MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Fans of the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs have taken over the Super Bowl Experience at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
7News cameras captured fans who flew in from out of town to attend this year’s Super Bowl roaming the convention center, Thursday night.
“We’ve been flying out for all the other games,” 49ers fan Ryan Petaishiski said. “We might as well make our way out here and check out the big one.”
7News cameras captured young fans throwing footballs and kicking field goals at the event.
“We didn’t tell him until after they won the game,” a football fan said. “I’m like, ‘Oh, hey, by the way, do you want to go to Miami?'”
The Super Bowl, however, is more than a game for fans, and it is about the bond they build with their families.
“It’s something we both share,” Petaishiski said.
When John Williamson was 8 years old, his father was fighting in the Vietnam War.
“He called the night before, and he said, ‘Johnny, the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl. I want you to watch the game and write me tomorrow and tell me who wins,'” Williamson recalled. “We won. I went outside, and I go, ‘World champions!’ That was my first Super Bowl experience. Fifty years later, we’re back. When we won the AFC Championship, I visited my dad’s grave, and I decorated his grave.”
This year’s Super Bowl is special for so many people for their own reasons. That’s why they had to be here to be a part of every event.
“We’ve been season ticket holders since 1988,” Chiefs fan Rusty Drewing said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
While there will be a battle on the field on Sunday, regardless of who they are rooting for, it’s their heart that unites these fans.
“I think this is going to be one of the best games ever,” a 49ers fan said.
“Let’s go, Chiefs, let’s win the Super Bowl!” said a Kansas City Chiefs fan.
“I’ve got shoes, socks, shorts, tops and red underwear,” said Chiefs fan Clara O’Brien.
“We’re going to watch it on the big screen TV with the speakers,” said 9-year-old Christopher Searle.
The fans who flew to South Florida from the West Coast and the Midwest said they paid a lot of money to come to the Super Bowl, but they said it was worth it.
“We’re having a great time,” said one fan. “Miami is perfect.”
“The game is just an ending result, we just come down for the festivities, you know, mingling with the people,”said football fan Anita Darby. “You see people from all over, folks that are in the Super Bowl and are not in Super Bowl, and just have a good time.”
The Super Bowl Experience at the Miami Beach Convention Center will run until Saturday.
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