This year’s Super Bowl frenzy is back in full force

GLENDAL, Arizona. – From the opening of the Super Bowl to the night before the big game, the party went on all week.

The madness is back in full force this year after COVID-19 restrictions curtailed the wild, crazy vibe that surrounds the most anticipated and most hyped week on the sports calendar.

According to the NFL, more than 6,000 members of the media from 24 countries were accredited to cover the Kansas City Chiefs’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles and related events in Arizona.

READ MORE: Super Bowl 2023 guide: what to know and who to watch for this year’s big game

Officials estimated that 100,000 visitors passed through the area around the downtown convention center where the NFL set up its Super Bowl Experience interactive theme park.

That’s not counting the hundreds of thousands of people who came to the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, 20 miles from downtown Phoenix. Around 600,000 people attended this week’s tournament, including around 200,000 fans on Saturday, many dressed in Chiefs and Eagles gear. It is expected to end in time for people to watch or go to the big game.

The Super Bowl Media Center was buzzing with a record 128 episodes filling a radio stream that now includes podcasts and TV networks.

READ MORE: Celebrity Watch: Which Stars Visited Phoenix at the Super Bowl, WM Phoenix Open

Restaurants were packed, parties were packed, hotels were booked, streets were closed and people were everywhere, just like in the days before the pandemic.

Red-clad Chiefs fans filled the streets singing “Chiefs” on tomahawks. A sea of ​​Eagles fans in green yelled “Go Birds” and sang “Fly! Eagles! Fly!”

“This community has opened its arms,” ​​NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “This is a wonderful community. This is a diverse community. We are also proud to partner with local communities.”

There was a strong sense of normality at last year’s Super Bowl in Los Angeles, but teams spent opening night remotely and in-person availability with players and coaches was reduced to a couple of days due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The league suspended the protocols in March and there were no problems throughout the season.

The Chiefs and Eagles met with the media on Opening Night and three more times on Thursday, bringing back several opportunities to interview players and coaches.

READ MORE: Eagles and Chiefs fans are ready for the Super Bowl game, but which fan will outnumber the rest?

This is Kansas City’s third Super Bowl appearance in four years. Chiefs coach Andy Reid made sure to set up a game plan last week while the team practiced at home.

“You can take your time and make sure you’re polite and thorough – we took our time,” he said. “Before you head to Arizona with distractions and various events, you would like to at least have the base part (installed). If you need to customize here or there, you can do it.”

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni treated this week’s family vacation in Arizona like a regular week in Philadelphia.

“I’ll see them on Thursday and I’ll do my best to be a really good father on Thursday, but on Tuesday and Wednesday I’ll be doing what I usually do,” he said earlier this week. “I’ll be in the office until late, continuing to work on the plan, continuing to agree on the details of the plan.”

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who received his second NFL Most Valuable Player award from the AP Thursday night, told his teammates to focus on the game and avoid the hype around it.

“Super Bowl week is special. It’s a special week, but it’s not about being there for Super Bowl week, it’s about winning the game,” Mahomes said. “I want the guys to remember this. Enjoy it, enjoy the whole week, but make sure you’re ready to go out there and play your best football.”

Over 70,000 screaming fans will cheer for Mahomes, Jalen Herts and the team on Sunday. More fans will gather around the stadium without tickets to enjoy the fun.

The tailgate hosted by Guy Fieri is free for the 10,000 people who pre-register for tickets. The back door opens at 11:30 and is within walking distance of the stadium. It includes over 20 different pop-ups and interactive fan meals. Diplo will perform live as musical entertainment.