Super Bowl Viewers Can Choose Their Own Reality

From EMF conspiracy theories to halftime show preferences, the big game offers a choose-your-own-adventure experience.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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This year's Super Bowl is embracing the choose-your-own-reality trend, with storylines ranging from unsubstantiated claims about electromagnetic interference causing player injuries to viewers being able to watch alternative halftime show performances. The article argues that in an era of rampant misinformation, the Super Bowl has become a microcosm of the broader societal phenomenon where people can believe whatever they want, regardless of facts.

Why it matters

The Super Bowl is one of the most watched events in the United States, and the ability for viewers to curate their own experience reflects broader societal shifts towards personalized information consumption and the rejection of objective facts. This trend has implications for how major events and news are consumed and understood by the public.

The details

The article discusses several examples of the choose-your-own-reality approach at this year's Super Bowl. This includes an investigation by the NFL players association into whether electromagnetic interference from a power substation near the stadium is causing player injuries, despite a lack of scientific evidence. It also mentions that some viewers will be able to watch a halftime show performance by Kid Rock on digital stations owned by Sinclair, rather than the official performance by Bad Bunny. Additionally, the article notes the growing trend of dismissing analytics and advanced statistics in favor of subjective opinions about players and teams.

  • The power substation next to Levi's Stadium has been in operation since 1987.
  • The substation was expanded in 2014 when Levi's Stadium was built.

The players

Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers running back who expressed concerns about EMFs and 5G.

Eric Saubert

Seattle Seahawks tight end who previously played for the 49ers and commented on the EMF theory.

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What they’re saying

“When it comes to EMFs and 5G and phones and blue light and WiFi, it's not nothing.”

— Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers running back (San Francisco Chronicle)

“It's kind of like a joke, but it's odd, because you look over the fence where the power station is and all the trees are dead.”

— Eric Saubert, Seattle Seahawks tight end (NBC News)

The takeaway

The 2026 Super Bowl reflects a broader societal trend where people can curate their own version of reality, ignoring facts and objective information in favor of personal beliefs and preferences. This has implications for how major events and news are consumed and understood, potentially contributing to the spread of misinformation and the erosion of shared truths.