Many of America's COVID-19 spikes came on the heels of holidays, when friends and families gathered to celebrate. Could Super Bowl LV lead to another spike?
The Buccaneers crushed the Chiefs, 31-9, winning Super Bowl LV in front of 25,000 socially distanced fans at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
Why it matters: With the win, Tom Brady moves to 7-3 in the Super Bowl, further cementing his legacy as the G.O.A.T. at the expense of Patrick Mahomes — the player with perhaps the best shot at one day challenging Brady's throne.
The first Super Bowl with coronavirus precautions in place ended in victory for Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Florida Sunday night.
The big picture: The game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa took place with more cardboard cutouts (30,000) than fans (25,000). The NFL provided those present with personal protective equipment including masks and hand sanitizer before the game.
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers dominated the Chiefs, 31-9, winning Super Bowl LV in front of 25,000 masked and socially distanced fans in Tampa.
The big picture: With the win, 43-year-old Brady moves to an unprecedented 7-3 in the Super Bowl, further cementing his legacy as the greatest of all time at the expense of Patrick Mahomes — the player with perhaps the best shot at challenging for that throne.
Mahomes, visibly battling a foot injury, had an uncharacteristically bad day under center as the Chiefs' depleted offensive line had no answers for the Bucs’ fearsome pass rush.
CBS All Access, the streaming service from ViacomCBS, did not work for some customers Sunday night as they tried to access the service just ahead of the Super Bowl LV kickoff.
Why it matters: The incident represents a weak spot for streaming services vying to win rights to air big games from major sports leagues. Streaming TV technology still isn't as reliable as traditional broadcast or cable during highly-trafficked events.
The NFL's giant COVID-19 experiment ends Sunday with the improbable feat of an on-time Super Bowl, capping a season with no canceled games.
Why it matters: The season suggests that with the right resources, safety measures and cooperation — all of which have been lacking in the general U.S. response — life can go on during the pandemic without uncontrolled spread of the virus.
Super Bowl LV will be the most-watched TV broadcast of 2021, bringing roughly 100 million Americans together for a few hours of unity and entertainment.
Why it matters: All Super Bowls are culturally important, but this year's "Big Game," more than any before it, will offer a reflection of the country.
