ATLANTA — Opening Night is the kick-off to the week of Super Bowl festivities - it's a moment when fans and media can interact with their favorite players from the Super Bowl teams.
It's also gotten a reputation for being a place to spot weird costumes, experience the wild media frenzy and more - and it absolutely lives up to that.
I would not call myself the biggest sports fan in the world. You won't find me in front of the TV every Sunday. I only know a little about the one team I do follow (the New Orleans Saints ... and no, I don't wanna talk about it).
But being inside State Farm Arena Monday night for Opening Night amongst all the fans and media was absolutely electric.
For four hours, cameramen, journalists, sportscasters and entertainers all jockey for position to have the best vantage of the top athletes there to talk ahead of the Sunday match up. It's a zoo.
Everywhere you turn, there was something wild to see - interviews conducted on the actual floor. Interviews from a guy dressed in a clown suit. Gronk showing off some serious dad dance moves. A literal wall of cameras and bodies circled around Tom Brady, Sean McVay and others.
Photos: Super Bowl Opening Night at State Farm Arena
It's controlled chaos.
But it absolutely matched the energy of the two fan bases - especially the Patriots fans who were LOUD and proud to get a chance to see their team in play Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta (after that wild comeback victory over the Falcons in Super Bowl 51).
It was the perfect way to kick off the week of Super Bowl festivities, and set an energetic tone for the days to come.