MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why do they use roman numerals to name the Super Bowl?

super bowl championship poster with helmets in stadium vector illustration design

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why do they use roman numerals to name the Super Bowl?

With the Super Bowl coming up one Sunday there’s one thing I’ve always wondered. Why do they use roman numerals to name each game? So this year is Super bowl LV (55).

The Roman numeral system was put into place originally so there would be no confusion about which Super Bowl it was. Because the actual game is always played in the year after the regular season year. For example, this year’s game technically by a calendar the “2021 Super Bowl”, but the winner will be the champion of the 2020 NFL season. Numbering the games with roman numerals avoids any confusion.

 

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