Las Vegas Encourages Football Fans to Celebrate Excessively During the Super Bowl

Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson was loud and brash when he played in the NFL, someone who made a show of his post-score antics and was definitely hit with a few excessive celebration penalties. As an ex-player, he’s still plenty raucous, shouting his opinions over social media whether you like them or not.

Now, Johnson is being joined by Grammy Award-winning artist Tobe Nwigwe to speak out in a musical way about a penalty that just might be a little too strict for the city that’s hosting the Super Bowl for the first time.

Las Vegas, the official host city of Super Bowl 58, has launched a petition on Change.org urging football fans to encourage excessive celebrations. The petition is accompanied by a music video featuring Johnson and Nwigwe, who rap about the city and all its excesses, encouraging people to enjoy themselves to the fullest. While it doesn’t call out the excessive celebration penalty, it does say that everyone in Las Vegas must be allowed to celebrate freely on Feb. 11, 2024.

The petition is a nod to the fact that while professional sports often restrict excessive celebrations, they are always encouraged in Las Vegas. “Whether you are on the Strip, in the stadiums or just here for a good time, Las Vegas will forever be the home of excessive celebration,” reads part of the petition.

Las Vegas is coming to the Super Bowl

Garrett Jones, group creative director at R&R Partners, the agency that developed the campaign, was tasked with bringing the concept of Las Vegas happening to the Super Bowl rather than the Super Bowl happening to Las Vegas—in other words, the vibe of the city is going to make this Big Game unique.

“The stance is unlike any other city. The celebration is just as important as the win,” Jones told Adweek.

The 90-second hero music video includes recreations of some of Johnson’s most iconic on-field moments, including his impromptu marriage proposal, river dance and Hall of Fame jacket moment. The music video was shot in iconic locations across Las Vegas including Allegiant Stadium, Caesars Palace and the Fremont Street Experience, and it’s just as over-the-top as you’d expect a video about Vegas to be.

The accompanying soundtrack includes an original track by Nwigwe, who was once a college football star being considered for the NFL Draft before an injury.

Jones said R&R Partners, the brand agency of record for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), built the campaign around Johnson, and he proved to be a great collaborator with the agency and Nwigwe.

“Chad is notorious for being a showman, and quite literally antagonizing the NFL in a way that’s really based on fun and entertainment. It was good spirited, never malicious. We’re really just trying to entertain the fans in a way that made the game more enjoyable,” said Jones.

To get the word out, Las Vegas partnered with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, with a special appearance by Johnson on his show. The spot debuted on the Thanksgiving Day game between Washington and Dallas.

The campaign is a ramp-up to the Super Bowl, and Las Vegas will have an in-stadium activation the day of the game that Jones said will be a “punctuation mark to the campaign,” though he wouldn’t say if there will be an in-game spot from the city.

“Las Vegas is built for celebration,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA, in a statement. “People come to Vegas because they know that the excitement surrounding the game is just as important as the game itself. … As we prepare to welcome the Super Bowl for the first time, we are determined to show the world that when it comes to celebration, Las Vegas is in a category of one.”