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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Nia Dalton

Three friends who formed 'Never Miss a Super Bowl Club' set to attend 57th game

For many American football fans, attending Super Bowl is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - but for three elderly friends, it's a yearly tradition. Don Crisman, 86, Greg Eaton, 83, and Tom Henschel, 81, are the surviving members of an exclusive club known as 'Never Miss a Super Bowl Club'.

The trio have attended every NFL championship since 1967 - but the club was only created in 1983, when Don and Tom got talking about their passion for the sport in the crowd. In 2010, Never Miss a Super Bowl Club became famously known across America after they featured in a Visa advert that Morgan Freeman narrated.

Don created the club in 1983 when he got talking with Tom at the Super Bowl (Robert F Bukaty/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

At the time, the group was made up of Don and Tom, 78-year-old Robert Cook and 71-year-old Larry Jacobson - who both sadly passed away in the years following.

In 2017, Gregory Eaton officially joined the club after it was confirmed that he'd attended every Super Bowl game too.

Since, the group has used the Super Bowl as a way to meet up, talk about old memories and spend time together.

They all support different teams - Don is a New England Patriots fan, Tom is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and Greg is a Detroit Lions fan - but that doesn't matter.

The trio will attend every single game they possibly can till they die (AFP via Getty Images)

The men have all taken into consideration that their club must come to an end one day - but they are determined to attend every game they possibly can.

Maine resident Don, the eldest of the group, thought last year would be his final one, while Greg, from Michigan, also feared his health concerns mightn't get him to the 57th game.

Though football fanatic Tom, who lives in Florida, said Super Bowl LX in 2026 will likely be his 60th and final game.

Tom feels very lucky to be able to enjoy his favourite sport every year (AFP via Getty Images)

"Going to the Super Bowl is like New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July put together. To be healthy enough to even be able to attend all these games and never miss one… geez, I consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the country," Tom told LA Times.

Tom estimates he's spent at least $150,000 (£124,000) on Super Bowl expenses, and Don recalls his first Super Bowl ticket costing $12 (£10) 57 years ago.

Now they're as much as $9,000 (£7,400) with Rihanna performing live for the first time in five years for the iconic halftime show.

The club will be attending Super Bowl 2023 and sit together in the stands (Robert F Bukaty/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

"During that first game, it was college bands performing as entertainment and that's how it went those first few years," Greg told USA Today.

"Now, you have big name entertainers performing and so many other things tied to it. The NFL has done an amazing job marketing this."

Despite their previous doubts, Greg has confirmed that they will be sitting together in the stands to watch Sunday's game.

And as part of the tradition, Greg has created hats and matching black jackets for them to wear - he added: "We need to look a certain way."

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