NFL Offering Super Bowl Experience To Fans At L.A. Convention Center
INGLEWOOD (CBSLA) — In preparation for Super Bowl LVI, a matchup between the hometown Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals, L.A. Convention Center is providing fans an opportunity to feel like the pros, if only for a day.
Fans of all teams are invited to attend the Los Angeles Super Bowl Experience, which opened to the public on Saturday.
They're given a chance to see NFL history up close, in the form of countless pieces of NFL history displayed in various exhibits, including the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the award given to the team that wins the Super Bowl.
The award was introduced by Rams legend Torry Holt, who spent nearly 10 years with the franchise while they played in St. Louis. He was a crucial member of their 1999-2000 Championship team in Super Bowl XXXIV.
He spoke with CBS reporters to discuss what that trophy really means for the players, "The hard work, the joy, the passion, how much we loved each other is in that trophy."
Holt noted what delivering a trophy to Los Angeles would mean to the Rams; not only to the players, but to faithful Angelenos who have rooted for the team, despite their move halfway across the country for more than 20 years.
On top of being able to witness NFL history in person, and meet some of their favorite players, fans were encouraged to take part in the variety of activities available at the Convention Center, in the form of placekicks, throwing accuracy competitions, strongman tests and 40-yard dashes.
While these competitions proved fun for many, other attendees were roughly made aware of the harsh realities of being a professional athlete, including Chloe Matus, who fell face first in her 40-yard dash attempt.
"I just took off too fast," she said, "I couldn't keep up with my own feet!"
Thankfully, Matus was okay following the fall, and she was still able to enjoy the experience and further her NFL Fandom, one of the main points of the exhibit's availability before the big game on Feb. 13.
The "football theme park," as billed by the NFL, is about continuing to grow the game, starting with the youngest fans who were in attendance on Saturday. Michael Bell was one of many parents who brought their children along with them. He told CBS reporters that he hoped the experience was something he and his son would enjoy for years to come.
"He's kind of new to being a fan," Bell said, "He's trying to look up and be a fan just like his father."
The Super Bowl Experience will be open again on Sunday, before a brief hiatus in the coming week. It will reopen on Thursday, as tens of thousands of NFL fans flood the streets of L.A. in preparation for the Super Bowl.
Entry to the event is free for children, and $20 for adults on Sunday only. The prices increase on Thursday and through the weekend, when they will be $40 per adult.