Students, businesses prepare for Super Bowl 50

Traditions surrounding the Super Bowl may be different, but everyone has one they always follow.

The game takes place this Sunday at 5:30 p.m. between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers.

First-year Shyla Keelin said she’ll likely either be ice fishing or driving back from her home in Huron, S.D. during the big game.

“It kind of depends,” she said.

Though her family members aren’t avid watchers of the NFL, Keelin said they usually watch the Superbowl together.

Her family doesn’t have a favorite team, Keelin added.

“That’s why it’s fun to bet,” she said.

Keelin and her younger sister have a standing tradition of betting against their dad during the Super Bowl. If they win, they get to paint their dad’s nails. If they lose, he gets a foot rub.

Sophomore Tyler Jorgenson, on the other hand, will likely be watching the game at his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta.

Though he and his family usually pay more attention to college football than the NFL, Jorgenson said the Super Bowl is the one exception.

“It’s just something you do,” he said.

Jorgenson said he’s rooting for the Broncos because he likes an “underdog.” He’s not planning on placing any bets, though.

“I’m not a gambling man,” he said.

First-years Paige Northagen and Riley Fritz both said they haven’t really thought about their Super Bowl plans yet.

Fritz said she and her roommate were thinking about buying a crockpot and hosting a party in their dorm, but they’ll “play it by ear.”

There might be a watch party going on in her dorm lounge, Northagen added.

Both said football was definitely a main sport growing up, but they don’t have too much interest vested in Sunday’s game.

Community preparations

Law enforcement and food delivery businesses alike are prepping for the Super Bowl’s influence in the community.

Vermillion Police Department chief Matt Betzen said the department will be fully staffed for the weekend, though they aren’t expecting too many extra violations.

“We don’t really expect a whole bunch more problems, it’s not one of our big weekends for planning,” he said.

Officers are approved for overtime on Super Bowl Sunday for DWI enforcement, Betzen said. He added the overtime will be paid for by Highway Safety money, which is used to pay for events like this.

Grant Galvin, Domino’s general manager, said he’s not expecting quite as many deliveries during this Superbowl Sunday.

Galvin added the volume of deliveries depends somewhat on local interest in the teams. So if the Vikings or Packers were playing, for example, he would expect more, he said.

“Every year is different,” he said.

Still, all Domino’s employees are required to work Sunday, in anticipation of a busy delivery schedule.

Lisa Hays, general manager of Jimmy John’s, said weekends in general are busy for the sandwich delivery shop, so Super Bowl Sunday should bring some extra business.

Though she didn’t have any specific estimates when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, Hays said Jimmy John’s usually sees at least 100 deliveries on a normal weekend.

“We’ll be ready for whatever happens,” she said.