MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - 7News talked to a Super Bowl super fan who has been to the big game every single year. He’s been to all 53 stagings. Now, the 54th is happening close to home.
Every Super Bowl fan would like to attend the game at least once in their lives. This man is part of a group that’s living out every football fan’s dream.
“This one we had made,” said Harvey Rothenburg while holding up a team jersey. “The others we bought.”
The 86-year-old from Boca Raton belongs to a special club.
“Yes, I’ve been to every Super Bowl,” said Rothenburg.
The group is known as The Super Bowl Five. The group of friends first decided, in 1967, to watch something called the AFL NFL World Championship.
The ticket cost $10.
“A couple of us guys decided let’s go to the Super Bowl,” said Rothenburg, “so we bought tickets for LA, and we flew out there, and the stadium was only about, I would say, 60% full.”
Up until four years ago, all five members have been to every Super Bowl as a group.
One member has since passed and a family member now uses his ticket.
There was one Super Bowl when Rothenburg’s father passed away one week before the game.
“I really was down in the dumps, and I wasn’t feeling like celebrating, and the guys all came over to the house,” said Rothenburg. “They all came in and sat with me in the bedroom and said, ‘Come on. You just gotta go. It’s important to all of us,’ including me, and I said, ‘OK. I’m gonna go. I don’t wanna break the tradition.'”
The group has their own jackets, rings and even a tie designed by Donna Karen. They also once owned a race horse named Super Bowl Five.
“We all love football. I mean, I could watch any football game,” said Rothenburg. “I love to watch the high school kids play football, so it’s a good feeling. I don’t think we feel special, but it’s a good feeling, and we feel good also that we’re still together.”
The group of friends have always bought their tickets to the big game.
They are all now in their mid eighties and hope they will be together long enough to attend Super Bowl 60 as a group.
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