3. Kobe Bryant’s Tragic Death

Since the tragic news broke last Sunday afternoon that NBA legend Kobe Bryant had passed away in a helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, both the mainstream media and sports media alike have rightfully been fixated on the event.

Losing a superstar athlete, who represented one of the top-five players all-time in the sport, at such a young age is extremely rare. When coupled by the fact that Bryant was a global icon and that eight other individuals, including children, were tragically lost, the story garners even greater attention.

Bryant’s impact on today’s athletes spans across sporting platforms and sent shockwaves across the entire sports world. With tributes from professional athletes, sports franchises and fans receiving constant coverage, the Super Bowl became far less important when compared with people contemplating their own mortality after seeing a seemingly invincible sports icon pass in such a tragic manner.

The coverage of Kobe’s untimely death is understandable. The Super Bowl, regardless of the magnitude, is still a game. The death of Kobe Bryant and eight other precious souls is real life, it is raw emotion and it hits home in a way that no game will ever accomplish, regardless of how great of a matchup it is, or how marketable the players are.