This weekend might not be the biggest sports weekend of the year in terms of diversity of sports, but it definitely features the biggest sporting event of the year as well as some other must-watch games and events.
Let’s take a closer look at the Super Bowl and some of the other can’t-miss events this weekend.
Super Bowl 57
Super Bowl weekend is finally here. The week off between the AFC/NFC Championship games and the Super Bowl feels like the longest week of the year, but we finally made it. In a little more than 48 hours, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will take the field at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with both teams looking to win their second Super Bowl during the last six years.
This year’s Super Bowl is unique in that it’s the first time in 57 years that two Black quarterbacks – Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes – will start in the Big Game. Despite Mahomes being named NFL MVP on Thursday night, his Chiefs are 1.5-point underdogs against the Eagles on Sunday. However, the line opened at 2.5 last week and could shift to even money by Sunday.
The total for Super Bowl 57 is 51. There’s also a variety of fun prop bets, including shortest field goal scored (26.5 yards), total accepted penalty yards (90.5), halftime cleavage (yes/no), Rihanna shoe color, and whether or not Drake or Jay-Z will make an appearance during the halftime show.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors (Saturday)
The Super Bowl will definitely take up much of the oxygen in the sports media landscape this weekend, but there’s a marquee match in the NBA on Saturday night as the Los Angeles Lakers clash with the Golden State Warriors. Yes, the Warriors are in ninth, barely hanging on to a play-in spot, and the Lakers are 2.5 games outside the playoffs, but it’s always competitive between LeBron and the Warriors – even if Steph Curry won’t be playing Saturday.
This game also should give a glimpse of the revamped Lakers, which made several moves ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. Los Angeles shipped Russell Westbrook off to Utah and also got rid of Patrick Beverly, Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones, and Juan Toscano-Anderson. They brought in D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Mo Bamba, and Davon Reed.
Waste Management Phoenix Open
The Waste Management Phoenix Open isn’t considered a major, but it’s the most fun tournament of the year on the PGA Tour calendar. Even if you’re not a golf fan, it’s worth checking out Sunday’s final round to see the rowdy and raucous crowds not typically associated with golf. This is a tournament unlike any other on the PGA Tour and also has a $20 million prize pool. The crowd and money has attracted a deep field of players, including Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, and Max Homa.