Super Bowl LIX is more than just a game; it's a powerful economic engine for the host city and a stage where businesses of every size can shine. For the Greater New Orleans community, including small businesses and national brands, the event brings a surge of opportunity as tens of thousands of football fans descend upon the Crescent City and its surrounding areas. Hotels, restaurants and local businesses are preparing to welcome the influx, showcasing the warm hospitality and rich culture that has defined this vibrant city.
As a longtime partner of the National Football League (NFL), Visa’s role is to support fans and businesses alike with seamless and secure payment experiences. And this year is no different. We are committed to showing up for historic moments like Super Bowl LIX with a series of activations and collaborations that highlight our commitment to innovation, strategic partnership and community support.
Think of our data, fraud prevention and financial education measures as our defensive line, always on guard to give consumers peace of mind. Meanwhile, serving as what we like to call “Champions of Small Business and Local Communities” is like our offensive playbook, empowering local entrepreneurs to win big.
Feeding New Orleans’ future food scene
From gumbo to beignets, New Orleans has a legendary and innovative food scene that is renowned around the world. To help NOLA’s food and beverage industry thrive in today’s competitive market, Visa, Square and Cash App have teamed up to support up to 125 local food and beverage brands, enhancing their operations with the latest technology and resources in a first-of-its kind collaboration.
Together, we’ve teamed up to provide the ingredients these entrepreneurs need to flourish at and beyond the event, including upgraded technology equipment and Square payment terminals. By enhancing their digital presence and operational efficiency, these businesses can better serve their customers and continue contributing to the iconic culinary heritage of the Crescent City. In fact, small businesses reported a sales boost of eight percent1 after accepting digital payments while processing a digital payment is 57 percent less expensive than processing non-digital payments when you factor in expenses and labor.²
Visa is also supplying computer equipment to serve as a permanent fixture of support at Propellor, which is a local nonprofit and small business accelerator. This will help further expand digital access for local entrepreneurs.
A game-changing experience for SMBs
Designed to engage sports fans and elevate the visibility of small businesses, the Visa Small Business Clubhouse presented by Chase Ink is set to be a highlight at the Super Bowl Experience, offering a prime platform for participating entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses on a national stage. This unique activation will feature two mini-storefronts, a sportscaster-style interview studio and an interactive football activation, highlighting the vital role small businesses play in today’s economy.
Kicking off financial education at Louisiana schools
According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, one-in-five American teens lack basic financial skills, yet these are skills they need to lead a healthy financial future. Combining the excitement of football with the engagement of video games, Visa is introducing Financial Football in schools across the state Louisiana in the lead-up to Super Bowl LIX. The financial education video game created by Visa and the NFL is designed to teach middle and high school students essential money management skills in a fun and interactive way.
The game combines the structure and rules of the NFL with financial education questions of varying difficulty. Participating schools from across the state will put their financial knowledge to the ultimate test, and in the spirit of teamwork will create the first-ever Game Day Prediction courtesy of Louisiana’s students.
We are also teaming up with Warren Easton Charter High School as students compete alongside NFL athletes as they share insight into their careers and the importance of financial education.
¹Based on survey participants who reported either specific increase or no impact in sales volume after accepting digital payments. No participant reported decrease in sales volume.
²Based on 2018 Maru/Matchbox survey. Digital payments defined as wire transfers, cards (such as credit, debit, prepaid), mobile payments and peer-to- peer payments. Non-digital payments defined as cash, check and money orders. See Digital Transformation of SMBs: The Future of Commerce findings for more details.