Workers prepare the stage where the Vince Lombardi Trophy will be displayed during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. The actual trophy that will be presented to either the Rams or Bengals on Feb. 13 will arrive on Saturday. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A worker walks past a display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A bedazzled L.A. Rams helmet on display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jason Aikens, Curator at the Pro Football Hall of Fame prepares a Tom Brady uniform for display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
The New England Patriots’ 2015 Super Bowl ring on display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
An outfit worn by musician Prince is seen as part of an exhibit about Super Bowl halftime shows during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A Pro Football Hall of Fame display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Workers prepare the stage where the Vince Lombardi Trophy will be displayed during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A member of the media member records video of a Los Angeles Rams display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
NFL team displays are set up during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A man walks past a display of Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff’s locker during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Workers are silhouetted as they prepare displays during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A worker prepares a display of Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork memorabilia at the Pro Football Hall of Fame booth during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A worker prepares a picture of singer Michael Jackson as part of an exhibit about Super Bowl halftime shows during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
The first Super Bowl ring of the 1966 Green Bay Packers is on display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jason Aikens, Curator at the Pro Football Hall of Fame prepares a Todd Gurley II uniform for display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A person looks over a display of busts of Hall of Fame members at the Pro Football Hall of Fame booth during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A bedazzled Cincinnati Bangles helmet on display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Former L.A. Rams jerseys on display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A woman is silhouetted as she walks past a digital display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jim Watson cleans up the NFL logo on a display of helmets during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A Tampa Bay Buccaneers display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A worker stands in the foyer during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jim Watson cleans up the NFL logo on a display of helmets during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jim Watson cleans up the NFL logo on a display of helmets during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
People are silhouetted as they walk past a digital display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
An Arizona Cardinals display during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jim Watson cleans up the NFL logo on a display of helmets during a media preview of the Super Bowl Experience on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at the L.A. Convention Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
A variety of banners and pole signs promoting Super Bowl LVI, Experience LVI or an advertiser are seen all over downtown Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. This banner is on the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES — The helmets of the Rams and Bengals were centered on stage above a sign that read “Vince Lombardi Trophy.”
The amphitheater-like platform was nearly complete, but it was missing the trophy that will be presented to the winner of Super Bowl LVI next weekend at SoFi Stadium.
It’s scheduled to arrive Saturday at 1 p.m. for the opening day of the Super Bowl Experience at the L.A. Convention Center.
Media members didn’t get the pleasure of seeing the Lombardi Trophy on Friday for the sneak peek of the popular football fanfest, but the 55 Super Bowl rings were on display – one for each Super Bowl-winning team – along with the Hall of Fame busts of John Madden, Peyton Manning and Junior Seau.
Those unique items will attract the thousands of football fans expected to roam the South Hall of the Convention Center for the five-day event. But that won’t top getting a picture with the one and only Lombardi trophy for the latest Super Bowl. This reporter was told the NFL doesn’t do replica trophies.
“The Lombardi Trophy line will be up to three hours long,” said BZA PR’s Daniel Kitchen, who served as the tour guide of the Super Bowl Experience media preview. “I’m not kidding.”
There’s plenty of pressure on the FedEx driver hauling the Lombardi trophy from Memphis to downtown Los Angeles, but it’s expected to arrive on time, despite some bad weather during the trip.
Rams legend Torry Holt is scheduled to receive the package and present the main attraction of the Super Bowl Experience at the “Vince Lombardi Trophy” stage, which will be the first thing fans see when they enter the South Hall doors.
Tickets for the first weekend of the Super Bowl Experience cost $20 with kids 12 and under admitted free. Half-priced tickets are available for military members and their families (veterans included) and fans who ride the Metro to the Convention Center.
The fan festival will resume Thursday, Friday and conclude Saturday, but tickets for the final three days will cost $40.
“We highly encourage Angelenos to come early,” Kitchen said. “Avoid those long lines (next week) and (higher) prices. It’s cheaper. It’s going to be more accessible this weekend.”
For the fans who decide to walk right of the Lombardi stage, they’ll see the Wilson Football Factory, where they’ll guide fans on the step-by-step process of making the NFL Super Bowl footballs.
A few steps over is the autograph stage, which will feature current and former players and coaches. Last year, fans only received virtual meet-and-greets because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lineup for the autographs is top secret – unless you download the NFL Onepass app, which will provide details of the events and exhibits.
Across from the autograph area is the NFL Draft Combine Zone, where fans can run the 40-yard dash against LED versions of New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.
Louie G, a radio host for REAL 92.3, walked to his left when he entered the Super Bowl Experience and went 3 for 4 on his field-goal attempts and displayed accuracy at the Hail-Mary booth.
“That last one is pretty far,” said Louie G, who’s also a public address announcer at SoFi Stadium for Chargers home games. “It’s a lot harder than what everyone thinks about kicking a field goal.”
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Louie G was admiring the replica locker of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert when he was informed of the Super Bowl rings on the opposite side of the hall.
“So much to do here,” he said.
Another likely top attraction at the fan festival is an exhibit of previous Super Bowl halftime performers. The outfits of Prince, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Left Shark will be on display, along with the strip of lights that The Weeknd made famous during his performance last year.
“That’s a big poster of what we’re about to get,” Louie G said, pointing at a poster of this year’s Super Bowl halftime performers Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. “It’s going to be insane. I just can’t wait.”
There are plenty of options of memorabilia and exhibits for fans to post on their Instagram and TikTok accounts. Just make sure to get there early for the picture with the Lombardi Trophy.
