Everyone’s favorite lesson in Roman numerals will be taking a year off when Super Bowl 50 rolls around.
The NFL’s biggest game has been synonymous with Roman numerals since its earliest years, but the league is ditching the system for one year. The logo for next year’s Super Bowl 50 was released Wednesday, and the league is going with a big, round numerical “50” for the big game.
[tweet https://twitter.com/SuperBowl/status/474248188401319936 align=’center’]
Had the NFL kept the Roman numerals, Super Bowl 50 would be Super Bowl L, which is a lot less cooler than the sharp-looking “50” that the league is going with instead for its golden anniversary of the game. The 50 arguably looks better on merchandise, which is presumably a huge factor in this decision, too.
“When we developed the Super Bowl XL logo, that was the first time we looked at the letter ‘L,'” NFL vice president of brand and creative Jamie Weston said, according to ESPN.com. “Up until that point, we had only worked with X’s, V’s and I’s. And, at that moment, that’s when we started to wonder what will happen when we get to 50?”
Super Bowl 50 will be played on Feb. 7, 2016 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
[tweet https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/474243539849605121 align=’center’]
Some fun facts about the logo per the NFL’s release include:
-The golden 50 not only represents the 50th anniversary, but it “reflects the region’s historic Gold Rush in the broader settling of the Golden State.”
-The regional logo (embedded in Darren Rovell’s tweet above) features Levi’s Stadium, which is the new home of the San Francisco 49ers.
-San Francisco landmarks the Transamerica Pyramid, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco Ferry Building, Colt Tower, Golden Gate Bridge and redwood trees from the Muir Woods National Monument are all featured in the regional logo.
