On Sunday, millions of viewers across America paused their curling matches to watch Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny’s vibrant halftime spectacle.
Side note—the Seattle Seahawks triumphed over New England’s football dynasty to become the Super Bowl LX champions in a less exciting turn of events.
Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl LX took over Santa Clara this weekend as the Seattle Seahawks faced off against the New England Patriots. Millions tuned in not just for the game, but for the commercials, the halftime show, and the cultural spectacle that now defines Super Bowl Sunday.
More than an estimated 500 million viewers tuned in for the halftime show this year, 360 million more than the actual game (135 million) and 100 times the viewership of Turning Point USA’s halftime show, headlined by Kid Rock.
Kenneth Walker III, running back for the Seattle Seahawks was named MVP of the game, despite not scoring a touchdown. He ran for 135 yards and had 27 carries. Last year, the award was given to quarterback Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, with almost 300 yards and three touchdowns. On the other hand, Seattle kicker Jason Myers scored 5/5 field goals and 17 points, sparking debate on who the real MVP of the game was.
The Bigger Picture:
The Super Bowl remains one of the last true “everyone watches at once” events in a fractured media landscape
The commercials mark the new age of AI generated advertising
More people are tuning in to the halftime show than the football
Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo
While football ruled the U.S. primetime slot, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo rolled on across Europe. With thousands of athletes competing, the Games have already delivered dramatic finishes and widespread drama
American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn suffered a dramatic crash during the women’s downhill event just 13 seconds into her run. Competing at age 41 with a torn ACL and a partially rebuilt knee, Vonn lost control after snagging a gate and was airlifted to an Italian hospital, where she underwent orthopedic surgery to stabilize a fracture in her left leg. Officials reported she remains in stable condition and in the care of American and Italian physicians. The crash abruptly halted her ambitious comeback attempt after six years of retirement, a return she pursued simply out of her enduring love for ski racing.
For the first time ever, the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics took place in the same country, allowing fans to attend both events within the same weekend. NBC leaned into the overlap, marketing it as a once-in-a-generation sports convergence.
The Bigger Picture:
With the rise of precious metal prices, the medals are now twice as valuable than ones from the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. (Gold: $2400) (Silver: $1300)
Ski mountaineering (Skimo) rises as the newest Olympic sport
NHL players are allowed to play, for the first time since 2014. NHLer hockey will begin on 2/12/26.
Social Buzz:
What people are talking about right now:
#BadBunnyKingEnergy - after his viral halftime shoutout and “absolute king energy” moment
#CanadaMoment - TikTok exploded over his unexpected “Canada” shout
#SeahawksChamps - Seattle clinched the title again, getting payback for Super Bowl XLIX
#VO-LA-RE - meme born from the ceremony’s “Volare” teleprompter moment
#DualCauldronMoment – the Olympics flame was lit in both Milan & Cortinas
#MilanoCortina2026 - trending as “Dolce Vita meets winter sports” [trends.wit...google.com]
#Fan26App – highlights the Games’ “digital-first” push with interactive features
that’s all for this week, catch the next one on sunday
Until next time,
the bigger picture
“zoom out, see what matters”
