Baja Review A community newspaper serving Ensenada, Valle de Guadalupe, and Rosarito in Northern Baja California
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This is not just a football game but a sports extravaganza for the United States. Over 110 million TV viewers, many of them having folks over for a few hours of special food and to watch the game on this big day. In Mexico, not so much. This is not a pay per view event like boxing which fills every inch of the cantinas throughout the region. The event, telecast on free TV, allows enthusiastic locals to remain at home. Add a home barbecue and the day’s entertainment package is complete. This means plenty of seating is available in the cantinas for everyone without being elbow to elbow. I spent my Super Bowl Sunday making a journey from Plan B in the north, to Rene’s at the south of Rosarito and then to Splash further south. The audiences consisted mainly of English speakers as they gathered together to enjoy exciting plays and to cheer, roar and moan.
The unfortunate turn of events in the opening play, a quick 2 point safety, forecast a doomed mismatch, all ending in a final score of 43 to 8. The lack of a competitive game kept us fans subdued and emotions under control. Outbursts erupted during fantastic plays but returned to silence as one sided scoring by the Seahawks and their excellent defense kept the roars to a minimum.
Host restaurants did go all out to satisfy customers’ appetites. $1.50 food, $3.00 drinks of Hornitos tequila, and Fireballs at Plan B were served to an audience that was lively but subdued during the Broncos miscues. The second quarter found me at Rene’s where 10,000 square feet of floor space allowed one to feel at home in his own den like surroundings. Super Bowl napkins, decorated game day tables and delicious ribs were available. On to Splash for the finale. I encountered a boisterous crowd and employees adorned in blue football jerseys promoting Bud Light. Boss man Nicholas, a known Broncos fan, could smile but it was an obvious effort. His Broncos could not match up to the Seahawks.
And here is some information not highly publicized by the NFL media. There were, amazingly, some empty seats at this New Jersey event. The game was sold out but scalpers had to decrease their prices. The wiser fans decided against suffering in the bitter cold weather. Two teams from the far west and the midwest do not make an ideal attraction for the east coast. Then add the problem of reaching the stadium by public transportation. Early departures were apparent by half time. One assumes fans sensed the futility of the Broncos’ efforts.
