I’m looking forward to Super Bowl Sunday. I mean, who isn’t?

I’m not looking forward to “the main event,” the battle between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers.

Instead, I’m talking about chicken wings, chips and salsa, beer, potato wedges, cheese dip — a food coma that rivals the feeling of lethargy and dopiness after a Thanksgiving feast.

I’m talking about sorting through my many party invitations to see which one deserves the grace of my presence.

I’m talking about the Puppy Bowl, where I melt from the cuteness of the last pooch standing. I’m talking about falling crazy in love with Beyoncé while watching her act like a naughty girl.

And I’m talking about the mixed curse/blessing of a Super Bowl commercial playing on repeat in my head for the next week.

The other day, my friend asked me who was playing in the Super Bowl. She didn’t even wait for me to answer before she said, “More importantly, what are we going to eat during the Super Bowl?”

Super Bowl Sunday has evolved into something greater than a football game. It’s an American event, one that could arguably be made into a national holiday (we’ll save the Super Bowl Monday should be a day off work column for another day), and an occasion celebrated by those of all ages, colors, sizes and ethnicities. It’s even celebrated by the people don’t like football.

Maybe you’re different FROM what I’m going to label as the norm of Super Bowl watchers, maybe you’re what one would call a die-hard football fan.

For you, I have a quiz:

1. Who won the 2004 Super Bowl and what team did they beat?

2. Whose nipple was revealed during a “wardrobe malfunction” during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show and who exposed said blouse puppy.

Answers:

1. The New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32-29.

2. In what is sometimes referred to as “Nipplegate,” beloved boy-band heartbreaker Justin Timberlake ripped off part of Janet Jackson’s costume.

My hypothesis is the majority of readers got No. 2 right and not No. 1. People remember the drama and the conflict that happened more than the actual game.

It isn’t like this for every sporting event, I’ll give you that.

The Super Bowl is a phenomenon, it is bigger than any other sporting event. For three straight years, the Super Bowl has broken its own record as the most watched television event — last year an estimated 111.3 million people watched.

The Super Bowl is a bigger deal than everything else because it’s one of the only sporting events with one championship game, allowing for more finality and drama. The World Series, the Stanley Cup Final and the NBA Finals are all spread out over possibly seven games. People are less likely to watch all of those, especially if they don’t care for any of the teams playing.

Because the Super Bowl takes place on just one day, it opens up countless doors that have businessmen across the world smiling.

All of the business moguls efforts can be concentrated around one broadcast, in one location, which means they pool all their resources to this day and it makes the events all the more exciting. Every year business tycoons are trying to make the hype around the Super Bowl bigger and better than ever.

This year there’s already been the debauchery of Super Bowl Media Day, breakfasts, dinners, a bowling event, a VH1 Best SuperBowl Concert Ever and probably a hundred other things I don’t even care to know. Then during “the main event,” there’s Beyoncé at halftime, what’s sure to be a slew of enthralling commercials and hopefully some preshow or halftime dramas to keep everybody on the edge of their seats.

And for that, I’ll keep watching the Super Bowl to see what corporate America can cook up next. Not because I care about the Ravens or the 49ers. Which I don’t.

Emily is a graduate student. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @EmilyBayci.