 12, 2013 by thesportsarchives

The divide between male and female athletics can be almost insurmountable in some sports. For example, it is doubtful that a woman will ever play even a minute in the National Basketball League even with the growth of female youth basketball leagues in recent years. The same could be said for Football, of course, as well as baseball. Golf, on the other hand, seems like a sport where the gender gap would be less of an issue. Golf is a sport where technical skill outweighs physical ability as the most significant factor in determining success.

Women in the PGA

Annika SorenstamBecause of this it would seem that a female golfer could have a good chance competing with male golfers. It has happened before. Back in 2003 the most dominating female golfer, Annika Sorenstam, was invited to play in the Bank of America Colonial tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.  Sorenstam played amid the controversy of being the first female to play on the PGA tour in fifty years. After the first round she led the field in driving accuracy and was ahead of twenty-seven other golfers in driving distance. Despite this, Sorenstam’s putting faltered and she missed the cut.

Even so the LPGA tour might be the most successful female sports league. It has the most storied history (founded in 1968) and manages to attract consistent advertising. Even with the relative amount of success the league has seen it still trails its male counterpart by a large margin.

The Money Factor

The most obvious indicator of this is the prize money awarded in each league. In 2012 the total prize money won by the top-ten male golfers far exceeds the top ten female money-winners.

Women’s Top 10 total = $13,951,352
Men’s Top 10 total = $49,613,996

The men made $36 million or almost four times the amount made by the most successful female golfers. The huge difference might be surprising to some, especially those that follow the LPGA tour, but the gap is undoubtedly bigger if the amount of money earned through endorsements was included.

The money-list discrepancy is not a recent development of course. Sorenstam, who retired in 2008 ending her long and highly successful career, set the LPGA tour record for career earnings with a little over $22 million. To understand how impressive that total is on the LPGA tour, consider that the next highest career total is more than $8 million less than that. Sorenstam also earned around $4 million per year through endorsements with Callaway, Cutter & Buck, Mercedes and a few others.

Tiger WoodsThe highest earning male golfer, Tiger Woods, in comparison has earned over $100 million in tournament earnings and many people think he could still be playing for years to come. If that isn’t enough Tiger has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in endorsements. In 2000, Woods signed a five-year $105 million endorsement deal with Nike. At the time that deal was unheard of but it was only the beginning of the many mega-endorsement deals that Woods has signed throughout his career.

Phil Oscarson is an avid golfer, and golf analyst. If you’re looking for a great place to golf, deals on golf courses, etc. try Golf Tee Times as a great source to find what you’re looking for.

Photo Credits:  Wikipedia

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The Sports Archives – Jump, Run, Ski: Six Sports To Try Before You Die!

Posted on February 11, 2013 by thesportsarchives

There are some things in life that you just have to try. You don’t have to like them. You don’t have to do them again. But you do have to give them a go, if only so you can bring them up at a dinner party and make everyone believe that you’re an action hero.

Skydiving 12 way

Skydiving

Jumping out of a plane from thousands of feet in the air? What’s so scary about that? Well, lots of things would be if the sport of skydiving didn’t have a few safety precautions. Skydiving – also known as parachuting – is a pretty safe practice thanks to measures such as double parachutes and buddy jumps (where an instructor is tied onto the jumper; a must for beginners.) Boring stuff aside, the best thing about skydiving is the little camera inside your helmet. The film that it records will be a memory to last a lifetime.

Skiing

Skiing began in Scandinavia in the year 5000 BC. They only used one pole which, if you’ve ever skied yourself, you would know is a little tricky, Luckily, today two poles, and two skis is the way of the sport, which makes balancing a lot easier. Skiing is good exercise, and also an excuse to ride a chairlift while wearing a fluorescent parka. Most ski resorts run beginners classes, so there’s no excuse to not try this great activity.

Surfing

It’s time to hit the waves, dude. Surfing is a solid workout for your core (all that balancing on the waves has to work somewhere) but also a great way to enjoy the beach. But it’s not easy. You’ll feel a little silly at first, clinging to your board after another dump as you watch the pros glide over massive waves with no trouble, but persistence is key.

Bungee JumpingBungy Jumping

The jury’s still out as to whether this is a sport or just a dumb decision, but, regardless, bungy jumping is something that you have to try before you kick the bucket. Destination is key, for this sport. All good bungies occur in a picturesque location; think mountainous Queenstown in New Zealand, or tropical Cairns in Australia.

Wakeboarding

Take water skiing, snowboarding and surfing. Mix them all together and put them in the ocean. What do you get? Wakeboarding. In this sport, you ride a wakeboard (a little bigger than a boogie board) across the waves, while being towed by a motorboat. As you’d expect, water skiing experience helps, although the technique used in more similar to snowboarding. It’s tricky to get the hang of, but once you do, you’ll be traveling at speeds of 50km/h.

White Water Rafting

If you love a quiet canoe trip along the river, this is not the sport for you. The high action sport of white water rafting is dangerous, but loads of fun if you can master the act of balancing your little vessel over those rapids. There are six skill levels for courses, though, so beginners needn’t fear that they’d be out of their depth.

Frances Ward is a media student who loves learning about (but not necessarily engaging in) crazy extreme sports. Surfing is next on her list, and she’s looking at http://surffcs.com to get herself started.

Photo Credits:  Wikipedia

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The Sports Archives – History Of The Game Of Tennis In The United States

Posted on February 11, 2013 by thesportsarchives

us tennis history women 1880sIn some respects a sport can be compared to a curve ball;  as the ball is thrown, the batter views it in a certain path and then as the ball curves, the path of it is altered. The sport of tennis has been something of a curve ball, as it began with various names, rules and regulations, but it began to change paths along the way. Better methods were discovered, rules that made the game fairer were established, and the competition became entertainment as it marched through the various countries.

Of course there is a great historic debate as to where the sport originated from before it banged its racket on the door of the United States. Some attribute the origin of tennis to the French in the twelfth century where they played a version of tennis with the palm of their hand as the racket. Other historians argue that actual tennis began in the sixteenth century when the use of rackets began. However, regardless of what any person considers to be the legitimate origin, there is no doubt that when tennis arrived in America, an invigorating sport was introduced to the world.

The tennis ball was first hit onto the United States court on May 21 in 1881 when the National Lawn Tennis Association was created. It is believed that a woman by the name of Mary Ewing Outerbridge was the first to set up a court at the Staten Island Cricket Club in 1874. Ironically, this is the same location that later gave birth to the National Lawn Tennis Association. Eager to organize an all-American championship the association held a U.S Open Championship tournament. Eventually the National Lawn Tennis Association would change their name in 1975 to the United States Tennis Association.

From this point forward the game began its metamorphosis as women became involved in the sport.  By 1887 the Philadelphia Cricket Club held a Women’s National singles Championship which marked a new turning point for tennis in America. As tennis became a sport that both men and women could participate in, its popularity began to grow even more. Eventually in 1975 the court was altered from grass to clay, which led to the 1978 change to a hard court surface.

National Women's Tennis Tournament at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Photo: circa 1910-20.

National Women’s Tennis Tournament at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Photo: circa 1910-20.

Through all of the phases that tennis has gone through, beginning with the palm of the hand as the racket, it has gradually turned into an American icon. The rackets, the prestigious athletes and the much-anticipated tournaments will forever be a product of its history.

Featured images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  • Philadelphia Cricket Club:  Wikipedia

For information on Chandler tennis lessons, head over to BashaTennis.com where students of all ages and skill levels are taught tennis fundamentals and strategy.

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The Sports Archives – Klim’s Korner: A-Rod In Trouble Again?

Posted on February 9, 2013 by thesportsarchives

A-Rod is in trouble again!

Alex RodriguezFor what you may ask… performance-enhancing drugs (PED’s)?  The answer is yes.  A-Roid has once again been linked to HGH and that is not surprising. He is older and he is losing his skills and has one of the biggest egos in baseball.   A place called Biogenesis was A-Rod’s supplier, a small medical clinic located extremely close to the University of Miami campus, was just a front for selling testosterone, HGH and other steroids. Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, and Yasmani Grandal were among the players given 50 game suspensions last year for PED use and were also listed on the Biogenesis PED records. Former MVP, Ryan Braun was on the list, even after the whole episode where he denied using PED’s last year in the off-season.

It makes you really wonder what is going to happen to Major League Baseball. In my opinion the game will be fine. Yes, guys use steroids and PED’s but they are almost always caught. Even if not all players are tested, it’s pretty easy to identify who is using PED’s. Just look at their numbers and you are bound to see spikes in their stats. I have two very good examples.

Melky Cabrera in 2010.

Melky CabreraMelky played 147 games he averaged .795 hits per game with a minuscule 4 home runs 42 RBI’s and a batting avg. of .255.  In 2012 he only played 113 games he had 1.4 hits per game and had 11 homeruns 60 RBI’s and a .346 batting average.  That was a major jump.

Alex Rodriguez in 2001.

Alex Rodriguez who has been in the news a lot recently because of his PED use. When A-Rod left Seattle in 2000, he had hit 41 homeruns with a career high of 42. When he got to Texas in 2001, where he supposedly took PED’s, his homeruns spiked to 52 in 2001, and 57 in 2002. So it was obvious when they were busted to look back and see the connection.

So in the future baseball players should start to realize that they will be caught. And if there is suspicion that they took steroids they almost certainly will be denied entry to Cooperstown by the majority of baseball writers, as we saw earlier this year with Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire.

Author:  Jared Klim

Video Credit:     ABCNews
Photo Credits:   Wikipedia

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The Sports Archives – How To Get Football (Soccer) Trials

Posted on February 8, 2013 by thesportsarchives

As one of our best-loved footballers, David Beckham rose to the heights of football stardom from a football field in Chingford. Showing early talent, he worked on his game and won the Bobby Charlton national Soccer Skills competition. By 17, he had left home and was signed up with Manchester United. The rest, as they say, is history, and Beckham is now worth an estimated £190 million.

Like Beckham, there are today many youngsters who show considerable promise as the professional footballers of tomorrow, playing in sports clubs and playing fields across the country. Being recognised for your talent is the first step to a career in football, and football trials are one way of being spotted. Read on for all you need to know about football trials, and how they work.

football

What are Football Trials?

Playing with a club or team is a great way to hone your football skills, but if you’re good, then you need to be noticed by the people who matter. Taking part in a football trial means that you will be watched, encouraged and assessed by top qualified players, scouts and former pro players. If you are selected as having the skills and talent necessary to go further with football, then they will use their contacts to organise a trial with a semi-professional or professional football club. Players taking part in football trials are normally aged between 11 – 25, as the whole idea is to spot and develop young talent. If you have what it takes, then a football trial is the first step to a possible career as a professional footballer.

How do Football Trials Work?

Football trials are held all over the UK, so there will be a trial in your area somewhere. When you sign up for a professional football trial, you will need to register when you arrive at the trial. A typical trial will involve warm up’s, before being split into teams and coached. Then you will play an assessment match, and be given the chance to showcase your talents. After that, you’ll be given feedback, and if you have impressed the watching professionals, will be put forward for a trial with a nearby club. You will also receive on-going support should you be signed, and allotted a trusted agent to handle your contract.

football

Football Camps

A good football trials organisation may also organise intensive coaching and trial camps, where young players receive top quality coaching from high qualified coaches and pro-players, at the same time as being assessed for talent by scouts. You will be able to train like a professional and develop your skills, in the knowledge that if you impress, you may also be signed up.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that football is supremely competitive, so there is no guarantee that you will go forward for a trial with a professional club. So always beware of any football trial organisation who guarantees to put you forward. A reputable football trials group will make no such claims, and stress that it really is down to individual talent.

Featured images:

Rob Rudd enjoys writing on a wide range of topics from sports and fitness through to business and finance.

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The Sports Archives – Guide to the Grand Slams!

Posted on February 7, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Guide to the Grand Slams

The Grand Slam events of the ATP Tour are the most thrilling and important tournaments of the season and have been won by the greatest players to ever pick up a racquet.

But how much do we know about the four cornerstones of the tennis season?

Here’s all the information you need on the Grand Slams that will make you an expert in no time.

Australian OpenAustralian Open

The youngest of the four Slams and the first of the calendar year.

Quick history

  • Began in 1905 and was known as the Australasian Championship. Staged at Warehouseman’s cricket ground in Melbourne.
  • Became the Australian Open in 1969
  • 1972, the competition moved to Kooyang Lawn Tennis Club, again in Melbourne
  • Melbourne Park was built to stage the tournament in 1988 and attendances increased, with 2012 being a record-breaking year (685,000 spectators)

Records

Most titles – (Men’s) Andre Agassi, Roger Federer – 4 titles

(Women’s) Serena Williams – 5 titles

Youngest winner – (Men’s) Ken Rosewall – 18 years, 2 months

(Women’s) Martina Hingis – 16 years, 4 months

Oldest winner – (Men’s) Ken Rosewall – 37 years, 2 months

(Women’s) Thelma Coyle Long – 35 years, 8 months

The French OpenFrench Open

A distinctive competition as it is played on a clay court. A favourite amongst fans as this serves to test players to their limits.

Quick History

  • First held in 1891 and named the French Championship
  • The first ‘real’ French Open was held in 1925, as it had previously been restricted to men and French nationalists only.
  • In the same year, the tournament was held at Stade de Roland Garros, hence the popular nickname of ‘Roland Garros’ it now goes by.

Records

Most titles – (Men’s) Rafael Nadal – 7 titles

(Women’s) Chris Evert – 7 titles

Youngest winner – (Men’s) Michael Chang – 17 years, 2 months

(Women’s) Monica Seles – 16 years, 6 months

Oldest winner – (Men’s) Andrés Gimeno– 34 years, 10 months

(Women’s) Chris Evert – 31 years, 6 months

WimbledonWimbledon

The oldest and most prestigious of the four majors, it is the only Grand Slam still to be played on grass, tennis’ original surface.

Quick history

  • Began in 1877 and held at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. (Its home to this day)
  • Following the French domination in the 1920’s, Britain’s Fred Perry won three consecutive singles championships in the 30’s. The last British men’s player to do so.
  • Since then the competition has been dominated by overseas players and has also seen some major developments, including the addition of a roof on centre court, ensuring that the championships can no longer be disrupted by the pesky British weather.

Records

Most titles – (Men’s) Roger Federer, Pete Sampras – 7 titles

(Women’s) Martina Navratilova – 9 titles

Youngest winner – (Men’s) Boris Becker – 17 years, 7 months

(Women’s) Martina Hingis – 16years, 9 months

Oldest Winner – (Men’s) Arthur Ashe – 31 years, 11 months

(Womens’s) Martina Navratilova 33 years, 8 months

US OpenUS Open

The last Grand Slam in the tennis season and the youngest, as it only became a major in 1987.

Quick History

  • It was first held in 1881, but was known as the U.S. National Championship, played on grass and held in Newport, Rhode Island.
  • The US Open moved to its current home of Flushing Meadows, New York in 1978, which subsequently meant that it would now be played on a hard court, rather than clay.
  • The US Open is the only Grand Slam to be played every single year since its inception, and was also the first to offer equal prize money to both the men’s and women’s champions.

Records

Most titles – (Men’s) Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer – 5 titles

(Women’s) Chris Evert – 6 titles

Youngest winner – (Men’s) Pete Sampras – 19 years, 1 month

(Women’s) Tracy Austin – 16 years, 8 months

Oldest winner – (Men’s) Ken Rosewall – 35 years, 10 months

(Women’s) Margaret Court – 31 years, 1 month

So there you have it, your guide to the Grand Slam events.

This article was written by Sam Rigby on behalf of Wimbledon Debenture Holders, the home of Wimbledon Championship tickets for 2013 and beyond.

Photo Credits: Wikipedia

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The Sports Archives – Will The Oakland Raiders Ever Have A Great Quarterback Again?

Posted on February 6, 2013 by thesportsarchives

A Look Back At Their Top Three Legends!

While fans of the Oakland Raiders remain loyal through thick and thin, many have been expressing extreme frustration with another disappointing season; 2012 somehow seems infinitely worse than even the last few. If it feels like it’s been awhile since the team has truly had a great quarterback that’s because it has. It’s hard to believe that their last Super Bowl victory was nearly three decades ago now – although their last appearance was in 2002, but there is no doubt that the wins seem to be fewer and farther between.

Part of the issue is certainly at quarterback, although 2012 came packed with so many problems that even the best probably couldn’t have saved the day. Late in the season, third-string quarterback Terrelle Pryor certainly showed quite a bit of promise, and I believe he has the heart and desire to want to be great, but he still has a long way to go to get there.

Will the Silver and Black ever have a legendary quarterback again? As a life-long fan, I must have faith that they will – and hope that it will be in my lifetime!

In the meantime, here is a look back at three of their greatest in history – keep in mind that this list is very subjective. It just happens to be my favorite three Raiders’ quarterbacks. Your list may be different, but if you’re a Raider fan I think we can all agree that one of the best things about being a fan is the camaraderie within the Raider Nation unlike anything else in the NFL.

Jim Plunkett

Jim PlunkettThe only quarterback to start and win two Super Bowls in addition to being a Heisman Trophy winner and not be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is Jim Plunkett. This is one of the biggest injustices in football history. He’s most certainly deserving of the honor; but when speaking with the man himself last year he was obviously very appreciative of his career and rather nonchalant about the situation, despite the frustration that fans feel.

He remarked, “If I don’t get in, I don’t get in.”

The Raiders’ late owner Al Davis had this to say about Plunkett: “He has to be one of the great comeback stories of our time.”

Ken Stabler, “The Snake”

Ken StablerStabler was a winner, helping the Raiders capture their first Super Bowl title and leading them to the conference championship five times. From 1970 through 1979 he started in 130 games and scored 150 touchdowns. In 146 career starts his teams had a record of 96-49-1. He’s also been snubbed for the Hall of Fame, but the rebel is still a legend in the eyes of not just Silver and Black fans, but of most NFL fans.

Rich Gannon

Rich GannonThe great Daryle Lamonica is certainly a legendary Raiders’ quarterback, but on my list of the top three I include Rich Gannon, the Raiders last great quarterback. He led the team from 1999 through 2004, and took them to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2002 season as well as their third consecutive American Football Conference Division title.

Gannon was also the NFL MVP that year and a true, dedicated leader – even showing up before sunrise with former head coach Jon Gruden at the Alameda County offices every morning to study plays.

K.C. Dermody is an experienced full-time freelance writer with specialties in health & wellness, travel, sports and business. She works with a number of clients to create quality content that brings high volumes of traffic to their sites and is a ghostwriter for a number of blogs in addition to having regular columns and published articles on a variety of websites including Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Travel, RunLiveLearn, The Sherpa Report, Europe Travel, Ideal Living and more. Visit her on Facebook.

Photo Credits:
Kenny Stabler: http://dustyspeople.wordpress.com
Wikipedia

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The Sports Archives – Women In Hockey Are Going Places!

Posted on February 5, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's ice hockeyPaul Gallico described Ice hockey “precociously” by stating it as “a fast body-contact game played by men with clubs in their hands and knives laced to their feet”. This is a blunt definition of the game as it is renowned for its masculine brutality yet graceful glide and the paradox has been further dissected by the rise of more female players.

The education system has more than often emphasized on physical education as a work-life balance. As they say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. As most students have taken up extracurricular activities in the form of various games, there has been a growth in the number of women taking part as players in the sport of ice hockey.

Queen's University women's ice hockey team in 1917

Queen’s University women’s ice hockey team in 1917

Indeed, women’s hockey has seen tremendous growth over the years.  It is important to note that Women’s hockey has been in existence almost as long as men’s hockey. Women have been playing hockey as early as the 1920’s and have been going strong ever since.

There are several local and international leagues that are dedicated to the sport of women’s hockey. There are also several high schools, universities and colleges that have sports programs for women’s hockey. You may find women playing in all female hockey teams and even some women in men’s teams.

  • Health benefits

Hockey is a great way for any woman to stay in shape. When you are on the ice, you may burn as much as 300 to 400 calories per game. You are exercising your legs, thighs, abs and arms at the same time. The drills that are conducted to help you stay in control of the game can also help lower cholesterol which is a problem that plagues many women due to their bodies containing more fat cells than men.

Hockey also has added mental health benefits for women. You get a sense of belonging by being part of the team. Tournaments and leagues give you a sense of purpose and focus. The exercise also helps reduce stress and boost endorphins which in the long run make you feel good.

  • Fan base

Women's ice hockey at the XXI Olympic Winter GamesWomen’s hockey is one of the fastest growing competitive sports today. As a hockey player in the majors, you can earn a steady base of loyal fans and with it, great endorsement deals and ambassadorship. Many youth empowerment enterprises will want to become affiliated with you because of the powerful message that your career speaks to many underprivileged and minority youths, especially girls.

Another thing worth noting with women’s hockey is that you can be sure that admiration you receive is mainly on your performance and not your appearance. Unlike other female sports like tennis and volleyball that require their players to wear skimpy attire causing some fans to ogle at players, women’s hockey covers most of the players in oversized clothing. This makes the players less conscious of their bodies. They can focus on their game and receive appreciation for their technique rather than how they appear to fans!

Mr. Joshua Bing is an avid sports blogger. Through his blogs he tries to promote safety while playing hockey. For this he suggests various discount hockey equipments available online so that the game can be played with maximum safety.

Photo Credits: Wikipedia

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The Sports Archives – Messi, The Greatest Player Ever?

Posted on February 4, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Lionel MessiFootball superstar and legend Lionel Messi has just received an unprecedented fourth Ballon D’or Award for being the best footballer on the planet, voted for by national captains, managers and also journalists across the world. Not only was it the fourth time that he had won this award, which is an achievement on its own, the little magician from Argentina has won these awards consecutively. It’s easy to take from this that the man who is coveted by all clubs across the globe has dominated world football for the past four years.

There are only three men to have won the award three times and they are Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten. And Platini was the only person who’d won it three years in a row until Messi arrived. The Ballon D’or award is effectively the world player of the year award, since is merged with FIFA’s world player of the year in 2010. When the previously three mentioned players won it, it was only European player of the year. So Messi has won world player four years on the bounce. There are however two other players who have won the FIFA world player of the year three times – Zinedine Zidane and Brazil‘s Ronaldo. Yet still these do not compare to Messi’s four in a row.

Many believe he will continue to dominate over the coming years. And there isn’t many people arguing against this due to the fact the he is still only 25. Footballers are considered to be in their prime at 27, so on this understanding it would suggest that the best is yet to come. This is quite frightening and exciting, as last year Messi broke an astonishing amount of records, most notably (apart from the previously mentioned Ballon D’or awards) he broke a 40-year-old record for most goals in a calendar year. This was 85 goals set by German legend Gerd Muller. Not only did Messi surpass this, he breezed passed it with an astonishing 91 goals in the calendar year of 2012.

Even though Messi has won all of these individual awards, upon being presented the fourth Ballon D’or of his career he announced that he prefers team accolades and wasn’t happy that Barcelona missed out on the League title and the most prestigious of them all, the Champions League. Barcelona still won four trophies last season so it wasn’t an entirely unsuccessful campaign.

This article was written by Pedro Rodriguez who always wears under armour heat gear when playing sports.

Photo Credit:  Wikipedia

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The Sports Archives – Super Bowl XLVII: The Ultimate Guide!

Posted on February 2, 2013 by thesportsarchives

Mercedes-Benz SuperdomeIt’s nearly upon us – Super Bowl XLVII, the most eagerly awaited sporting and entertainment event of the year. February 3rd, 2013 is the date on everyone’s lips, and the stadium and city the world will be focusing on is the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in Louisiana’s New Orleans.

Last year’s Super Bowl pulled in an average 111.3 million viewers from around the world and if you want to be a part of the action and soak up the electric atmosphere of downtown New Orleans and the lively French Quarter for the 2013 Super Bowl, then head to a flight comparison website and get yourself a great deal to New Orleans. What can you expect when you arrive?

Super Bowl Halftime Show

Beyonce‘All the Single Ladies’ hip-shaking star, Beyonce has been confirmed as the headliner act performing at the halftime show. Beyonce is no stranger to the Super Bowl stage as she sang the national anthem at the 2004 Super Bowl in her hometown of Houston, Texas, but headlining the halftime show is on a whole other level. Considered to be the musical event of the year, the Super Bowl halftime show has seen major performances by the likes of Madonna, U2, The Black Eyed Peas and Paul McCartney over the years.

Until Beyonce was confirmed as the headliner, halftime performers rumored to be playing were everyone from No Doubt and Green Day to Justin Bieber and Jay-Z. As for who will be supporting Beyonce, the rumors are still circulating with talk of Destiny’s Child reforming for the show, or Jay-Z performing and supporting his wife. All will be revealed on February 3rd.

Million Dollar Advertisements

Despite the eye-watering $4 million price tag, all of the 30 second advertisement slots have sold out. The Super Bowl draws in a huge audience, so each of those 30 second slots have the potential of reaching millions of customers.

Pepsi sponsor the Super Bowl halftime show and will have a 60 second prime time advertisement slot, so expect something big and exciting from them. Viacom, a division of Paramount Pictures, have bought a slot to publicize their upcoming film, ‘Star Trek: Into Darkness’, and the Walt Disney Company are rumored to be showing a commercial. Other confirmed advertisers and big name brands to look out for include M&M’s, Mars, Skechers and Toyota Motor Sales USA.

Who Will be Playing?

If you’re a big American football fan, you’ve checked the flight comparison sites but can’t afford the trip to New Orleans, then the next best thing is to follow all the action on CBS.   The AFC and NFC championship games kicked off on January 20th with the following teams vying for that all important place at the Super Bowl:

In two epic games, the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers came out on top and will face off in New Orleans for one of the most recognizable trophies in the world.

Whatever the outcome, the Super Bowl XLVII promises to be one to remember, an incredible few days of music, sport and parties in New Orleans, culminating in a show to remember on February 3rd.

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Ursula Jones is a travel writer who is also a big fan of sports. She has spent years traveling the world and currently writes on behalf of Cheapflights.

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