Energy outside SoFi Stadium ‘surreal’ ahead of Super Bowl LVI

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Rams fans, Bengals fans, and even impartial football fans with no rooting interest ― the Super Bowl brings everyone together.

But this year, with Los Angeles hosting its first Super Bowl in nearly 30 years and with temperatures expected to near record highs for the NFL’s biggest game, it’s definitely been a little extra special for the people who grew up in this area.

“Oh my God, I mean 80 degrees in February? You can’t beat LA, man,” Miguel Escobar told Hawaii News Now. “Being the Super Bowl in LA and the Rams in it, I mean c’mon guys. I know you guys are from Hawaii, you guys got beautiful weather. But you just can’t beat this.”

The game, which featured the hometown Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals, was obviously the main draw.

But there was so much to experience: Wyclef Jean played a pre-game concert just outside the stadium, games were set up all over, and there was no shortage of good food. Fans in attendance had the chance to meet and mingle with people from all over the country.

But how did the atmosphere at Sunday’s Super Bowl compare with other big sporting events?

“It’s number one, hands down,” said Ryan Roberts, who flew to LA from Ohio to watch the Super Bowl. “Nothing, no NFL game I’ve ever been to, no college game I’ve ever been to, touches what we’re doing today. The energy’s just unreal.”

Still, with the stage so big, so much at stake, and the tickets being a little pricey, some people had to make some important decisions.

“This is (my wife’s) first NFL game. I always take my kids. We have two kids, and they were like, ‘Who you gonna take?’ So I was like, well I don’t want you guys to get mad, so I’m going to take her. That way I don’t have to worry about them being mad.”

Both teams were well represented out in the crowd. And while many of them have waited their entire lives to see their teams make it here, some of them really haven’t had to wait that long.

“How would they describe the experience” we asked one young fan who was rooting for the Bengals.

“Surreal,” he said.