The highly anticipated Super Bowl is set to take place in Silicon Valley this Sunday, drawing in a crowd filled with tech industry heavyweights. Among the expected attendees are YouTube CEO Neal Mohan and Apple’s Tim Cook, who has become a regular fixture at the event since Apple Music began sponsoring the halftime show several years ago.
Venture capitalist Venky Ganesan from Menlo Ventures provided some insight on the star-studded event, likening it to “tech billionaires who got picked last in gym class paying $50,000 to pretend they’re friends with the guys who got picked first.” He humorously added, “And for the record, I, too, was picked last in gym class.”
Ganesan’s humorous take on the situation is quite fitting, considering his own financial success. Menlo Ventures recently partnered with AI company Anthropic, investing $100 million in a fund dedicated to AI startups. Anthropic itself is on track to secure a massive $20 billion funding round with a post-money valuation of $350 billion.
Tickets for the Super Bowl are notoriously expensive, averaging around $7,000 according to the New York Times. However, last-minute deals can be found for closer to $3,600 on platforms like StubHub. Interestingly, the majority of ticket buyers hail from Washington State, showing strong support for the Seahawks, who have only won one Super Bowl compared to the Patriots’ six victories.
Tech giants like Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon, and Meta are gearing up for a battle of AI-focused ads during the game. With CEOs potentially in attendance, the competition extends beyond the football field. This year marks only the third time the Bay Area has hosted the Super Bowl, with previous events taking place at Stanford Stadium and Levi’s Stadium.
In addition to the excitement surrounding the Super Bowl, JS is hosting an event in Boston on June 23, 2026. This serves as a reminder of the ongoing innovation and collaboration within the tech industry, even amidst the glitz and glamour of the sporting world.
