When Does Super Bowl 2013 Kickoff? Places to Watch the Big Game

Who: The Ravens vs. The 49ers

Kickoff Time: Sunday, Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: New Orleans, LA at Mercedes-Benz Superdome

Channel: CBS

OK, sure. Neither the Packers nor the Vikings made it to the top. But you don't have to be a fan of either the San Francisco 49ers or the Baltimore Ravens to be excited about Sunday's Super Bowl.

West coast vs. east coast is about as classic a rivalry as it gets, and with Minnesota smack in the middle of the country, there are plenty of folks leaning one way or the other. And in addition to the game itself, there are the questions many of us will be debating while watching the festivities at our local restaurant or watering hole. For instance:

If it's a family affair: The Ravens are coached by John Harbaugh. The 49ers are coached by Jim Harbaugh, also known as John's kid brother. Talk about sibling rivalry! It's just the sort of scenario many of us with older (and younger) brothers dreamed about.

Is it live, or is it taped: Pop superstar Beyonce, whose performance at last month's inaugural turned out to be mimed (to a recording of her own voice), says she will absolutely be singing live at half time.

What's your favorite commercial: This is also the Super Bowl of the ad industry, as America's biggest brands compete to make you laugh (Doritos), cry (Budweiser) and buy their products (everyone). This year's choices have their share of controversy: Is the Volkswagen ad featuring a Minnesota guy talking like Bob Marley racist or not? Is the Mercedes ad featuring Kate Upton sexist, or all in good fun? 

Other Fun Facts About the Super Bowl

• This year, a 30-second commercial costs $4 million, up from 3.5 million last year and $42,000 in 1967, according to Time.

• Football fans are anticipated to consume an estimated 71.4 million pounds of Hass avocados during Big Game gatherings this year, according to the Hass Avocado Board.

• If you still think the 1983 season finale of M*A*S*H was the most-watched broadcast in the U.S., think again. The 2010 Super Bowl between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts stole that title, only to be beaten exactly one year later when 111 million people tuned in to watch the 2011 Super Bowl between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Nielsen Co. That record was broken again last year when 111.3 million people watched the Giants beat the Patriots, according to ESPN.go.com.

• Heading into the game, the 49ers are 5-0 in Super Bowls and the Ravens are 1-0 in Super Bowls.

• Super Bowl XLVII is the first time in professional sports history that siblings will play each other. John Harbaugh coaches the Ravens and Jim Harbaugh coaches the 49ers, according to SB Nation.

So, where to enjoy watching (and debating)? Here are a few of the top choices in Lakeville and nearby:

• Babe’s Bar and Grill, located at 20685 Holyoke Ave. in downtown Lakeville, will have nearly every one of their massive projection, and 50-inch plasma televisions turned to the big game.

• Buffalo Wild Wings, located at 18425 Orchard Trail, in the TimberCrest development near Interstate 35, is hosting a big party and will have drink and food specials, and everyone of their HD televisions, including six massive projection screens, showing the big game.

• Applebees, located at 18404 Kenrick Avenue in Lakeville. You can watch the game and cheer on, or root against your favorite team on one of their many flat-screen televisions.

• Brunswick Zone XL, located at 11129 162nd St. W., is offering bowling games from kickoff till close. And all of their flat-screen televisions will still be turned to the big game, so you can bowl and cheer on your team, all at once.

• Lakeville Cinema, located at 20653 Keokuk Ave., has you covered if you’re just too depressed to watch the big game sans your favorite team. The theater has 21 screens and a number of movies playing all day and night. Check out their website for show times and ticket prices.