To say this year’s Super Bowl came at a charged time in American culture and politics is, perhaps, an understatement. While the pair of teams who took the field Sunday—the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots—comprised a pretty classic matchup (no underdogs here!), the rest of the event was set to be anything but.
Take the setting. Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium is in the heart of Silicon Valley, just a few miles from the corporate headquarters of Nvidia and AMD, whose chips are powering the AI arms race that had competitors OpenAI and Anthropic sparring via rival Super Bowl ads.
There was an explosion in sports “trading” activity on sites like Kalshi and Polymarket in the lead-up to the game, even in states like California where traditional sports betting is illegal. Sunday could prove to be an extraordinary success for prediction markets, as the industry becomes more mainstream.
And then there’s the halftime show. Fresh off a historic Grammy Album of the Year win (a first for a Spanish-language album), the unapologetically political Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny headlined—a choice that sparked a perhaps inevitable MAGA backlash. Meanwhile, Turning Point USA organized an alternative program called The All-American Halftime Show, featuring the likes of Kid Rock and Brantley Gilbert. Never mind that Bad Bunny is Puerto Rican, and therefore an American citizen.
Rumors were even buzzing about possible actions by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the Super Bowl. Even though the NFL and California governor Gavin Newsom said on Thursday that there would be “no immigration enforcement tied to the game,” anti-ICE protesters were on the streets.
We caught up with football fans at a tailgate five minutes away from Levi’s Stadium to hear their thoughts on all the drama. Here’s what they had to say.
Jared Postlethwaite, from Puyallup, Washington:
WIRED: How does it feel to be at the tech industry’s ground zero?
It’s constantly evolving and changing even our world of how we use technology and stuff, so it’s sometimes a little overwhelming, but exciting what it can do and make everything easier.
Bad Bunny just won the Grammy for Album of the Year. Have you heard the album?
No, I think he’s trash. Not looking forward to halftime.
Michael Bulzomi, from Seattle:
Did you place any bets on the game?
Not this time. Sometimes I do, just not this time. Our local casino is not far from the house.
Not like Polymarket or Kalshi?
No, those are just … I have very negative opinions of those platforms. I’d rather stick with the official platforms like at MGM or any of the actual, you know, casino-run sportsbooks and stuff.
Terri Fletcher, from Kirkland, Washington:
Did you place any bets on the game today?
No, I did not place any … Well, OK, I did place a bet in September. Every year I place a bet on the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl. And the odds were pretty high back then. So if we can get a win today, it’s a really nice payday. But all that really does is make up for the 46 years we never went that I placed bets. This is our fourth time in 50 years.
Shavon Wilson, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
So you traveled from Milwaukee to be here today?
We drove to Midway airport in Chicago and took a flight to Murrieta, California, then took a road trip from Murrieta to San Francisco. It was 6 hours. Pretty dope, it was gorgeous, just driving through the mountains. It was something to be seen.
Her husband Ryan Jackson, also from Milwaukee:
How does it feel to be at the epicenter of the tech industry right now?
I know I’ve heard of Nvidia. They do chips for the AI stuff, don’t they? I’ve heard about it just from investing in it, but I don’t know a lot about it. I see a lot of tech stuff out here. I see cars driving with no drivers in them.
Have you ridden in one of those cars?
No, no, no, I haven’t.
Would you?
Yeah, I would, but I would be just amazed the whole time, ’cause we don’t have those at home.
I’ve ridden in one. I can tell you it’s an interesting experience.
You’ve ridden in it for work … or you’ve ridden in one of them generally, just like for general purposes?
They’re just like taxis in San Francisco. You can just hail one, like an Uber.
You call for it to come and get you?
Yeah.
It’s an app on your phone?
Yeah, yeah.
That’s crazy.
I think you might enjoy it. If you get up to the city or an area where they’re active, you might enjoy trying one out.
What is the technology that’s in that thing? That’s what’s blowing my mind about it.
That’s a good question.
Scott Weber, from Sydney, Australia:
You traveled from pretty far away. So you’re a big American football fan?
Yeah, Australians love American football. Australians love sport, and the Super Bowl is one of the pinnacles of sport, and we just wanna be here and experience it. And also, today’s my birthday, so just all links in.
What’s it like to be here right at the heart of the tech industry?
San Francisco is really at the cutting edge of tech. I went in a Waymo last night, which was awesome, a really unique experience. We love technology in Australia … it’s just really hard for us to get the latest stuff like you guys have here in San Francisco.
Was it your first Waymo ride?
Yeah, first Waymo ride. Really exciting. Loved it. Sat up the front, videotaped it, sent it to everyone at home. It’s very unique and special. Amazing.
Are you a Bad Bunny fan?
Yeah, look, I’ve been told by everyone at home, I need to videotape it, send it home, so I’m very excited about the halftime show. It’s going to be excellent.
August Teacher:
What are you most excited about at the Super Bowl today?
Just honestly to see the guys play. I’ve never been to an NFL game, so it should be pretty cool.
It’s your first NFL game ever. Are you excited for the halftime show?
Yeah, it should be fun.
Are you a Bad Bunny fan?
I’m not a bad Bunny fan, but I still think it should be fun.
Do you have any thoughts about ICE possibly being in the area?
Um, I definitely hope there isn’t any. I don’t think what they’re doing is that cool, but, you know, it is what it is.
Jim Lockhart, from Boston:
Did you travel to get here today?
Yeah, we came in early on Friday morning. Planes, trains, and automobiles from Logan Airport.
And where are you staying?
The Intercontinental, right in San Fran, downtown.
Beautiful. I’m from San Francisco, born and raised, so I have a lot of hometown pride. Hope you’re enjoying your stay.
Oh, you know what? They’ve done an unbelievable job. San Fran’s been very accommodating. Everybody’s been awesome. Friendly bartenders, waitresses, concierge, Uber guys. Everyone’s been awesome, man. They’ve done a great job. The city stepped up. We went to Alcatraz yesterday, and what an experience. We love it. Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, all those. It was a great experience.
What are you most excited about?
I’m excited to see the game. I’m excited to win some money on the under.
I was just about to ask you. Yeah, did you place any bets today?
Of course I did. I got bets on everything. The coin toss, the Gatorade, everything. The first pass, everything. I got a mortgage on it.
Did you do any of the prediction markets?
So you can’t bet out here on the Draft Kings. It’s a weird thing. So I had to put all my bets in with the bookie. Offline.
Do you have any thoughts about the potential for ICE agents in the area?
No, I’m from Boston, you know? We love ICE. In my drinks and on the streets. Let’s go. Let’s keep those borders, shut them down.
And do you have any thoughts about Bad Bunny?
I think it’s disgusting that there’s a guy who doesn’t speak English who’s playing at the Super Bowl, at the largest sporting event in America. And there’s a guy singing that doesn’t speak English, and he also said that he was gonna leave America and never do a tour here again. My kids like him and stuff. I don’t even know him good enough to, like, make an opinion, but if he’s gonna be singing in Spanish and stuff, I mean, come on.
Will you be watching the halftime show?
No. I’m gonna walk out.
You’re gonna walk out?
I’m gonna go to the beer line. In protest. I know it’s not gonna make a difference, but, you know?
Have you taken a driverless car since you’ve been here?
We’re trying to get on those, but they kind of make me nervous. You know what I mean? It’s creepy to me to watch a car drive by without somebody driving the car. But we did take those scooters last night. So we were, like, Sons of Anarchy on these scooters last night. It was great. That was so fun.
You have the scooters in Boston, though, right?
We do. I’ve never taken one. We left a bar yesterday—a Patriots bar, a party—and we took them all the way back to our hotel.
If you get a chance to ride in a Waymo before you leave, I think it’s a fun experience for a tourist.
We gotta do it before we leave. Absolutely. Again, it’s unnerving that there’s a car with nobody in there, you know? But I see them all over the place. I think they might be safer than some of the other drivers. They probably drive better than my wife.
Bruce Asmussen, from Iowa.
Alright, so who are you rooting for today?
Let’s go with the Seahawks.
What’s the inspiration behind the outfit today?
We gotta make America smile more again. Everything’s gotten so political. Football does not need to be political. And that’s just my thing. I did 12 years in the Air Force, so I’m a veteran, so this is kind of a, you know, [way to] give back to the troops and let the troops know we support them.
Thank you for your service.
Thank you.
Are you excited for the whole halftime show?
I was asked this yesterday at the NFL experience. Bad Bunny is gonna put on the best show since Michael Jackson and Prince. Guaranteed.
Do you listen to his music already?
I haven’t, that’s a little too young for my generation, but I have listened to a couple of the songs. I don’t know what he’s saying, because I don’t speak Spanish, but I might have to learn.
There was talk earlier that ICE might show up. Any thoughts on that?
I haven’t seen them here at the Super Bowl, but I’m not an ICE person. Just being a veteran, I’m not an ICE guy. I’ve seen them round up people at the Home Depot, and if they’re really rounding up criminals—yes, let’s do that. But they’re rounding up families and stuff like that. We don’t need to be doing that.
Matt Luzio, from New Jersey:
Who are you rooting for today?
Go Pats.
Where did you travel from?
We traveled here from New Jersey. We got a group of 16 with us, family and friends. We just flew in heavy. We do the Super Bowl every year. Great, great thing. I tell my kids, look, I’m gonna die with no money, but you’re gonna have lots of memories. We’ve been doing this now for 15 years. It’s amazing.
What are you most excited about at the Super Bowl today?
The Patriots, takin’ it back, the next dynasty. Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel, Josh McDaniels, here we go. Next Patriots dynasty. We’re gonna get six more.
Are you excited about the halftime show?
I am. My daughter’s very excited about it. My wife’s very excited, my daughter-in-law, everybody’s excited. I usually go and get food at the halftime show, but they’re really excited, that’s what they’re here for. And I think the guy won, like, album of the year this year? So he must be pretty good.
How does it feel to be in the heart of the tech industry?
I have seen the driverless cars. Tomorrow I’m getting in one, I just have to do it—I just gotta be in a car with no driver. I see them going around. My son and his friend went in one today, and I just want to do it just to do it. We don’t have them back east.
Have you seen any ICE presence around here?
I tell you what, I haven’t seen any ICE presence. I haven’t seen any protesters. I haven’t really seen any kind of friction. We go every year to different cities where a lot of times, there is friction, but it never happens during the Super Bowl. The power of the NFL is unbelievable. Like, the city, everybody behaves, everybody just does. They just go inside and let the Super Bowl happen. And it’s unbelievable how much pull the NFL has because you go to different cities where there’s a lot of problems.
Listen. I don’t care if you’re on the right or left. It doesn’t matter, but when there’s a Super Bowl, no issues. It’s crazy how the NFL just comes into a city and says, “We’re all playing nice for a week.” Everybody plays nice.
Michael Robinson, from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina:
Can you tell me a little bit about your helmet?
That was a gift from my daughter about four or five years ago. She knows I like football, and, as a joke, she says, “You’d probably wear this.” And I go, “OK.” So I am.
It looks vintage.
Yeah, it’s just an old leatherhead. They wear stuff like this back in the day. Way back in the day.
Do you like Bad Bunny, the halftime performer?
I don’t know too much about that. I know more about the, uh … the other one that’s going on. The Kid Rock and all of them. I lean toward those people a little bit more, but, you know, we’re here to have fun and party. That’s it, you just leave everything to the side or whatever, your differences. Everybody has a good time, forget about this and that. That’s the main thing, everybody have a good time, eat good, drink responsibly, and then that’s it. That’s it.
Todd Clements, from Bridgewater, Massachusetts:
Alright, so obviously you’re rooting for the Patriots today.
Yeah. Absolutely … My kid, he’s 11. He missed that whole Brady heyday, and I always try to get him to watch highlights from back in the day and try to get him to really realize the greatness of the Patriots during that 20-year run with Tom Brady. And all of a sudden during preseason, I’m like, “Dude, if the Patriots ever get back to the Super Bowl, it’s me and you, buddy.” I had no idea they were gonna get back this year. All of a sudden, they beat Denver and he looks at me, he goes, “Dad, what’s up?” And I’m like, “Oh man.” So here we are, dude. I had to live up to my promise as a dad.
I’m also curious, are you excited about Bad Bunny?
You know what? I kind of am, because I’m a little aggravated just from what I’ve seen about the whole controversy and the whole, um … Kid Rock, like, that’s kind of bullshit.
Were you a fan of Bad Bunny before that?
Before, I wasn’t, to be honest. I’m kind of a metalhead. I’m old. I’m old. I’m old. I was born in ’72. I don’t know what the hell is going on music-wise these days.
Because of that whole controversy, on the SiriusXM satellite [NFL Radio station] they played a couple of Bad Bunny songs. I’m like, “Yeah, dude.” I’m all for it now.
Have you seen any ICE agents or do you have any thoughts about them in general?
We saw some local police force presence, but we didn’t actually see any ICE agents. I’m not super political normally, but I think that’s a little bit of … it’s kind of an overstep. You know what I mean? A little bit out of control.
Like with what’s going on in Minneapolis?
Yeah, I mean, that’s insane. You know, we’re not in some foreign country. This is not a third world country, this is America. You know what I mean?
Tayler Alexis, from Washington, DC:
Who are you rooting for today?
Hmm, I think I’m gonna go for the Seattle Seahawks. I’m a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, but I’m rooting for the Seahawks today.
Are you excited for Bad Bunny?
Yes, I’m so excited for Bad Bunny. I can’t wait to see the halftime show.
Have you heard anything about ICE presence here?
Yeah, I’m just a little worried about it. You know, I would hope there’s no chaos, that there are no arrests, no one getting hurt. When it’s supposed to be a fun time at the Super Bowl. So I’m just hoping for the best, to be honest. But yes, unfortunate that ICE does have to be here when this is supposed to be a celebration. And we’re, you know, the land of the free, the United States of America. So, yeah, it’s a little disheartening, but what can we do at this point?
Tori Orr, from the San Francisco Bay Area:
So you say you live in the area. Do you work in the tech industry?
Yeah, I work in venture capital, which funds the tech industry. I was in tech before VC, so super connected in all of those worlds.
Have you placed any bets today?
No, I downloaded the Kalshi app because I meant to, but I didn’t actually set it up. But I saw the Kendall Jenner ad. I haven’t placed any bets.
Are you excited for the halftime show?
Oh my god, yes. The Benito bowl. I live right across from the stadium, so we’ve heard him rehearsing. I’m so excited. I think he’s gonna bring Cardi B out and J Balvin.
Christa Allen, from Houston, Texas.
Who are you rooting for today?
I think I’m rooting for the Seahawks. Pretty sure, yeah.
That’s a little bit of a tough choice?
Because I’m born in Pittsburgh, so, like, I bleed black and gold, you know what I mean? So I feel like I can’t really root for the Patriots. Yeah, it’s a Seahawks day.
I’m curious if you have any thoughts about the tech industry here?
I work in financial services. I’ve been a consultant for about eight years now. So, Silicon Valley, I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on over here. Being based in Houston, I’ve had a lot of clients who are more on the east coast, so I think tech is exciting. There’s a lot going on. There’s a lot to be nervous about and a little bit of paranoia, but there’s a lot of space there to grow and be curious and invest and have a good time.
Are you excited for the halftime show?
I am. I’m brushing up on my Spanish so I can be more fluid when I’m singing along with Bad Bunny. I’m just like, run it, turn it on, Bad Bunny, let’s play them all.
Did you hear about this alternative All-American show they’re doing with Kid Rock?
I’m kind of disappointed we all can’t rally behind a fellow American patriot, Bad Bunny. I think he’s born in Puerto Rico. And, yeah, he’s American. What’s going on here? That’s very anti-American to not participate in the halftime show. So, I’m not very happy about that. I wish them well, but that’s not where I’m at.
Have you seen any ICE around here at the Super Bowl?
I haven’t seen them, but I was on Instagram today and I saw people putting red cards around just to let people know their Fifth Amendment rights and all of that. So I haven’t seen them. Maybe I have seen them and I don’t know.
I don’t even know what to say. It’s just disgusting, right? Like very vile. Leave people alone. Let them live, let them have their rights and stop infringing. So, yeah, no ICE. Calm down.
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