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Tag: Super Bowl

  • Taylor Swift Donates $100,000 to Kansas City Shooting Victim’s Family

    Taylor Swift Donates $100,000 to Kansas City Shooting Victim’s Family

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    After Kansas City welcomed Taylor Swift during the football season, it’s her turn to support Kansas City. The star donated $100,000 to the family of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, who was killed in a shooting after the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory parade. “Sending my deepest sympathies and condolences in the wake of your devastating loss. With love, Taylor Swift,” Swift wrote on a GoFundMe for Lopez-Galvan, where she left two $50,000 donations. Lopez-Galvan, a DJ at local radio station KKFI, died in the February 14 shooting, which also injured over 20 people. Swift’s boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, also spoke out after the shooting dimmed his team’s celebrations. “I am heartbroken over the tragedy that took place today,” he wrote on Twitter afterward. “My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me.” Through his Eighty-Seven & Running charity, Kelce later donated $100,000 to a separate GoFundMe for the family of Lopez-Galvan’s cousin Erika Reyes, whose 8-year-old daughter and 10-year-old daughter were injured in the shooting.

    This post has been updated.

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    Justin Curto

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  • 5 Brands That Had Monster Super Bowl Marketing Parties | Entrepreneur

    5 Brands That Had Monster Super Bowl Marketing Parties | Entrepreneur

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    Brands looking to make a splash at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas turned the weekend into a larger-than-life three days filled with parties and pure chaos.

    The marketing started the moment travelers stepped off the plane at Harry Reid International Airport, as they were greeted by the Super Bowl LVIII Host Committee handing out pins, stickers, mini footballs, and loud cheers as guests arrived at baggage claim.

    Entrepreneur attended Taco Bell’s Live Más Live event to see what brands were up to for the Super Bowl festivities. While it was clear from the get-go that it would be a weekend of over-the-top branding ploys, the grandiose displays might have just changed the Super Bowl experience forever.

    It’s estimated that over 500,000 visitors came to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl, and brands were eager to get their merch in the hands of social media-sharing fans.

    Related: Record-Breaking Super Bowl LVIII Was the Most Streamed Single Broadcast Since the 1969 Moon Landing

    “These kinds of events are so much bigger than concerts or shows,” said Joe Silberzweig, co-CEO of Medium Rare production company, which put on four star-studded events over the weekend. “They’re really media properties that attract all sorts of different people, celebrities, athletes, and we use them as business development opportunities to bring in and meet our new partners and all of our brands.”

    And sometimes, companies end up spending almost as much as a Super Bowl commercial to put on these mega-marketing events.

    “The events vary in audience and scale of build, but generally speaking they can range from $2 million to $5 million to put on,” Medium Rare co-founder Adam Richman tells Entrepreneur.

    Here are five brands that went all out.

    Uber

    Uber had a strong presence on the Strip — and not just people using the ride-share service to get around. In addition to its celebrity-filled Super Bowl commercials, Uber created a “Get Almost Almost Anything Experience” — a fake grocery store with different rooms showcasing what you can get on Uber Eats, from food and beverages to frozen face masks and flowers.

    Guests enter the “Get Almost Almost Anything on Uber Eats” Market at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center (Uber)

    “Experiential activations are a powerful vehicle to land brand campaign narratives in the hearts and minds of the consumer. Bringing our Super Bowl ad to life IRL was the ultimate way to let our customers touch and feel what we mean when we say ‘Get Almost Almost Anything,” Molly Spychalski, Head of Global Brand Partnership Marketing at Uber told Entrepreneur. “Throughout this activation, it was critically important for us to not only tell consumers that they can ‘Get Almost Almost Anything on Uber Eats’, but for us to show them too.”

    The brand also threw a party for select Uber One members, which included a performance by Post Malone (who opened up the Super Bowl with a performance of “America the Beautiful”) and food from top Uber Eats picks in the area.

    Gronk Beach

    This year’s iteration of Gronk Beach was a bit of a challenge weather-wise, as the unusually cold Vegas temperatures prevented even Gronk himself from taking his shirt off.

    But that didn’t stop the hoodie-clad former NFL tight end from partying poolside.

    Gronk Beach played to its audience — party-loving frat boy types and their counterparts — by partnering with brands that would speak to them, namely Pit Viper, a sunglass brand known for their signature shield shape, and Safety Shot, a new beverage that claims to cut blood alcohol down after consumption.

    Rob Gronkowski fires up the Gronk Beach crowd at Encore Beach Club (Medium Rare)

    The music was loud, the crowd was hyped, and if Gronk Beach sponsors and guests did one thing right, it was that they all collectively read the room.

    Shaq’s Fun House

    Deejaying your own party is a bold move, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Shaq.

    And a little rain in the desert couldn’t keep the party-hopping hopefuls from hearing Shaq (a.k.a. DJ Diesel) perform in a carnival-themed fun house that featured pop-up games, merchandise tents, and, of course, a dance floor.

    Shaq aka Dj Diesel warms up the Shaq’s Fun House crowd at XS Nightclub (Medium Rare)

    At the event, Flo Rida was seen enjoying the Celsius energy drinks, which were stationed in buckets around the venue, free of charge for guests. He even asked us to get him one, perhaps thinking we were staff.

    Guy Fieri’s Flavortown BBQ

    Guy Fieri is his own brand, and his pre-Super Bowl Sunday tailgate certainly had no shortage of branded signage and products. From Fieri-branded cigars to featuring his food in the VIP section, there was zero doubt whose event it was — there were even Fieri quotes hanging up around the venue.

    And perhaps that was the strongest play — people came to the tailgate party because they love Guy Fieri and what he represents — high-energy inclusivity while rooting for the underdog with an unpretentious demeanor.

    Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsay have a moment onstage at Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate (Medium Rare)

    “If you want to interact with Guy Fieri and try his food, he curated over 30 restaurants, he’ll be there on stage for hours, he’ll come on down to Flavortown,” Silberzweig said of the event, noting that it was double the size of last year’s. “Whether you’re meeting a celebrity or not, you’re entering their world and their mind in a really fun way.”

    Fieri personally thanked attendees on the red carpet for spending their gameday with him and offered to bring out food and drinks for everyone working the event — genuine and on-brand.

    h.wood Homecoming

    On Saturday, the h.wood Group and Uncommon Entertainment hosted night two of the third annual h.wood Homecoming party in partnership with online retailer Revolve, which featured a performance by Jack Harlow and a Taco Bell lounge for guests to hang out in should they need a breather from the music and madness inside the main tent.

    The timing of the party was earlier than most (it began at 9 p.m. and ended promptly at 1 a.m.), and while whisky may not be a typical dance club drink of choice, Crown Royal stole the show with free merchandise in the form of long-sleeve t-shirts — genius for a crowd that was shivering in party dresses in sub-40-degree temperatures sans coats.

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    Emily Rella

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  • Usher Marries Girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea In Vegas After Super Bowl Performance

    Usher Marries Girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea In Vegas After Super Bowl Performance

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    Representatives for Usher confirmed that the the star and longtime girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea, a senior vice president at Epic Records, tied the knot at the Vegas Weddings chapel after the Super Bowl where Usher headlined the halftime show, with the couple stating that they “look forward to continuing to raise their children together surrounded by love.” What do you think?

    “Hold on, let me see if I placed on prop bet on that.”

    Marshall Bouvet, Subpoena Filer

    The Most Iconic Super Bowl Commercials Of All Time

    “I guess women really dig halftime performers.”

    Ezekiel Barrett, Rock Climbing Guide

    “Lord forgive me, for I have unwittingly lusted over the dripping-wet abs of a man betrothed to another.”

    Regina Cousins, Unemployed

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  • A Potential Haason Reddick Trade? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    A Potential Haason Reddick Trade? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    While the Super Bowl was the perfect way to kick off the week, Eagles fans received some frightening news on Sunday.

     

    A panic was set in before the big game had even started. Would the Eagles really end up trading their star Defensive End?

    Thankfully on Wednesday, some more information came out on this catastrophic situation.

     

    Reddick himself confirmed that HE was not the one to ask for the trade request. Which asks the question, where did the trade request come from?

    Nothing New From Howie Roseman

    There was more than enough reason to panic. Nothing like hearing your Defensive Player of the Year Finalist could be on a new team soon. But after the news was confirmed that Reddick wasn’t seeking the trade himself. Things began to make more sense, as this isn’t the first time the Eagles have gone about contract negotiations with a potential trade.

    Just days before free agency of the 2023 season started. The Eagles and Darius Slay were in a similar situation. While the Eagles eventually cut Slay at the start of free agency. Only 1 day later, and Slay was back with Philly on a brand new 3 Year, $42 million deal.

    Hopefully if this situation unfolds the same way. Reddick will find himself with a new contract, and a lengthy stay in Philadelphia.

     

    On The Other Side Of The Coin

    But what if the Eagles DID trade Haason Reddick? Currently, Reddick is the 21st highest paid edge rusher(per spotrac). Since joining the Eagles in 2022, let’s see how Reddick compares to some of the highest paid edge rushers.

    1. ($34M) Nick Bosa, 33 Games Played, 30 Sacks
    2. ($28M) T.J. Watt, 27 Games Played, 24.5 Sacks
    3. ($27M) Joey Bosa, 14 Games Played, 9 Sacks
    4. ($25M) Myles Garrett, 32 Games Played, 33 Sacks
    5. ($24.5M) Montez Sweat, 34 Games Played, 20.5 Sacks
    6. ($24M) Rashan Gary, 26 Games Played, 15 Sacks
    7. ($23.5M) Maxx Crosby, 34 Games Played, 27 Sacks
    8. ($23.5M) Khalil Mack, 34 Games Played, 25 Sacks

    With 27.5 Sacks of his own, it’s clear enough that the contract Howie Roseman was able to get Reddick on was a highlight of the 2022 Off-season. Expecting to see an extension somewhere above the $25 Million average, the Eagles could be in an even longer off-season next year with Reddick, Sweat, Smith and Dickerson all due for large contracts.

     

    The Last Huge Edge To Get Traded

    It’s been almost 6 years since the Raiders traded Khalil Mack to the Bears. In his debut season with Chicago he put up 12.5 Sacks in only 14 games! The price to pay for a 27-year old Khalil Mack? Not only was it a 6-year, $141M contract. The Bears also received a 2020 2nd round pick (TE Cole Kmet) and a 2020 7th (OL Arlington Hambright) in the trade. However, Chicago sent 4 draft picks to the then Oakland Raiders which ended up becoming:

    • 2019 1st (RB Josh Jacobs)
    • 2019 6th (CB Blessuan Austin) – This pick was traded to the Jets, which resulted in a 2019 5th (WR Hunter Renfrow)
    • 2020 1st (CB Damon Arnette)
    • 2020 3rd (WR Bryan Edwards)

    At the time of this trade, Mack was 27. However 4 years later, the Bears would get the following when they traded a 30-year old Mack to the Chargers:

    • 2022 2nd (S Jaquan Brisker)
    • 2023 6th (DL Scott Matlock) – This pick was traded back to the Chargers, which resulted in 2 2022 7th’s (S Elijah Hicks & P Trenton Gill)

     

    With 1 season left on Reddick’s contract, the Eagles could end up with a 1st round pick and more. While losing the star edge rusher would leave 862 defensive snaps to fill, the Eagles could stock up on more draft picks and attempt to make a splash on upcoming free agents like Danielle Hunter, Chase Young or Marcus Davenport.

     

    For the record, I’d love to keep Reddick as long as we can. However with him and Josh Sweat due in 2025, sometimes tough choices have to be made.

     

    What would you do with this situation if you were in Howie Roseman’s shoes?

     

    Go Birds!

     

     

     

     

    Photo Credit: AP Photo / Chris Szagola

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    Tyler L’Heureux

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  • Kansas City parade shooting: What we know, what we don’t know

    Kansas City parade shooting: What we know, what we don’t know

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    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade turned a massive party into a tragedy Wednesday, with one person killed and 21 others hurt amid the chaos. 

    A mother of two who was at the parade with several of her family members was shot in the stomach and died later in surgery, according to multiple reports. Video shows brave Chiefs fans reportedly tackling one of the suspects. 

    Police are scheduled to give another update at 10:30 a.m. Central time Thursday. You can watch it live in the video player above. 

    A day after the shooting at Union Station, here’s what we know and don’t know about the suspects, victims and motive that marred a city’s celebration of back-to-back Super Bowl wins. 

    Who are the victims in the Kansas City parade shooting? 

    Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: 22 people injured from gun shots, 1 confirmed dead, 3 detained

    Officials held a news conference in Kansas City, Missouri, after a shooting right after the Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade ended. At least one person has died at least 22 others were injured by gun shots and three people are currently detained.

    Radio station KKFI said in a Facebook post Wednesday evening that DJ Lisa Lopez, host of “Taste of Tejano,” was killed in the shooting.

    “This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community,” KKFI said in a statement.

    Lopez-Galvan, whose DJ name was “Lisa G,” was an extrovert and devoted mother from a prominent Latino family in the area, said Rosa Izurieta and Martha Ramirez, two childhood friends who worked with her at a staffing company. Izurieta said Lopez-Galvan had attended the parade with her husband and her adult son, a die-hard Kansas City sports fan who also was shot.

    “She’s the type of person who would jump in front of a bullet for anybody — that would be Lisa,” Izurieta said.

    Several reports say a second person has died, but police have not confirmed those reports. 

    Officials at one hospital said they were treating eight gunshot victims, two of them critically injured, and another four hurt in the chaos after the shooting. An official at a second hospital said they received one gunshot patient in critical condition. At a children’s hospital, an official said they were treating 12 patients from the celebration, including 11 children between 6 and 15, many with gunshot wounds. All were expected to recover.

    Who are the Kansas City Chiefs parade shooters? 

    A man is detained by law enforcement following a shooting at Union Station during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade on February 14, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

    Police said three people were detained in connection with the shooting, but their names and potential charges have not been released. 

    Videos on social media appear to show fans of the Kansas City Chiefs helping tackle at least one of the suspected gunmen.  

    Footage shared by Fantasy Fanatics on X (formerly Twitter) shows a distant person sprinting through the crowd before being pounced on by parade-goers. They hold the person down until, moments later, police arrive and take the person into custody.

    Video: Chiefs fans tackle suspected gunman

    After a shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade, fans said they tackled someone with a gun. Here’s the aftermath of that scene as recorded by Alyssa Marsh-Contreras.

    Another video, shared by Alyssa Marsh-Contreras, shows a much closer view of the immediate aftermath of that scene.

    “We tackled him,” someone can be heard telling officers in that video. “When we tackled him, the gun came out.” 

    “We’re good, we’re good,” the officers respond as someone continues to yell, “Hey, hey, I got the guy!”

    RELATED: Chiefs parade shooting suspect tackled by fans, videos show: “I got the guy!”

    Police Chief Stacey Graves said she’d heard that fans may have been involved in apprehending a suspect but couldn’t confirm details. 

    What was the motive for the Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting?

    Police have not said what led to the shooting that left nearly two dozen people hurt. 

    They haven’t said whether it appeared to be random or targeted, only that three people were detained and firearms were recovered from the scene. 

    People take cover during a shooting at Union Station during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade on February 14, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.   (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

    Authorities held two news conferences Wednesday to give updates and are having another one Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Central.  

    How did the Chiefs react? 

    KC security expert talks Chiefs parade shooting

    Gregory Vecchi, a Retired Unit Chief of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit and targeted violence expert, joins LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall to discuss the response effort after Wednesday’s deadly shooting in Kansas City.

    According to The Kansas City Star, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid comforted terrified fans after the shooting, including a high school sophomore who had been separated from his friend. 

    “Andy Reid was trying to comfort me, which was nice,” the teen told the news outlet, shortly before his voice broke and tears filled his eyes. “… He was kind of hugging me, just like, ‘Are you OK, man? Are you OK? Just please breathe.’ He was being real nice and everything. He left to check on other people, I’m pretty sure.” 

    Donna Kelce, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s mom, returned to Union Station hours after the shooting. Donna Kelce rode in the victory parade with her son.  She said the Chiefs were quickly removed from the area and taken to safety, The Star reports. 

    Several Chiefs players, including Kelce, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and more, posted on social media about the shooting, as did the Chiefs organization and the NFL. 

    The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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  • Kansas City Radio DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan, Chiefs Super Bowl Parade Shooting Victim, Remembered As “Amazing Woman”

    Kansas City Radio DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan, Chiefs Super Bowl Parade Shooting Victim, Remembered As “Amazing Woman”

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    Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a DJ at Kansas City’s KKFI radio station, died Wednesday after a shooting at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade. A total of 21 others were wounded, including three Lopez-Galvan family members. The mother of two was in her mid-40s.

    The host of KKFI’s Taste of Tejano was one of hundreds of thousands who attended the rally in the city celebrating the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win when multiple gunmen opened fire. Three people have been detained and are under investigation.

    Lopez-Galvan’s devastated family remembered her as an “amazing woman.”

    “She was so well loved in the Kansas City community,” said her niece, Deadline’s social media manager Natalie Sitek, adding that he aunt DJ’d for many weddings, quinceañeras, and events.

    “She lit up any room she walked into,” Sitek continued. “She brought joy to all those around her. She was always the life of the party.”

    Lopez-Galvan was also a big supporter of local sports teams.

    “She loved to cheer on the Bishop Miege Stags, where she attended high school and her children attended,” Sitek said. “And she, of course, was a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs.”

    It was Lopez-Galvan’s love for the Chiefs that brought her to the victory parade Wednesday.

    “What was supposed to be a day of celebration turned into a tragedy as we lost a beautiful soul to another senseless act of gun violence,” Sitek said. “She will be missed dearly.”

    Sitek’s three cousins injured in the shooting are expected to recover.

    The radio station also put out a statement after the shooting, saying its “hearts and prayers are with her family,” and that the “senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC community.”

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    Nellie Andreeva

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  • 1 killed in shooting after Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade near Union Station

    1 killed in shooting after Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade near Union Station

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    At least one person was killed and several others were wounded in a shooting near Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, at the conclusion of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade Wednesday, police said. 

    The shooting happened west of Union Station, Kansas City Police Department Chief Stacey Graves said in a news conference. Graves confirmed one victim was dead and said 10 to 15 people might have been injured but that it was not clear yet how many were gunshot victims. Officials said all Chiefs players and coaches had been accounted for.

    Two people were taken into custody shortly after the shooting, Graves said. One suspect was arrested after being chased by police shortly after the shots were fired, Graves said. She said she was aware of reports that bystanders had helped subdue the suspects, but she could not confirm those reports.

    Graves said police are still investigating the motive for the shooting. A law enforcement source told CBS News the shooting may have been the result of an argument or dispute that turned violent and did not initially appear to be the result of terrorism or extremism at this time. The source noted nothing had been ruled out yet, however.

    The police chief said the investigation was still active and in the very initial stages. Graves said officials were still waiting to find out more information about the condition of the victims.

    TOPSHOT-AMFOOT-SUPERBOWL-CHIEFS
    A person received medial attention after shots were fired near Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade on Feb. 14.

    Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images


    Saint Luke’s Hospital told CBS News it was treating one gunshot patient who was in critical condition. An official from Children’s Mercy Hospital said the medical center was “receiving patients from the rally,” but did not give an exact number or their conditions.

    University Health hospital in Kansas City said it was treating eight gunshot victims and that two were in critical condition. The hospital also said it was treating four other injured victims who were not shot. 

    “I’m angry at what happened today,” Graves said at the news conference. “The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment.”  

    Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he had run to safety when he heard the shots. He thanked law enforcement officers for their quick response and for “running towards danger.” He said more than 800 police officers were deployed for the parade.

    “I’m heartbroken,” Lucas said at the news conference. “I don’t want us to have to, in our country, for every big event, think about a concern of being shot”


    Dad describes escaping Chiefs parade shooting with daughter

    06:29

    Images and videos shared on social media showed people in Chiefs jerseys and hats running away from Union Station as police officers and first responders rushed to the scene. Other images showed several people receiving medical attention and being carried away on stretchers.

    Police posted a message on social media asking “witnesses to the shooting” to meet with officers at a nearby intersection. The Kansas City Police Department also said several children had been separated from their parents or chaperones and it had set up a child reunification location near Union Station.

    Super Bowl Chiefs Parade Football
    A woman is taken to an ambulance after an incident following the Kansa City Chiefs NFL football Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. The Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in the Super Bowl 58.

    Reed Hoffmann / AP


    The office of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson posted a statement on social media saying Parson and his wife were at the parade when the shots were fired. “They are safe and secure,” the statement said. “State law enforcement personnel are assisting local authorities in response efforts.”

    “As we wait to learn more, our hearts go out to the victims,” the statement added. “We also want to thank the Missouri State Highway Patrol, KCPD, and other first responders for their quick and professional actions.”

    Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly posted on social media that she was also at the parade but had “been evacuated and am out of harm’s way.”

    “I encourage everyone to follow instructions and updates” from the police, Kelly said. 

    Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wrote on social media he was “praying for Kansas City”

    — Pat Milton contributed reporting.  

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  • Why The NFL is A Leader in Social Impact | Entrepreneur

    Why The NFL is A Leader in Social Impact | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The expectations for this year’s Super Bowl were high, but I don’t think anyone predicted that this year’s event would turn out to be America’s most-watched program since the moon landing, with an astounding 123.4 million viewers tuning in to the big game.

    While the Taylor Swift effect certainly was a factor in achieving that staggering number, there is more to the modern NFL than celebrity fans, touchdowns and tailgate parties. The league has grown into a case study for a corporation seeking to support its communities across the country.

    The NFL has been a long-time supporter of charitable causes, but in recent years, it has significantly ramped up its player safety, social responsibility and social justice initiatives.

    A visit to the NFL’s Community page on its website shows the breadth of the league’s initiatives, from environmental sustainability to domestic violence education, youth fitness, early cancer detection and prevention, and building character in young people.

    I learned of the massive scope of the NFL’s social responsibility work through another of its initiatives, Inspire Change, the league’s social justice platform. Its goal is to reduce barriers to opportunity, particularly in communities of color. It operates at all levels of the league, from current and former players to the NFL teams and their owners and up to the league head office.

    Related: A Former NFL Plays Says ‘Indentity Shifting’ Is the Key to Success

    Inspire Change facilitates NFL investment in organizations, programs and initiatives that reduce barriers to opportunity, anchored in four pillars: Education, Economic Advancement, Community-Police Relations, and Criminal Justice Reform.

    My connection to the program came from a partnership between Inspire Change, my organization (Legacy+), and the Martin Luther King III Foundation.

    Martin Luther King III, his wife Arndrea Waters King, and their daughter Yolanda Renee King were seeking ways to commemorate the upcoming 100th birthday of Martin’s father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The result was Realize the Dream, a bold new initiative that aims to transform, unify and uplift America by rallying communities to perform 100 million hours of service by the 100th anniversary of Dr. King’s birth.

    In seeking to amplify Dr. King’s vision of unity and launch the historic community service program, the NFL was an obvious choice. No other platform has the reach or worldwide profile held by the NFL. In 2023, the league averaged 17.2 million viewers per game for its 272 regular season games, creating a potential viewing audience unmatched in North America.

    Those significant audience numbers rise exponentially during the playoffs, so we worked closely with the NFL to launch the five-year service campaign during Wildcard Weekend, which coincided with MLK Day 2024.

    The game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened with a commemorative coin toss with Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King and Yolanda Renee King.

    A series of events and activations took place over the weekend, with MLK decals and Dr. King’s iconic “Be Love” message affixed to the helmets of all 318 players participating in the weekend games. The “Be Love” and “It Takes All of Us” messages were also stenciled into the end zones for all games.

    The game opened by the Kings drew an audience of over 29.2 million viewers. While that number seems low compared to the viewership for the Super Bowl, the game was ESPN’s second-most watched NFL game in its history. Public service announcements aired over the weekend on all the networks covering the games (ESPN, ABC and CBS), with over 180 million viewers taking in the games and viewing the powerful Realize the Dream messaging.

    Beyond its ability to reach tens of millions of viewers, we looked for the NFL’s support due to its work to raise awareness on diversity and equity issues. Along with Inspire Change, the league is on the record in committing to increasing the number of black head coaches and executives so that the diversity on the field is reflected back on the sidelines and in owners’ boxes.

    To that end, the league adopted the Rooney Rule in 2003. Named after a former Pittsburgh Steelers owner who also served as the chair of the league’s diversity committee, the rule set out hiring and interview requirements for filling coaching and front office positions to ensure more minority candidates were considered and hired.

    Related: Why All of Us Need to Join the Fight for Workplace Diversity

    The NFL’s support for Realize the Dream is yet another positive step in accelerating the league’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, and it may already be reaping benefits.

    Within days of the launch of the campaign, the New England Patriots named Jerod Mayo as their new head coach, the Atlanta Falcons hired Raheem Morris to lead their team, and the Las Vegas Raiders elevated interim head coach Antonio Pierce to full-time status.

    While those three hirings happening so close to the launch of Realize the Dream could be written off as coincidence, they may also reflect how the league’s open commitment to diversity can influence the actions of ownership, teams, and players.

    That is the power of corporate impact initiatives that permeate an entire organization. It would be one thing for the NFL to make a lump sum donation to Realize the Dream or some other cause, but the level of buy-in was visible on team uniforms and helmets, in the end zones on the field, all while tens of millions of viewers watched from homes and restaurants.

    While corporations making donations to charitable organizations is a commendable way to try and give back, concrete actions like those being taken by the NFL deliver true impact and will ultimately be the drivers of change.

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    Craig Kielburger

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  • Dallas Bar Lee Harvey’s Backs Away from “He Gets Us” Super Bowl Ad

    Dallas Bar Lee Harvey’s Backs Away from “He Gets Us” Super Bowl Ad

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    Earlier this week we reported on local bar Lee Harvey’s cameo in a Super Bowl ad. The “Know Your Neighbor” commercial included an image of a man sitting in a bar, smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer at the dive bar. This 30-second commercial for the Christian nonprofit He Gets Us ran during the second half of the game.

    That evening, Lee Harvey’s shared news of the cameo on its Facebook page, along with a link to He Gets Us and a photo from the commercial. The Cedars neighborhood bar even changed its profile picture to the man sitting at the bar.

    Many called out Lee Harvey’s for the, at best, odd alliance.

    He Gets Us also ran Super Bowl commercials in 2023, spending around $100 million on two ads, which drew some attention. He Gets Us was at the time backed by The Signatry, which was supported by billionaire Hobby Lobby founder David Green, who has taken hardline religious stances. He opposed giving employees contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act and carried the case to the Supreme Court, ultimately winning. He also opposed providing a transgender bathroom for employees.

    Not exactly the kind of guy who would hang at Lee Harvey’s, right?

    The comments poured in, with the sides split. Some praised Lee Harvey’s or were just happy for the small bar to get some air time. Others pointed out that The Signatry also gave $50 million to a group that endorsed criminalizing homosexuality, one that was named an anti-LGBTQ hate group by The Southern Poverty Law Center.

    Dallas-based Lerma is the ad agency for He Gets Us, which might explain the local tie. 

    This year, through its website, He Gets Us backs away from the anti-LGBTQ ties, noting that it is now funded by the newly formed nonprofit Come Near and “(…) let us be clear in our opinion. Jesus loves gay people and Jesus loves trans people.”

    Yesterday, Lee Harvey’s backed away also, changing its profile photo back to the old worn-out sign out front and posting a note that they love everybody and had no idea what the ad was for. 

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    Lauren Drewes Daniels

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  • ‘Collective Mind’: Researchers Examine Social Effects of Watching the Same Thing Together | High Times

    ‘Collective Mind’: Researchers Examine Social Effects of Watching the Same Thing Together | High Times

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    More than 123 million people tuned in to watch the Kansas City Chiefs (and Taylor Swift) claim yet another Super Bowl triumph on Sunday, making it the most-watched television program in history.

    That’s useful grist for recently published research examining how watching the same thing can bring people together. 

    It is known as the “theory of the collective mind,” which refers to the human ability to take in a collective perspective. 

    Garriy Shteynberg, a professor of psychology at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, published the research on the theory last year, and recently expounded upon the scholarship in a piece published last month.

    “Theory of mind research has traditionally focused on the ascription of mental states to a single individual. Here, we introduce a theory of collective mind: the ascription of a unified mental state to a group of agents with convergent experiences. Rather than differentiation between one’s personal perspective and that of another agent, a theory of collective mind requires perspectival unification across agents,” Shteynberg and his colleagues wrote in the study’s abstract last year.

    “We review recent scholarship across the cognitive sciences concerning the conceptual foundations of collective mind representations and their empirical induction through the synchronous arrival of shared information. Research suggests that representations of a collective mind cause psychological amplification of co-attended stimuli, create relational bonds, and increase cooperation, among co-attendees.”

    In his piece last month, Shteynberg noted the relevance of such research, given the increased polarization and decline in institutional trust in the United States. 

    “Only about 1 in 4 Americans said that they had trust in the nation’s institutions in 2023 – with big business (1 in 7), television news (1 in 7) and Congress (1 in 12) scraping the very bottom,” he wrote.

    “While institutional trust is decreasing, political polarization is increasing. The majority of Republicans (72%) and Democrats (64%) think of each other as more immoral than other Americans – a nearly 30% rise from 2016 to 2022. When compared with similar democracies, the United States has exhibited the largest increase in animus toward the opposing political party over the past 40 years.”

    In a context in which we can’t agree on anything where, Shteynberg wonders, does that leave us? 

    “When public trust and political consensus disappear, what remains? This question has occupied my research for the past 20 years, both as a scholar trained in social anthropology, organizational science and social cognition and as a professor of psychology,” he said.

    “Researchers don’t have all the answers, but it seems that even in the absence of public trust and agreement, people can share experiences. Whether watching a spelling bee or a football game, ‘we’ still exist if ‘we’ can witness it together.”

    Shteynberg goes on to explain that he and his colleagues have been driven to explore the “foundation of collective mind,” saying that what they study in the lab “is shared attention, instances when people experience the world with others.”

    Those lab experiments, he says, underscore the value of “shared experiences,” saying they “amplify psychological and behavioral reactions to the world” in adults.

    “My colleagues and I find that compared with attending to the world alone, or at different times than others, synchronous attention with others yields stronger memories, deeper emotions and firmer motivations. Studies show that seeing words together renders them more memorable, watching sad movies together makes them sadder, and focusing together on shared goals increases efforts toward their pursuit. Sharing attention to the behavior of others yields more imitation of that behavior,” he says.

    “Critically, those experiencing something with you need not be physically present. Although in some experiments participants sit side by side, in other studies participants believe they are attending together from different lab rooms or even across the nation. Irrespective of the location, the sense that ‘we are attending’ to something together at the same time – as compared with in solitude or on your own schedule – amplifies the experience.”

    Shteynberg highlights two examples of disparate sizes –– watching a movie in a theater or watching the Super Bowl –– as important instances of shared experiences with Americans, who are increasingly isolated in a society that conducts more and more business online.

    “Before the advent of the internet, Americans shared attention broadly – they watched the same nightly news together, even if they did not always agree whether it was good or bad. Today, with people’s attention divided into media silos, there are more obstacles than ever to sharing attention with those with whom you disagree,” he says. “And yet, even when we can no longer agree on what ‘we’ believe, sharing attention to the basic sights and sounds of our world connects us. These moments can be relatively small, like watching a movie in the theater, or large, like watching the Super Bowl. However, remembering that we are sharing such experiences with Americans of all political persuasions is important.”

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    Thomas Edward

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  • RFK Apologizes To Family For Super Bowl Ad Featuring JFK’s Campaign Imagery, Music

    RFK Apologizes To Family For Super Bowl Ad Featuring JFK’s Campaign Imagery, Music

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    Claiming that the ad was created “without any involvement or approval from my campaign” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. apologized to his family for any pain caused by his Super Bowl ad that used JFK’s campaign song and inserted RFK into 1960s imagery, despite keeping the ad pinned to the top of his X page. What do you think?

    “Whenever I want to earnestly apologize to my family, I do it publicly.”

    Jessica Vuong, Cocking Assistant

    The Most Iconic Super Bowl Commercials Of All Time

    “The weirdest part was that it was an ad for Gatorade Frost.”

    Adrien Loach, Lunch Planner

    “Americans have no respect for their uncles.”

    Rex Carlini, Executive Therapist

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  • Here are the odds Dallas Cowboys end 30-year Super Bowl drought, per DraftKings Sportsbook

    Here are the odds Dallas Cowboys end 30-year Super Bowl drought, per DraftKings Sportsbook

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    The Kansas City Chiefs won their second Super Bowl in a row, defeating the San Francisco 49ers, 25-22, in overtime.

    DraftKings Sportsbook has already put out odds on which team will hoist next year’s Vince Lombardi Trophy. Did the sportsbook predict the Dallas Cowboys will end their almost 30-year drought?

    According to DraftKings, the Cowboys are the 10th most likely team to win next year’s Super Bowl, the rest of the top ten is listed below.

    San Francisco 49ers +550

    Kansas City Chiefs +650

    Baltimore Ravens +900

    Buffalo Bills +1000

    Detroit Lions +1200

    Cincinnati Bengals +1300

    Miami Dolphins +1700

    Philadelphia Eagles +2000

    Green Bay Packers +2000

    Dallas Cowboys +2000

    Last season, DraftKings gave the Cowboys the sixth-best odds, but Dallas’ surprising 48-32 Wild Card loss at the hands of the Green Bay Packers coupled with the loss of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn seems to have lowered the sportsbook’s confidence in the Cowboys.

    Related stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a Master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.



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  • So many Americans were gambling on the Super Bowl online that transactions hit nearly 15,000 per second

    So many Americans were gambling on the Super Bowl online that transactions hit nearly 15,000 per second

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    Online betting on the Super Bowl surged this year, with many gamblers waiting until right before the kickoff to place their wagers, according to a company that tracks the location of internet gamblers.

    Data released Monday from GeoComply shows that the number of verification checks it carried out over the weekend increased by more than 22% from last year.

    It processed just over 122 million checks this year in 28 of the 29 states that offer online sports betting, excluding Florida.

    The company makes sure gamblers are where they say they are before permitting their online bets to go through, a process known as geolocation that is a foundation of online betting in the U.S.

    The data records the number of times the company was called on to verify a customer’s location. It is considered a good indicator for at least a minimum level of sports betting activity, more than 80% of which is done online in the U.S.

    “The continued transition to the legal market set the stage for a historic first Super Bowl in Las Vegas, and the record-breaking results we saw did not disappoint,” said Anna Sainsbury, CEO and co-founder of Vancouver, Canada-based GeoComply.

    The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 Sunday night for their second consecutive NFL title.

    States require a gambler to be physically located within their borders in order to make online bets. Geolocation technology uses a combination of cellphone data, software, hardware and databases to determine where a phone or laptop trying to make a bet is actually located at a given moment.

    While it is true that customers can log in and have their location verified without actually placing a bet, many gamblers also make more than one bet after a single login.

    Throughout Super Bowl weekend, GeoComply saw a total of 8.5 million active accounts, up 15% from last year’s Super Bowl.

    During the two weeks leading up to the big game, the company saw more than 1.77 million new users sign up for legal online betting accounts.

    Since the start of the 2023-2024 NFL season, customers have added more than 13.7 million new accounts, a 28% increase from last season.

    And as usual, many people waited until the last moment to place bets. The company said that minutes before kick-off, it saw a massive spike in traffic totaling nearly 15,000 transactions per second. This was the highest level ever recorded on GeoComply’s systems, nearly doubling last year’s peak.

    The game going into to overtime for only the second time hit many sports books hard, having offered steep odds that it wouldn’t happen. And many bets were on the Chiefs to win, even though the 49ers entered the game as slight favorites.

    Sportsbooks suffered a multimillion-dollar loss on the game going to overtime, a popular bet that paid about 9-to-1, said Craig Mucklow, vice president of trading for Caesars Sportsbook. He said Caesars lost seven figures alone on the overtime bet, with the average wager on it being $16.

    Caesars did better on player props, many of which did not come to fruition. That includes bets on whether prominent players such as Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk would score a touchdown, which none of them did.

    “It was a bad Super Bowl for the sportsbook,” said Tristan Davis, a senior trader at BetMGM. “Many bettors had the Chiefs winning and overs on popular player props,” referring to bets on individual player statistical performances.

    FanDuel, the official odds provider for The Associated Press, said it took 14 million bets totaling $307 million, both of which set records. Those bets came from 2.5 million FanDuel customers.

    DraftKings would not release figures Monday about its performance during the Super Bowl.

    Several sportsbooks also issued odds for next year’s Super Bowl winner, with the 49ers slightly ahead of the Chiefs.

    Subscribe to the CEO Daily newsletter to get the CEO perspective on the biggest headlines in business. Sign up for free.

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    Wayne Parry, The Associated Press

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  • Memorable Super Bowl LVIII moments

    Memorable Super Bowl LVIII moments

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    Memorable Super Bowl LVIII moments – CBS News


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    The Kansas City Chiefs overcame a 10-point deficit to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 during Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas Sunday. NFL Today host and CBS News’ James Brown breaks down the most memorable moments from this year’s quest for the Lombardi Trophy.

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  • Super Bowl LVIII, Told by AI Deepfakes

    Super Bowl LVIII, Told by AI Deepfakes

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    Most Palone singing “America the Bountiful”
    Photo: Midjourney

    Super Bowl XVIII was jam-packed with celebrities, love stories, angry outbursts, and even some football. Many of us watched the Super Bowl on TV with our own two eyes, but Gizmodo set out to learn what the big game would have looked like through the eyes of an AI image generator.

    Gizmodo used Midjourney to create visual representations of some of the Super Bowl’s biggest moments. AI deepfakes are slowly becoming a central component of our society, so we figured we might as well get ahead of the curve, and just make these before someone else does. Some are surprisingly accurate while others are painfully wrong. Maybe in the future, we won’t even need a real Super Bowl. We can just AI deepfake the whole thing.

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    Maxwell Zeff

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  • ‘Travis Kelce Devouring His Coach’

    ‘Travis Kelce Devouring His Coach’

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    Travis Devouring His Coach, 2024
    Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

    Travis Kelce has much to celebrate — famous girlfriend, Super Bowl win, podcasting, general fame, etc. Still, based on the memes circulating post–Super Bowl, you’d never know it. Chiefs tight end Kelce was caught on-camera screaming at the Chiefs’ chief coach Andy Reid — much to Reid’s apparent shame — after their team lost a fumble in the second quarter. Look, it happens. Kelce’s a competitive guy, this is the biggest game of the year, and he already missed hanging out with Lana Del Rey and Jack Antonoff at the Grammys to be at practice, so it’s important that that choice be worth it. So Kelce opened his gaping maw and became worthy of an art-history class — the photo is somewhere between Munch’s The Scream and Goya’s painting that is popularly known as Saturn Devouring His Son. But to the internet, it is simply a meme.

    But if Kelce yelling is too much for you, just wait till you see what the president of the United States posted after the win.

    Boo!



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    Jason P. Frank

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  • Game? What game? Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce take centre stage at Super Bowl – National | Globalnews.ca

    Game? What game? Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce take centre stage at Super Bowl – National | Globalnews.ca

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    Even as the Kansas City Chiefs triumphed 25-22 over the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 Super Bowl on Sunday, much of the world had eyes on how Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce would celebrate.

    Swift, 34, made her much-anticipated arrival to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium Sunday afternoon with her famous friends, actor Blake Lively and rapper Ice Spice, in tow.

    The Anti-Hero singer watched the football match from a private suite — reportedly purchased by Kelce himself to the tune of over US$1 million — alongside Kelce’s mother Donna, father Ed and brother Jason.


    Taylor Swift, Ice Spice and Blake Lively at Super Bowl LVIII between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas.

    Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

    Swift and her crew were later joined by singer Lana Del Rey, who Swift had also brought onstage during her historic Grammy win last week.

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    While in attendance to support her tight-end boyfriend, Swift wore a stylish black corset and ripped denim, paired with a red-and-white Chiefs jacket. Though her usual favourite number is 13, Swift wore an ’87’ pendant necklace, an homage to Kelce’s jersey number. Even Swift’s black, heeled boots were emblazoned with a red-and-gold bedazzled ’87.’


    Taylor Swift wearing an ’87’ pendant to Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, 2024.

    Harry How/Getty Images

    Swift would have raced to Las Vegas following her four Eras Tour concerts in Toyko, Japan, last week. The singer’s private jet — which has controversially made headlines in recent weeks — touched down in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, CBS News reported.

    Whether NFL fans love or hate Swift’s appearances at games, much of the Super Bowl coverage focused on the singer. In the spirit of football, Swift even playfully chugged her beer when she appeared on the Jumbotron.

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    Travis Kelce shoves head coach


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    For Swifties watching the game, one standout moment came during a tense interaction between Kelce and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

    After Kelce, 34, became upset about being pulled from the game during the first half, Kelce shouted angrily in Reid’s face from the sidelines. Kelce shoved Reid, 65, causing the coach to lose his balance.

    Teammate Jerick McKinnon wrapped his arms around Kelce in what appeared to be an attempt to end the altercation.


    Travis Kelce shouts at head coach Andy Reid in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas.

    Jamie Squire / Getty Images

    Online, many dedicated Swift fans said Kelce’s behaviour was a red flag. A number of fans and NFL viewers went so far as to argue that Swift should dump Kelce over the incident.

    Story continues below advertisement

    Reid, however, seemed to shrug off the altercation in good spirits.

    “He keeps me young,” Reid said during an appearance on CBS’s post-game show. “He tested that hip out. He caught me off balance – normally, I’d give him a little bit, but I didn’t have any feet under me.”

    During a press conference after the game, Kelce said he has “the greatest coach this game has ever seen.”

    “He’s one of the best leaders of men that I’ve ever seen in my life,” Kelce said. “He’s helped me a lot with channelling that emotion, with channelling that passion and I owe my entire career to that guy and being able to control how emotional I get.

    “I just love him, man.”

    Story continues below advertisement

    Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Super Bowl kiss

    As the clock ran out and the Chiefs secured their victory, Swift and her friends had a rowdy celebration in their suite.

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    Shortly after, Swift followed the Kelce family members out onto the football field to greet the winning team. Swift held onto Donna’s arm and blew Kelce a kiss as they approached.


    Taylor Swift, standing next to Donna Kelce, blows a kiss to Travis Kelce.

    Rob Carr/Getty Images

    Kelce hugged his mother first while Swift stood back.

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    Then, while surrounded by a swarm of reporters and photographers, Kelce embraced Swift, and the pair shared a kiss.


    Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift share a kiss after the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas.

    Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

    The couple buzzed quietly to one another as they embraced, with Swift seemingly gushing over Kelce with exclamations of, “I can’t believe it. How did you do that?”

    Swift appeared to tell Kelce, “I’m so proud of you.”


    Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce kiss at the centre of a large crowd after the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl win on Feb. 11, 2024.

    Michael Reaves/Getty Images

    After the Super Bowl, Swift and Kelce celebrated the team’s win at a private party. Swift’s music, unsurprisingly, was in the DJ’s lineup. The pair celebrated the Super Bowl win, and their Love Story, to Swift’s song by the same name.

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    Sunday’s Super Bowl win was the second consecutive victory for the Kansas City Chiefs — if anybody noticed.


    Click to play video: 'Breaking down Usher’s Super Bowl performance'


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    Sarah Do Couto

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  • Taylor Swift, Usher highlight star-studded night at the Super Bowl

    Taylor Swift, Usher highlight star-studded night at the Super Bowl

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    Taylor Swift, Usher highlight star-studded night at the Super Bowl – CBS News


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    Usher had some surprise guests and Taylor Swift had a suite full of celebrities, but they weren’t the only stars in attendance at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

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  • Super PAC supporting RFK Jr. airs $7 million ad during Super Bowl

    Super PAC supporting RFK Jr. airs $7 million ad during Super Bowl

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    Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s super PAC, American Values 2024, aired a 30-second ad about the independent candidate’s presidential campaign during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday. 

    The ad highlighted images of the 70-year-old candidate in a vintage look, while using slogans, clips and a jingle that leaned into the legacy of his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy.  

    But some members of Kennedy’s family complained about his use of family images. Kennedy’s cousin, Bobby Shriver, the son of Kennedy’s aunt Eunice Kennedy Shriver, wrote on X, “My cousin’s Super Bowl ad used our uncle’s faces- and my Mother’s. She would be appalled by his deadly health care views. Respect for science, vaccines, & health care equity were in her DNA. She strongly supported my health care work at @ONECampaign & @RED which he opposes.”

    And Bobby Shriver’s brother, Mark Shriver also commented, saying, “I agree with my brother @bobbyshriver simple as that.”  

    Kennedy apologized to his family on social media, saying he is “sorry if the Super Bowl advertisement caused anyone in my family pain.”

    “The ad was created and aired by the American Values Super PAC without any involvement or approval from my campaign. FEC rules prohibit Super PACs from consulting with me or my staff,” said Kennedy’s post. “I love you all. God bless you.”  

    However, the ad remained pinned to the top of Kennedy’s X page on Monday morning and Kennedy’s press secretary, Stefanie Spear, said in a separate statement to CBS News that “we are pleasantly surprised and grateful to the American Values PAC for running an ad during the Super Bowl where more han 100 million Americans got to see that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is running as an independent candidate for President of the United States.”  

    Super PAC co-founder Tony Lyons confirmed to CBS News that the Super Bowl ad cost $7 million. 

    “The panicked DC power brokers are working overtime to keep Kennedy off the ballot because they know he can and will end their culture of greed and corruption. They offer us soaring inflation, forever wars, and chronic disease,” Lyons said in a statement sent to CBS News.

    As of now, Kennedy has only officially qualified for the ballot in Utah. According to the campaign, he met the signature threshold on Jan. 23, but the campaign is still working on paperwork.

    On Friday, the Democratic National Committee filed an FEC filing against Kennedy’s campaign and his super PAC, claiming the two are colluding to get Kennedy on the ballot. 

    “It’s fitting that the first national ad promoting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s candidacy was bought and paid for by Donald Trump’s largest donor this cycle. RFK Jr. is nothing more than a Trump stalking horse in this race,” DNC spokesperson Alex Floyd said in a statement following the ad. 

    “Like his uncle and his father, Kennedy is a corruption-fighter, and it’s no wonder the DNC is trying every old trick and inventing new tricks to stop him. The public sees through it all and won’t stand for it,” Lyons said Sunday. 

    Political strategist Robert Shrum, a speechwriter and consultant for Kennedy’s uncle, the late former Sen. Ted Kennedy, said on social media, “This RFK Jr. Super Bowl ad is a straight out plagiarism of JFK ad from 1960. What a fraud – and to quote Lloyd Bentsen with a slight amendment, ‘Bobby, you’re no John Kennedy.’ Instead you are a Trump ally.”

    Several of Kennedy’s family members had aleady condemned his independent bid for the presidency. In October 2023, when he announced he was going to run as an independent, four of his siblings issued a statement calling his decision “dangerous to the country.” 

    Cristina Corujo

    Cristina Corujo is a digital journalist covering politics at CBS News. Cristina previously worked at ABC News Digital producing video content and writing stories for its website. Her work can also be found in The Washington Post, NBC and NY1.

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  • Michael Cera’s Cream Got Me Thinking… (21 Photos)

    Michael Cera’s Cream Got Me Thinking… (21 Photos)

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    Joe

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