Kansas City Chiefs long snapper James Winchester, Choctaw, playing his third Super Bowl with the Chiefs. He is one of two Indigenous players on the Chiefs. (AP Photo, Reed Hoffman)
Las Vegas made history on Sunday, February 11, 2024, as it hosted its very first Super Bowl in Sin City. Excitement filled the city with a multitude of pre–Super Bowl parties, meet and greets, award galas and celebrity sightings all over the Las Vegas strip. The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers went toe-to-toe for the first time in Nevada.
The NFL (National Football League) recognized Lahainaluna High School and its coaches, who came all the way from Hawaii. The Lahainaluna High School football team and faculty were honorary captains for the opening coin toss. They were acknowledged for their community efforts following the Maui fires.
United Natives is an Indigenous-owned organization, headed by one of Las Vegas’s own(UNLV graduate) Dr. Crystal Lee. United Natives hosted a multitude of pre-Super Bowl events, including a fashion show, awards gala, and a Women in Sports luncheon. Dr. Lee and Roper Egan honored Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson at a VIP reception held at the Palms Hotel and Casino on Wednesday, February 7.
Such is life, not everybody came to celebrate Super Bowl 58. Several community activists from Lawrence, Kansas, headed by Rhonda LeValdo, came to Sin City to boycott the Kansas City Chiefs, demanding a name change. The Kansas City Chiefs’ name is still a hot topic in Indian country. Lily Gladstone recently spoke about the “misrepresentation” the name brings to the Indigenous community.
It was a close game, but the Kansas City Chiefs won the game, 25 to 22. 49er fans were crushed, but all in all, this event dumped millions of dollars into the Clark County economy and brought excitement to this city like never before. Las Vegas is on the map as the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World!
