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Never Miss a Super Bowl Club

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The Never Miss a Super Bowl Club (or the NMASB Club) is a group of football fans (outside of owners and staff) who have gone to every Super Bowl since 1967. Visa popularized the original group of four in a commercial that aired in 2010. Since then, two members have died and one has been retroactively added, bringing the total to three surviving fans—Don Crisman, Tom Henschel, and Gregory Eaton—who most recently attended Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024.[1] Photojournalist John Biever is the only known person outside of the group of fans to have attended every Super Bowl.[2]

History

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The club was first popularized by Visa as part of an advertising campaign called Go Fans. The commercial was narrated by Morgan Freeman. Surveys have shown that most respondents would be willing to miss or postpone major events in their life, including the birth of their child or a wedding date, to see the Super Bowl. As a result, Visa came up with an advertising campaign to feature four men who have attended every Super Bowl since the first one in 1967.[3] The four men were New England Patriots fan Don Crisman, San Francisco 49ers fan Larry Jacobson, Pittsburgh Steelers fan Thomas Henschel, and Green Bay Packers fan Robert Cook. The commercial itself featured the four men holding up tickets for 44 years of Super Bowls.

In early February 2011, it was announced that 79-year-old Cook would be unable to attend Super Bowl XLV after being hospitalized in Wisconsin. His daughters were expected to attend the game in his place.[4][5] He died a few days after the game.[6]

At Super Bowl LI, in February 2017, another person who had gone to every Super Bowl game, Gregory Eaton, met the three remaining members and officially joined the club.[7] Eaton is a fan of the Detroit Lions.[1]

In October 2017, Jacobson died,[8] reducing the club to three members.

Lifetime tickets promotion

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A promotion was also run during the 2010 commercial. The Super Bowl Trip for Life Sweepstakes stated that anyone who used their Visa card between September 9 and December 31, 2010, would be entered to win a chance to see the Super Bowl for life. Winners would receive round-trip airfare, accommodations, and tickets to the Super Bowl.[3] In 2011, it was announced that Tyler Weber, then 24 years old, won the contest.[9]

Owner and staff attendees

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Groundskeeper George Toma assisted in preparing the field for the first 57 Super Bowls.[10][11] Super Bowl LVIII was the first game Toma did not attend or serve as a groundskeeper.[12]

Norma Hunt, the wife of Kansas City Chiefs founding owner Lamar Hunt, was the only woman to attend every Super Bowl game. She attended every Super Bowl until her death in June 2023.[13] Her final Super Bowl she attended, Super Bowl LVII, was won by the Chiefs. She was also on the podium for the Lombardi Trophy presentation for the Chiefs Super Bowl LIV victory. Her husband Lamar Hunt helped establish the championship game and coined the term "super bowl".[14][11]

As of Super Bowl LVIII, photojournalist John Biever has attended every Super Bowl.[15][16][2]

Sports journalist Jerry Green attended every Super Bowl until choosing to not go to Super Bowl LVII due to declining health.[11] Green died the month following the game, on March 24, 2023.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b Baig, Edward C. (February 2, 2024). "From Lombardi's Packers to Belichick's Patriots, Diehard Fans Have Attended All 57 Super Bowls". aarp.org. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Maersch, Mitch (February 14, 2024). "Picture-perfect Super Bowl record". Ozaukee Press. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Visa Features Four Fans who Attended Every Super Bowl in New Ads as Part of the Super Bowl Trip for Life: Passion for Super Bowl is Unrivaled According to a National Survey by Visa". Visa. October 14, 2010. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  4. ^ "'Never Missed A Super Bowl' Member Dies At Age 79". CBS News. Associated Press. February 14, 2011. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  5. ^ "Cook in hospital, unable to attend game". Fox Sports. February 5, 2011. Archived from the original on February 8, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  6. ^ "'Never missed a Super Bowl' member dies". Fox Sports. February 14, 2011. Archived from the original on February 17, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  7. ^ "Three men, 52 years and a vow to always be at the Super Bowl". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  8. ^ "Lawrence Jacobson's Obituary on San Francisco Chronicle". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  9. ^ Blaisdell, Elaine (March 25, 2011). "LaVale man winner of Visa's Super Bowl for Life contest". Cumberland Times-News. Archived from the original on August 29, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  10. ^ Wall, Dia (February 7, 2023). "Kansas City legend George Toma taking care of field for Super Bowl LVII". kshb.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Shea, Bill (February 10, 2023). "The man who covered every Super Bowl: Jerry Green and the end of an epic run". The Athletic. Archived from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  12. ^ Taranto, Steven (February 8, 2024). "Super Bowl 2024: George Toma's 57-year streak as groundskeeper for the big game comes to an end". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  13. ^ "Chiefs Mourn Passing of Norma Hunt". Kansas City Chiefs. June 4, 2023. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  14. ^ Gutierrez, Lisa (January 30, 2020). "Kisses and Diana Ross: Chiefs matriarch Norma Hunt reflects on 54 years of Super Bowls". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved July 7, 2023. (subscription required)
  15. ^ Smith, Michael David (February 10, 2023). "Sportswriter Jerry Green will miss his first Super Bowl, five others will attend their 57th". Profootballtalk.com. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  16. ^ "Best of Super Bowl LVII Halftime". NFL.com. National Football League. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Paul, Tony (March 24, 2023). "Iconic Detroit News columnist Jerry Green, last to cover every Super Bowl, has died at age 94". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
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