Cal owner David Cunningham said the event, the first of its kind the hotel had hosted, had just naturally come about.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever done a thing with the Super Bowl, but with Travla, who have been great sponsors for lots of different things sports-wise, including the Southern 80 and everything else, it’s just kind of naturally happened,” he said.
“We’ve got all these big screens now, so that’s helped, and Ray (Byron, NFL fan and local) loves it, so he and I colluded together to put it all on.”
Getting into the spirit of the day, there was plenty of American-style food on offer for patrons as they watched the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers battle it out for the Vince Lombardi trophy, with Cunningham already committing to hosting the same event next year.
“The idea is to start something and then make it just get bigger and bigger, so that’s why we’ve just gone hard,” he said.
“Everyone got a free lunch today, either a cheeseburger or a hot dog, and it’s all part of that fun and getting it going and all those bits and pieces, but we will definitely be doing the same thing next year.”
Byron, a regular at the Cal, is a long-time fan of the NFL and American sport in general, and was keen to watch his 49ers do well.
“I’m a (Los Angeles) Lakers fan as well, I love the NBA. I reckon I fell in love with this (NFL) about 25 years ago,” he said.
“I’ll get up at 6am most mornings on Mondays and watch the last game at three (pm), so three games (in a row), I love it.”
Sporting the famous #80 jersey of legendary San Francisco wide receiver Jerry Rice, a three-time Super Bowl champion, Byron said his passion for the 49ers meant he was enjoying a light-hearted rivalry with his grandson, who supports the Chiefs.
“I’m a mad San Francisco 49ers fan, I got the shirt four years ago for Christmas, and I got the hat two years ago,” he said.
“Unfortunately, my son who organised it all sent me a picture today of his son, who is nine, and he has a Travis Kelce (jersey).
“He’s a Taylor Swift fan, they’re going to watch the show. I wasn’t impressed at all because he knows I’m (a fan of the) 49ers, but anyway, I wore that.”
Unfortunately for Byron, it was the Chiefs, led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, that claimed their third Super Bowl in five years, earning the win 25-22 in a thrilling overtime encounter.
Byron was one of many fans that watched the NFL’s biggest spectacle at the Cal, with Cunningham and his team surprised by the amount of people that showed interest in the event.
“We can’t believe it,” Byron said.
“(It’s) very, very promising, and just shows how this particular sport has grown.
“I think it’s just going to get bigger and bigger, that’s what is amazing about it, really. I loved watching it as a kid, so for me, it’s special anyway.”
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