Stanford student and die-hard Patriots fan recounts Super Bowl experience

For many football fans, attending the Super Bowl is a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list experience. Between soaring ticket prices, limited access and the sheer scale of the event, being inside the stadium on Super Bowl Sunday often feels more aspirational than attainable. Still, with Super Bowl LX taking place in the Bay Area, The Daily went looking to see whether any Stanford students were making the trip to football’s biggest stage.

That search led to Carlos Mendoza ’27. In the days leading up to the game, Mendoza shared what drew him to Super Bowl Sunday and how he managed to secure a ticket. After the game, The Daily followed up with Mendoza to hear how the experience compared to his expectations.

For Mendoza, attending Super Bowl LX was a deliberate choice. A management science and engineering major from San Juan, Texas, Mendoza has been a New England Patriots fan for nearly 16 years. This loyalty was sparked by an aunt in Boston who regularly sent him team gear whenever the Patriots won their division. When Super Bowl tickets went on sale following the NFL’s Wild Card round, Mendoza decided to act, purchasing his ticket weeks before knowing whether New England would ultimately make it to the game.

“I just wanted to go to the Super Bowl, even if New England didn’t make it,” Mendoza said.

While the Patriots ultimately did advance, Mendoza said the experience itself mattered just as much as the outcome. He was eager to take in the atmosphere inside the stadium and the full scope of Super Bowl Sunday, even as nerves lingered.

“I was definitely nervous,” Mendoza said, pointing to the challenge posed by Seattle. His prediction ahead of the game reflected that tension: a close, hard-fought 20–17 Patriots win.

After the final whistle, Mendoza described the experience as memorable, if not entirely smooth. Heavy traffic stalled his Uber ride roughly 2.5 miles from Levi’s Stadium, prompting him to walk the remainder of the way alongside other fans who had abandoned their rides. The walk took just under an hour.

“Everyone just started getting out and walking,” Mendoza said. “It just wasn’t moving.”

Arriving well before kickoff, Mendoza headed straight into the stadium, anticipating long entry lines and hoping to visit the merchandise stands. Even with his early arrival, the waits were substantial. He spent roughly half an hour getting through security, followed by more than an hour in line for merchandise. Prices throughout the stadium reflected the magnitude of the event. Mendoza said he watched a fan ahead of him purchase the now-viral $180 burger.

“It was wild seeing someone actually buy it,” he said. “Everything was expensive to begin with.”

Despite the logistical hurdles, Mendoza said the in-stadium experience largely lived up to expectations. His section was filled almost entirely with Patriots fans, many of whom had traveled from across the country.

“Seeing that level of emotion in person was something else,” Mendoza said. “These were real die-hard fans.”

On the field, the outcome did not go the way Mendoza had hoped. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29–13, ending New England’s bid for a seventh title. While Mendoza praised the Patriots’ defensive effort, he described the offense as “frustrating,” acknowledging that the game lacked the drama of a classic Super Bowl.

Still, the surrounding spectacle helped fill the gaps. Mendoza enjoyed the pregame performance by Green Day and said he had a good vantage point for Bad Bunny’s halftime show, though he wished the production had made the artist more visible on the jumbotron.

“From inside the stadium, they didn’t always put Bad Bunny on the big screen,” he said.

Even so, Mendoza said the experience was worth it. While the cost, crowds and outcome gave him pause, that didn’t diminish the significance of attending the Super Bowl in person. Asked whether he would do it again, his answer was clear: if the Patriots return, so would he. For Mendoza, checking the Super Bowl off his bucket list was less about the final score than being part of a moment few fans ever get to experience firsthand.

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