Whether you’re in it for the football, the commercials, the halftime show, or the wings and beer, Super Bowl Sunday 2017 is must-watch TV.
Airing live from NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, Super Bowl LI will kick off at 6:30 p.m. EST. This year, the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots will be competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy after earning hard-won places in the NFL’s season championship event.
But perhaps the most hard-earned place is the halftime show spot, filled this year by none other than fashion-forward pop sensation Lady Gaga.
Rumor has it that Gaga is going to do things a little differently this year, maybe even raise the roof… literally? There are some rumors going around that she intends to perform from the dome of NRG Stadium, but whatever stunts she pulls, it’s sure to be a great show. After all, the 30-year-old singer has been planning this performance for nearly her whole life.
"I've been planning this since I was 4, so I know exactly what I'm going to do," Gaga said in a recent statement. "For me, it's all about giving to the fans and bringing people together that wouldn't normally come together."
But Gaga won’t be the only musical talent to grace the football field, although she is expected to perform the halftime show solo; Country star Luke Bryan will also be in attendance to sing the national anthem (which Gaga sang last year at Super Bowl 50).
If you consider the main event to be the football, not the halftime show, you’re forgiven.
The Falcons-Patriots matchup should provide ample entertainment, with both teams playing through tough games to reach Super Bowl XI. In the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, Atlanta took home 36-20 victory against the Seattle Seahawks, and New England knocked out the Houston Texans, 34-16. In the Championship round, the Falcons beat the Green Bay Packers 44-21 and the Patriots delivered a crushing 36-17 blow to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had suffered from a rampant 24-hour stomach bug in the week leading up to the big game.
The Patriots are the favorites to win Super Bowl 51 and certainly have the motivation to do it. This Super Bowl Sunday comes more than two years after “deflategate,” which led to a disputed Super Bowl title, quarterback Tom Brady’s four-game suspension, and a lot of friction between the Patriots and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
That’s right, Super Bowl LI is actually a revenge story in the guise of a sports championship.
It would be New England's fifth Super Bowl title under the leadership of QB Brady and coach Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft is certain they have the momentum behind them to seal the deal—and teach the commissioner a lesson, apparently.
“The league messed up royally the way they handled the whole thing, in my opinion,” Kraft said during Super Bowl media night. “[But] in a strange way, what happened, I think, has energized our fans so that they’re more energized in support of this team than, I think, except for the first [Super Bowl] or the second one than people could imagine. It’s just special.”
But the Falcons certainly going down without a fight– even though their last Super Bowl appearance was back in 1998. Their betting odds have become better as the big game gets closer, and not for without reason: Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan is the league’s leading MVP candidate and have one of the NFL’s best offensive lines.
We’ll see Sunday night who will win Super Bowl 51, but with Lady Gaga’s rumored high-flying act and the Patriot’s shot at deflategate redemption, it’s sure to be a fun one either way. Here’s how to catch all the action live.
How to Watch Super Bowl LI
The 51st Super Bowl, featuring the Atlanta Falcons v. New England Patriots, will take place on Sunday, February 5th beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST.
The game will be broadcast on FOX. Those with a cable login can catch the action live streaming on Fox Sports Live and on Facebook and Twitter.
Those without a cable login can find a guide to other live streaming options on Cut Cable Today.