SuperBowl kick off times are announced for between 6:18 and 6:20, but actual kickoff time is usually a little after 6:30.
The 2008 Super Bowl started at 6:32 EST, and the 2009 Super Bowl will probably also start at the same time.
For details of the 2009 Super Bowl see the related question below for more details.
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Superbowl XLIII (2009) is on February 1st and starts at 6:00 PM (EST). The game will be televised on NBC. Kickoff is called for 6:20, and will probably actually be about ten minutes later.
Super Bowl XLIII, an American football game that will decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2008 season, is scheduled to be played on February 1, 2009,[1] with kickoff at 6:20 PM Eastern Time (23:20 GMT), at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
Despite what you'll read elsewhere, Super Bowl 2009 kickoff will probably be a little after 6:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. As we saw last year, different official sites list different official kickoff times.
* NBC, which is broadcasting the game, writes clearly "kickoff 6:00 PM" -- but they do have an interest in getting people to tune in early. * The NFL's superbowl.com site is counting down to 6:20, and this is the time that most websites are using as official. * The Super Bowl 2009 hosting committee lists kickoff time as "approximately 6:28" though the countdown on their site is counting down to 6:00.
Last year, FOX (which was broadcasting the game) announced kickoff for 6:17, the NFL said 6:18, and the site hosting the Super Bowl said 6:30. Actual kickoff was 6:32.
So if you'd like to hear some of Journey's performance, Jennifer Hudson singing the National Anthem, and catch some of the pre-game hype, turn on your sets by 6. But don't expect the game to actually start before 6:30. Quick additional tidbits: * Date: February 1, 2009 * Location: Tampa, Florida * Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers & Arizona Cardinals * National Anthem: Jennifer Hudson * Halftime: Bruce Springsteen * Super Bowl Number: 43 (XLIII)