GLENDALE, ARIZ.—The Kansas City Chiefs took home the Super Bowl LVII trophy after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 on Feb. 12 at State Farm Stadium.
On the field, the Chiefs’ Harrison Bucker kicked the game-winning ball with 11 seconds left, capping off an action-packed fourth quarter. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned himself the MVP title, and made history as the first Black quarterback to win multiple Super Bowl titles. In another historic moment, Super Bowl LVII marked the first championship game where both teams were helmed by Black quarterbacks. And Rihanna performed a solo halftime show where she took a moment to blot her face using Fenty Beauty’s Invisimatte Blotting Powder, sending Google searches for the beauty brand soaring 833%, according to Cosmetics Business.
Off the field, BizBash (naturally) had its eye on the celebrity chefs at Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate, the carnival setup at Shaq’s Fun House, Barstool Sports’ week-long event itinerary, el.f. Cosmetics’s first-ever Super Bowl ad spot—which was also its inaugural TV commercial—starring none other than Jennifer Coolidge, and so much more.
Keep scrolling to see inside 17 Big Game-centered bashes…
A Night of Pride
GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQIA+ media advocacy organization, teamed up with the NFL to host A Night of Pride at Phoenix’s Sheraton Downtown on Feb. 8 to celebrate the power of visibility and representation among active and next-gen NFL players. The evening aimed to provoke dialogue on LGBTQIA+ acceptance in the league with panel discussions titled “Coming Out as an LGBTQ Corporate Ally” and “LGBTQ NFL Experience,” which featured the likes of MTV correspondent Ryan Mitchell as moderator and Diageo’s chief marketing and innovation officer, the NFL’s executive vice president and CMO, and GLAAD board members as speakers. A Night of Pride was sponsored by Smirnoff and ended with a performance by Australian singer Betty Who. (Pictured: GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis)
Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images for GLAAD
h.wood Homecoming Presented by Cash App & Visa
Cash App and Visa presented their second annual h.wood Homecoming pop-up experience on Feb. 10 at Scottsdale Hangar One, a luxury private jet complex located at the Scottsdale airport. The blowout bash took place from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. and was as impressive as the venue—from the Live Más Lounge courtesy of event sponsor Taco Bell to Cash App’s namesake, technicolor playground, dubbed the Cash App Campus.
Photo: Danilo Lewis
Inside the Live Más Lounge was a Taco Bell Cantina, where the fast-food chain served up “Big A** Mexican Pizza” to the A-listers in attendance (like Megan Fox, Serena Williams, Alix Earle, Christina Aguilera, and Michael Strahan, just to name a few).
Elsewhere at the 140,000-square-foot venue was Mezcal El Silencio’s tattoo pop-up.
Elsewhere at the 140,000-square-foot venue was Mezcal El Silencio’s tattoo pop-up.
Photo: Courtesy of World Red Eye
The invite-only event featured sets by Zack Bia and Night Owl Sound before Drake took the stage for a finale performance. The h.wood Homecoming was produced by New York-based experiential agency Uncommon Entertainment and West Hollywood hospitality company The h.wood Group.
Photo: Danilo Lewis
Rémy Martin’s Super Bowl Ad Spot
The centuries-old Cognac House Rémy Martin made its Super Bowl commercial debut with the airing of “Inch by Inch” on Sunday. The ad spot drew inspiration from the film Any Given Sunday, where fictional football coach Tony D’Amato (played by Al Pacino) recited a speech titled “Inch by Inch.” In Rémy Martin’s rendition, tennis icon Serena Williams recited the motivational speech during filming at South Florida’s PGA National Resort, which highlighted the importance of a team in achieving true excellence. Nicholas Beckers, the president and CEO of Rémy Cointreau, Americas, said in a press release that participating in a coveted Super Bowl ad spot was about highlighting the brand’s “incredibly rich history,” while “striving to reach new audiences every day through new mediums and channels.”
In further celebration of the commercial’s airing, Rémy Martin curated cocktails for fans to enjoy at home on Super Bowl Sunday and beyond. Of them, The Rémy 1738 Sidecar, made with… 2 oz. Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
¾ oz Cointreau
¾ oz lemon juice
Directions: Pour all ingredients into a shaker that’s filled with ice. Shake, strain, and pour into a glass, then garnish with a lemon peel.
In further celebration of the commercial’s airing, Rémy Martin curated cocktails for fans to enjoy at home on Super Bowl Sunday and beyond. Of them, The Rémy 1738 Sidecar, made with… 2 oz. Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal
¾ oz Cointreau
¾ oz lemon juice
Directions: Pour all ingredients into a shaker that’s filled with ice. Shake, strain, and pour into a glass, then garnish with a lemon peel.
Photo: Courtesy of Rémy Martin
Tao X Maxim’s Big Game 'Catch Me If You Can' Party
Nothing says old-school glamor like Catch Me If You Can, which is the theme that Tao Group Hospitality and acclaimed men’s magazine Maxim adopted for a Big Game celebration on Feb. 11. Fittingly located at Southwest Jet Center in Scottsdale, and UnKommon Events’ founder and CEO Seth Kaplan—whose team helmed production—attributed “being able to turn a functioning airplane hangar into a 45,000-square-foot party with over 100 tables, interactive activation, and stage production” as the greatest success of the event. Oh, and the transformation happened “in 48 hours before the event started.” Kaplan pointed to load-in time as the greatest challenge of the entire event. “The hangar is federally regulated and the home of over 35 jets. Due to government regulations and the current jet tenants, we only had 48 hours to build the venue,” he explained.
Photo: Jarret Clark for Getty Images
![The 5,000-attendee evening welcomed ticketholders (general admission ran patrons $349-$500, and VIP table packages maxed out at $75,000), and Kaplan described how the 'Catch Me If You Can theme [was] punctuated by 1960s mod glamor and sophistication that called back to the early days of air travel.” He pointed to the airport counter-inspired check-in desk, guests’ first touchpoint at the event, before “passing through security checkpoints to be directed to their tables by ground crew members.”](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2023/02/TAO_MAXIM2023_0212_025931_9257_DLG.63ee568873b9e.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
The 5,000-attendee evening welcomed ticketholders (general admission ran patrons $349-$500, and VIP table packages maxed out at $75,000), and Kaplan described how the "Catch Me If You Can theme [was] punctuated by 1960s mod glamor and sophistication that called back to the early days of air travel.” He pointed to the airport counter-inspired check-in desk, guests’ first touchpoint at the event, before “passing through security checkpoints to be directed to their tables by ground crew members.”
Photo: Courtesy of UnKommon Events
A slew of brands activated at the event. Take LA Golf, which was on-site with an immersive putting experience, or BMW’s “futuristic display launching the world’s first color-changing vehicle, the BMW XM,” Kaplan explained. Lifestyle Events helped with production, while Creative State and Eighteentwentysix assisted with activation builds, and Phygital handled all security and event safety operations.
Photo: Courtesy of UnKommon Events
As for food and beverage, “open bars were stocked with top-shelf liquor,” and bottles were delivered to tables via galley carts in a nod to the Catch Me If You Can theme. Signature drinks were available courtesy of event partner Jose Cuervo—there was even a Jose Cuervo-branded fuselage on-site for a fun photo op—as well as bites from Raising Cane’s and Crumbl cookies. Fever Tree, Rémy Martin, Heineken, Pepsi, Ciroc, Nutrl, Red Bull, and Prizepicks also participated in F&B offerings.
Photo: Courtesy of UnKommon Events
Musical performances included the likes of Loud Luxury, Offset, and Zedd, and celebrities in the packed crowd included Travis Scott, Tyga, Cher, and more.
Tao X Maxim’s Big Game Party took more than a year to plan and execute, and Kaplan said the UnKommon team is already looking forward to next year’s bash in Las Vegas.
Tao X Maxim’s Big Game Party took more than a year to plan and execute, and Kaplan said the UnKommon team is already looking forward to next year’s bash in Las Vegas.
Photo: Courtesy of UnKommon Events
Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate
Guy Fieri made his annual Big Game Weekend appearance for his annual Flavortown Tailgate, presented by Cash App and Visa. The free event welcomed more than 10,000 Super Bowl fans to an area adjacent to the State Farm Stadium on Feb. 12 for a day that nodded to Fieri’s famed Food Network series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with a curated vendor list of 15-plus restaurants (more than 10 were featured on the show). There were also unique pop-up concepts courtesy of Fieri himself, more than 10 bar areas, and plenty of tailgate games.
Medium Rare, which created and produced the event, said of how the tailgate evoked Fieri’s rock-and-roll-meets-foodie vibe: “Guy wasn’t just host of the event, he truly was the Mayor of Flavortown. From curating the restaurants we had on-site to hosting his own restaurant pop-ups, Guy’s fans got to get a true taste of his personally curated game day eats.”
Medium Rare, which created and produced the event, said of how the tailgate evoked Fieri’s rock-and-roll-meets-foodie vibe: “Guy wasn’t just host of the event, he truly was the Mayor of Flavortown. From curating the restaurants we had on-site to hosting his own restaurant pop-ups, Guy’s fans got to get a true taste of his personally curated game day eats.”
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
The Tums Chicken Wing Challenge took the main stage during the free event and was fittingly sponsored by the antacid brand. NFL players Chad Johnson of the Cincinnati Bengals and LeSean McCoy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced off “to see who could eat the most wings in 90 seconds,” Richman explained. “Fans loved it!” Another highlight? A performance by Diplo.
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
![Elsewhere at the tailgate, CELSIUS had an on-theme activation outfitted in turf where brand representatives handed out the energy drink to attendees, including to band members who played at the event and dressed up as Fieri in his signature flame-clad button down, visor, and sunglasses. Richman also pointed to Sprouts Farmers’ Market activation as another standout, where there was “a custom-built butcher case [that] attendees could walk through and personally select their meat to have grilled right in front of them.”](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2023/02/Guy_Fieri_Tailgate_X_CELSIUS_3.63ee57581ed79.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
Elsewhere at the tailgate, CELSIUS had an on-theme activation outfitted in turf where brand representatives handed out the energy drink to attendees, including to band members who played at the event and dressed up as Fieri in his signature flame-clad button down, visor, and sunglasses. Richman also pointed to Sprouts Farmers’ Market activation as another standout, where there was “a custom-built butcher case [that] attendees could walk through and personally select their meat to have grilled right in front of them.”
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Ad Spot with Jennifer Coolidge
Creative marketing and communications agency SHADOW went big on behalf of e.l.f. Cosmetics for the ultra-popular makeup brand’s first-ever TV commercial. The 30-second ad spot debuted on Super Bowl Sunday featuring Jennifer Coolidge, who recently starred in HBO’s hit drama The White Lotus, and e.l.f.’s power grip primer, which went viral among Gen Z after it went viral on TikTok, making it the No. 1 best-selling face primer in the U.S. In a further nod to the series’ widespread acclaim, the commercial script was co-written by The White Lotus’ creator, Mike White.
Photo: Jeff Lipsky
Sports Illustrated The Party
“The ultimate arbiter in the celebration of sports, Sports Illustrated (SI) has become synonymous with Super Bowl weekend and one of the most coveted tickets, for good reason,” said Medium Rare, the brainchild behind a slew of Super Bowl event staples. SI The Party lived up to this reputation with a VIP soiree on Feb. 11 at first-ever golf invitational the day prior). The event was presented by Captain Morgan, which Silberzweig said “was a really special one for us because of the way they chose to activate at SI The Party. In addition to coming on as presenting partner, SI The Party also played host to Captain Morgan’s Fan of the Year (FOTY) program, which provided the ultimate VIP experience to 32 lucky NFL fans across the country. Throughout the entirety of SI The Party, Captain Morgan’s 32 FOTY winners were treated like the true captains they are—from an onstage toast from the one and only Victor Cruz to a custom lounge.”
Aside from 32 lucky fans and 5,000 ticketed guests, celebrity attendees included Alex Rodriguez, Quavo, Michael Phelps, Tiffany Haddish, Jerry Rice, and more.
Aside from 32 lucky fans and 5,000 ticketed guests, celebrity attendees included Alex Rodriguez, Quavo, Michael Phelps, Tiffany Haddish, Jerry Rice, and more.
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
![Medium Rare co-produced SI The Party alongside Authentic Brands Group, the global brand management company that purchased SI in 2019 for $100 million. Silberzweig noted feeling the pressure of helming the “marquee event,” which he also cited as “probably the hottest ticket of Super Bowl Weekend.” “This is the first time [Medium Rare is] producing this event, so it was important to us to not only do it justice, but take it a step further,” he explained. Silberzweig added that SI The Party aimed to be an extension of the “unprecedented and unforgettable experiences” SI readers seek out when reading Sports Illustrated, and pointed to the night’s headliners—The Chainsmokers and Machine Gun Kelly—as just one of many ways SI The Party accomplished that.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2023/02/SI2023_0211_234734_AR3A4658_ALIVECOVERAGE.63ee5793452c4.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
Medium Rare co-produced SI The Party alongside Authentic Brands Group, the global brand management company that purchased SI in 2019 for $100 million. Silberzweig noted feeling the pressure of helming the “marquee event,” which he also cited as “probably the hottest ticket of Super Bowl Weekend.”
“This is the first time [Medium Rare is] producing this event, so it was important to us to not only do it justice, but take it a step further,” he explained. Silberzweig added that SI The Party aimed to be an extension of the “unprecedented and unforgettable experiences” SI readers seek out when reading Sports Illustrated, and pointed to the night’s headliners—The Chainsmokers and Machine Gun Kelly—as just one of many ways SI The Party accomplished that.
“This is the first time [Medium Rare is] producing this event, so it was important to us to not only do it justice, but take it a step further,” he explained. Silberzweig added that SI The Party aimed to be an extension of the “unprecedented and unforgettable experiences” SI readers seek out when reading Sports Illustrated, and pointed to the night’s headliners—The Chainsmokers and Machine Gun Kelly—as just one of many ways SI The Party accomplished that.
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
Gronk Beach
As a four-time Super Bowl champion, it’s no surprise that Rob Gronkowski headlines a namesake Super Bowl Weekend bash—Gronk Beach, presented by The Beast Unleashed. Super Bowl LVII’s iteration of the party was a sort of homecoming for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end, who attended the University of Arizona and hosted his event at Talking Stick Resort. Richman of Medium Rare (yes, the company was behind this event too!) told BizBash about the excitement around Gronk Beach, which he described as “true to its form as the greatest party of Super Bowl Weekend,” and pointed to the 5,000 sold-out tickets and tables ahead of the event, which took place on Feb. 11.
“Gronk Beach is the ultimate beach-vibe day party. When we started this event with Rob the first time he retired from the NFL, we realized that amongst the other Super Bowl Weekend activities, there was a hole open Saturday afternoon. So we built out an event that would allow us to capitalize on that time block, while also building an experience that was built around Rob’s DNA,” Richman explained.
“Gronk Beach is the ultimate beach-vibe day party. When we started this event with Rob the first time he retired from the NFL, we realized that amongst the other Super Bowl Weekend activities, there was a hole open Saturday afternoon. So we built out an event that would allow us to capitalize on that time block, while also building an experience that was built around Rob’s DNA,” Richman explained.
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
The result of filling a void in Super Bowl Weekend programming? A daytime bash that featured a “Beast Bar,” where Gronk Beach’s presenting partner, The Beast Unleashed, served up its signature malt beverage. There was also a “Beast Mainstage” where Gronk—who Richman said was named “the MVP of Fun”—led a “cheers” moment, as well as custom denim jacket giveaways courtesy of Wrangler, and a Teramana Tequila “Mana Mobile” truck that provided food and drinks featuring Dwayne Johnson’s liquor brand.
And what would a beach party be without a pool and volleyball tournament? Thanks to Corona, Gronk Beach also boasted just that—a pool—plus a beach bar and a celebrity volleyball tournament where Deebo Samuel, Brooks Nadar, Nick Young, Kostek, and more got their game faces on for some friendly competition.
And what would a beach party be without a pool and volleyball tournament? Thanks to Corona, Gronk Beach also boasted just that—a pool—plus a beach bar and a celebrity volleyball tournament where Deebo Samuel, Brooks Nadar, Nick Young, Kostek, and more got their game faces on for some friendly competition.
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
Shaq’s Fun House
Talking Stick Resort also played host—and Medium Rare also played producer—to Shaq’s Fun House, presented by Netspend on Feb. 10. The Shaquille O’Neal-headlined to-do is one of the buzziest events of Super Bowl Weekend, and Silberzweig said that “this year was no exception as we had 7,000 guests show up.”
Shaq’s Fun House is “part carnival, part music festival—the ultimate adult playground,” Silberzweig added, noting that the concept for the event was born out of “conceptualizing this with Shaq some years back [when] he said to us, ‘I am tired of boring Super Bowl parties, guys in suits just standing around. I want to do something that’s fun and for the people.’”
Shaq’s Fun House is “part carnival, part music festival—the ultimate adult playground,” Silberzweig added, noting that the concept for the event was born out of “conceptualizing this with Shaq some years back [when] he said to us, ‘I am tired of boring Super Bowl parties, guys in suits just standing around. I want to do something that’s fun and for the people.’”
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
![It’s no doubt that Shaq’s Fun House is, as the iconic basketball star wanted, an event for the people. “An all-inclusive ticket affords guests six hours of a premium open bar, thanks to partners like Casamigos and Anhauser Busch,” Silberzweig said, adding that “we’ve got a full carnival [too], which featured the ‘Nothing but NETspend’ basketball game and Netspend Ferris Wheel, [as well as] the Electrolit slide, and a carousel.” It doesn’t end there—a tented area also featured a concert area with VIP tables in partnership with Wynn. “This year we had Snoop Dogg headline. It was insane in the best way possible,” the Medium Rare co-CEO said.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2023/02/SHAQSFUNHOUSE2023_0210_222329_139A3102_ALIVECOVERAGE.63ee5801c3538.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
It’s no doubt that Shaq’s Fun House is, as the iconic basketball star wanted, an event for the people. “An all-inclusive ticket affords guests six hours of a premium open bar, thanks to partners like Casamigos and Anhauser Busch,” Silberzweig said, adding that “we’ve got a full carnival [too], which featured the ‘Nothing but NETspend’ basketball game and Netspend Ferris Wheel, [as well as] the Electrolit slide, and a carousel.” It doesn’t end there—a tented area also featured a concert area with VIP tables in partnership with Wynn. “This year we had Snoop Dogg headline. It was insane in the best way possible,” the Medium Rare co-CEO said.
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
“This year, the ambition of Shaq’s Fun House as a carnival and concert was fully realized,” Silberzweig said when reflecting on the guest experience. “It was custom-built and designed from the ground up” with the staples everyone knows and loves about a classic carnival, like the “big-top circus tent,” which Silberzweig added was “shipped in via cargo ship to house 5,000 people for a Snoop Dogg and Diplo mega-show.”
Photo: Courtesy of Medium Rare
Savage X Fenty’s Game Day ‘Xperience’
To kick off Super Bowl season, Rihanna’s lingerie brand, Savage X Fenty, released a Game Day Collection complete with football-themed styles in honor of the Grammy Award-winning singer’s halftime show takeover. The three-day retail “Xperience” took place in LA’s Fairfax shopping district ahead of the big game, from Jan. 27-29, and tapped California-based Cat/Alina Productions to outfit the space in spray-painted turf and brown, green, and white hues to pay homage to the popular American sport.
For the opening night of the multi-day activation, the brand held a private event complete with a live DJ and mixologists who served up themed cocktails (think: “Tailgate Touchdown” and “Friday Night Lights”) while attendees sipped, snacked, shopped, and socialized.
For the opening night of the multi-day activation, the brand held a private event complete with a live DJ and mixologists who served up themed cocktails (think: “Tailgate Touchdown” and “Friday Night Lights”) while attendees sipped, snacked, shopped, and socialized.
Photo: Courtesy of Savage X Fenty
As expected, there was no shortage of photo ops throughout the activation. Here, guests could pose in turf-lined chairs centered in front of the brand's Game Day Collection logo. They were encouraged to post their pics to social media using the hashtag #SavageXTouchdown.
Photo: Courtesy of Savage X Fenty
The Player’s Tailgate Hosted by Bobby Flay
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay joined in on the tailgate fun with his own foodie fest ahead of kickoff on Feb. 12. Produced by Bullseye Event Group, the 2,000-person affair donated ticket proceeds to charity partners Operation BBQ Relief, which sets out to feed the homeless and displaced families following natural disasters; and the Irie Foundation, which empowers youth to lead a productive life through mentorship programs, exposure to cultural experiences, and more.
The tailgate menu featured speciality dishes courtesy of 15 celebrity chefs, including Rocco DiSpirito’s deep-fried lobster with pepperonata jelly, Tiffany Derry’s crawfish beignets, Stan Hays’s smoked barbecue pineapple steam with jalapeno pineapple slaw, and Flay’s red chile pork nachos with green chile queso, just to name a few. All food surplus from the tailgate was donated to the Food Recovery Network to be distributed to nonprofit organizations.
The tailgate menu featured speciality dishes courtesy of 15 celebrity chefs, including Rocco DiSpirito’s deep-fried lobster with pepperonata jelly, Tiffany Derry’s crawfish beignets, Stan Hays’s smoked barbecue pineapple steam with jalapeno pineapple slaw, and Flay’s red chile pork nachos with green chile queso, just to name a few. All food surplus from the tailgate was donated to the Food Recovery Network to be distributed to nonprofit organizations.
Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images
Barstool’s Saguaro Scramble
Ultra-popular sports and pop culture blog Barstool Sports hosted a week-long content takeover leading up to the Big Game where nearly half of its beloved team—including founder Dave Portnoy—descended on Arizona. The first event on the lineup, dubbed “Saguaro Scramble,” took place on Feb. 6 and nodded to Barstool Sports’ No. 1 golf podcast, Fore Play, with an afternoon of teeing off, driving, and putting around Lisa Litvack Barstool Sports’ vice president of live events, described of the guest experience: “Fore Play’s own Frankie Borrelli (who hosts the podcast alongside Trent, Riggs, and Dan Rapaport) sang the National Anthem.” Then, 108 players took part in a round of golf, where Raising Cane’s sponsored a putting contest and provided lunch out of an on-site food truck. “The afternoon ended with a putting contest playoff and closing ceremonies, where the first place team was crowned the champ with a trophy and $2,000 cash prize presented by Omega Accounting Solutions, the presenting sponsor of the event,” Litvack explained.
TSI Graphics handled all of Saguaro Scramble’s on-course signage.
TSI Graphics handled all of Saguaro Scramble’s on-course signage.
Photo: Courtesy of Barstool Sports
The Barstool Phoenix Mini Golf Open
A Super Bowl Weekend in Arizona meant golf-clad events were plentiful. Take it from Barstool, which hosted a second golf outing—a Mini Golf Open—on Feb. 8 at Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa. The invite-only affair welcomed Barstool talent, friends and family, and brand partners, and Litvack told BizBash that in true Barstool fashion, the game took on a “hilarious approach to mini golf” while incorporating the event’s presenting sponsor, Pringles.
“On one hole, players had to stand on a Pringles branded platform and putt while having ‘can hands,’ meaning their hands had to be in a Pringles container while putting,” Litvack explained. “This was aligned with their [Pringles’] #GetStuckIn campaign to win free Pringles, (which) they ran as an ad during the Super Bowl.”
“On one hole, players had to stand on a Pringles branded platform and putt while having ‘can hands,’ meaning their hands had to be in a Pringles container while putting,” Litvack explained. “This was aligned with their [Pringles’] #GetStuckIn campaign to win free Pringles, (which) they ran as an ad during the Super Bowl.”
Photo: Courtesy of Barstool Sports
Of course, Barstool recorded and broadcast the mini golf event, which featured Dave Portnoy and Ban “Big Cat” Katz, the host of the highly rated sports podcast Pardon My Take. Litvack attributed the “live production and broadcast of the event” as its greatest success. “We had drones buzzing overhead with cameras attached to them to capture aerial views of the action, and our cameramen followed each group and framed the putt putt action perfectly without ever getting in the way,” Barstool’s president of live events explained.
As for the greatest challenge, Litvack said: “We have never done a live mini golf event before. While we have conquered basketball and football, if you work in TV you know golf is a whole different type of broadcast.”
As for the greatest challenge, Litvack said: “We have never done a live mini golf event before. While we have conquered basketball and football, if you work in TV you know golf is a whole different type of broadcast.”
Photo: Courtesy of Barstool Sports
‘The Dozen’ Live Show
The Dozen: Trivia Competition is Barstool’s trivia show where company employees face off against each other to see who has the greatest knowledge bank. It airs every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on Barstool Sports’ TV channel, and on Feb. 9, it was recorded live from Scottsdale’s Virginia G. Piper Theater, with a sold-out live audience of more than 800.
Photo: Courtesy of Barstool Sports
![As he does weekly, Emmy-Award winning journalist, host, and blogger Jeff D. Lowe hosted The Dozen . Litvack noted how the Barstool “talent have been participating in The Dozen for over three years, but it mostly has been filmed in-house and then broadcasted after, so putting the show on in-person, at a theater, [and] for the first time meant we had to provide a more elevated guest experience in the form of audience interaction.” This came in the form of making audience members a part of the show—literally. “Our talent could ask the audience for a lifeline” if they didn’t know the answer to a trivia question, Litvack explained.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2023/02/The_Dozen_4.63ee591a801ad.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
As he does weekly, Emmy-Award winning journalist, host, and blogger Jeff D. Lowe hosted The Dozen . Litvack noted how the Barstool “talent have been participating in The Dozen for over three years, but it mostly has been filmed in-house and then broadcasted after, so putting the show on in-person, at a theater, [and] for the first time meant we had to provide a more elevated guest experience in the form of audience interaction.” This came in the form of making audience members a part of the show—literally. “Our talent could ask the audience for a lifeline” if they didn’t know the answer to a trivia question, Litvack explained.
Photo: Courtesy of Barstool Sports
Litvack noted how “this past year more than ever,” Barstool has “made a concerted effort to do more live events in all different forms.” The week-long schedule of events surrounding the Super Bowl was a direct result of that, and Litvack said how such programming “brings our rabid fan base even closer to our talent, making a lasting impression, and our fans love it.”
As far as what’s next for the sports and pop-culture-focused digital media company, Litvack said the most engaging experiential events on Barstool’s lineup include the Barstool Classic Golf Tour—which will visit 25 cities throughout 2023—and the Chiclets Cup street hockey events, which will kick off this summer.
As far as what’s next for the sports and pop-culture-focused digital media company, Litvack said the most engaging experiential events on Barstool’s lineup include the Barstool Classic Golf Tour—which will visit 25 cities throughout 2023—and the Chiclets Cup street hockey events, which will kick off this summer.
Photo: Courtesy of Barstool Sports
H&R Block’s Tax Prep Tailgate
Of course, Super Bowl celebrations aren’t confined to Arizona. Take it from H&R Block’s “Tax Prep Tailgate” that took place on Feb. 12 at Guilford Hall Brewery in Baltimore and playfully nodded to tax season—which aligns closely with the Super Bowl. (The deadline is April 18!)
From 10 a.m.-3p.m., football fans were encouraged to bring their personal device, identification, and tax-related documents to the beer hall to file their taxes on-site. H&R Block representatives were on-hand at the Tax Pro Zone to assist with the brand’s DIY Tax Solutions products, and Guilford Hall Brewery provided brewery- and game-day-inspired bites, like pretzel stations, bratwurst, and burgers.
From 10 a.m.-3p.m., football fans were encouraged to bring their personal device, identification, and tax-related documents to the beer hall to file their taxes on-site. H&R Block representatives were on-hand at the Tax Pro Zone to assist with the brand’s DIY Tax Solutions products, and Guilford Hall Brewery provided brewery- and game-day-inspired bites, like pretzel stations, bratwurst, and burgers.
Photo: Courtesy of Guilford Hall
Sports Illustrated Golf Invitational
Sports Illustrated kicked off Big Game Weekend with its inaugural golf invitational. About 100 guests were in attendance at the event—including ticketholders and celebrity athletes, like football coach and former NFL player Eddie George (pictured)—which took place on Feb. 10 at Talking Stick Resort. Tickets to the SI Invitational ran $10,000 for a four-person team.
Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Brands Group
![Matt Goldstein, the senior vice president of entertainment and special projects at Authentic Brands Group—the global brand management company that purchased SI in 2019 for a cool $100 million—explained of his favorite part of the event: “Our partner Wing (a drone delivery company) delivered the inaugural tee-off ball. We wanted to kick off our first-ever golf invitational in a memorable way, and incorporating a unique ball drop added an element of fanfare.” Then, “each hole had dedicated activations and friendly competitions such as ‘Closest to the Pin,’ presented by Brooks Brothers, where the winner took home a Brooks Brothers custom sports coat.” And in other play-to-win moments, “LA Golf sponsored a blindfolded putting contest where the winner received a new LA Golf putter, [and] Dough Ball Whiskey sponsored ‘Longest Drive,’ with the winner receiving a yellow YETI Dough Ball cooler,” Goldstein explained.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2023/02/ACR03424.63ee597124c4e.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
Matt Goldstein, the senior vice president of entertainment and special projects at Authentic Brands Group—the global brand management company that purchased SI in 2019 for a cool $100 million—explained of his favorite part of the event: “Our partner Wing (a drone delivery company) delivered the inaugural tee-off ball. We wanted to kick off our first-ever golf invitational in a memorable way, and incorporating a unique ball drop added an element of fanfare.”
Then, “each hole had dedicated activations and friendly competitions such as ‘Closest to the Pin,’ presented by Brooks Brothers, where the winner took home a Brooks Brothers custom sports coat.” And in other play-to-win moments, “LA Golf sponsored a blindfolded putting contest where the winner received a new LA Golf putter, [and] Dough Ball Whiskey sponsored ‘Longest Drive,’ with the winner receiving a yellow YETI Dough Ball cooler,” Goldstein explained.
Then, “each hole had dedicated activations and friendly competitions such as ‘Closest to the Pin,’ presented by Brooks Brothers, where the winner took home a Brooks Brothers custom sports coat.” And in other play-to-win moments, “LA Golf sponsored a blindfolded putting contest where the winner received a new LA Golf putter, [and] Dough Ball Whiskey sponsored ‘Longest Drive,’ with the winner receiving a yellow YETI Dough Ball cooler,” Goldstein explained.
Photo: Courtesy of Authentic Brands Group
SWARM
Miami-based event production company Wynwood Marketplace. The 120,000-square-foot, indoor-outdoor, multilevel venue welcomed thousands of visitors on Feb. 12, and gifted the first 100 guests a free beer, which they could claim at any of the 10 on-site bars. To make for the perfect game-viewing experience, there were more than 30 LED televisions—including eight 70-inch screens—as well as a state-of-the-art sound system, a live DJ, and game day fare that everyone knows and loves.
Photo: Courtesy of Swarm
