Super Bowl 2021: What number is LV and what’s up with using Roman numerals?
It’s almost time for the Super Bowl LV, a matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. And yes, we’re all thinking the same thing: what the heck is LV?! It’s a Roman numeral. Yes, the NFL is still use Roman numerals instead of numbers.
LV is the Roman numeral for 55. The Roman numeral for 50 is L and five is V. So: LV. (It’s not always that simple, but we won’t bore you with the details. If you want them, you can check out this explanation.)
Per the NFL, “The Roman numerals were adopted to clarify any confusion that may occur because the NFL Championship Game—the Super Bowl—is played in the year following a chronologically recorded season.” But that doesn’t really explain why they didn’t just use numbers. Maybe it’s more official-sounding?
The NFL has always used Roman numerals with one exception, Super Bowl 50, which should have been Super Bowl L, if not for the NFL deciding it was too unattractive and unremarkable.
Roman numerals are a numeral system, which started in ancient Rome. It stuck around in Europe until the middle ages. We still see it often in clocks (like Big Ben in England), architecture (sometimes from Roman times), outline documents and, of course, in Super Bowls.
Yes, it’s weird. No, the NFL probably won’t change it anytime soon.
Super Bowl LV or Super Bowl 55? Should the NFL continue to use Roman numerals?
Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes? Can Tampa Bay’s defense slow Kansas City’s powerful offense?
These are among the hottest debate topics heading into Sunday’s big game, but here’s another discussion you can have while sitting around the vegetable tray with family and friends (socially distanced, of course): Is it Super Bowl LV or Super Bowl 55?
The NFL always uses Roman numerals to define each Super Bowl, the only exception being Super Bowl 50 between the Panthers and Broncos (that would have been “Super Bowl L”). However, some media outlets use standard numbers (Super Bowl 55) when writing about the upcoming edition of the NFL’s championship game.
So, which is correct?
That’s a debate in itself.
In its promotions and marketing, the NFL continues to use Roman numerals. While those may add a classy touch on T-shirts and programs, many fans — this writer included — often lose track of which Super Bowl it is because we don’t have a Roman numeral handbook next to us during the game.
Super Bowl LI? XLII? XLVIII? That can get confusing and, if you were to say it out loud, you’d need a drink of water after. Plus, it’s a lot of work to sit in front of your TV and miss the first play back from a commercial break because you’re busy adding up the Roman numerals.
Something else to ponder: We don’t see the “World Series LII” or “NBA Finals 80.” The NFL sets itself apart by numbering its title game each year, but is it necessary?
Eh, probably not. But the NFL does it and probably will continue to do so, which means we’re stuck debating whether the league should use Roman numerals or regular numbers.
So, if you and your friends are tired of arguing about whether Brady is the greatest of all time, fear not: The Roman numerals versus standard numbers discussion is an evergreen debate topic.
Cast your vote
Justin Toscano is the Mets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Mets analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.
Email: toscanoj@northjersey.com
Twitter: @justinctoscano
What number is the Super Bowl this year? Explaining the NFL’s Roman numeral system for 2021
You’ve surely seen it everywhere you’ve looked as the Super Bowl approached: “LV.” Those two letters accompany this year’s Super Bowl everywhere, because it’s Super Bowl LV.
No, it’s not in Las Vegas, and what fun would that be during a global pandemic? Honestly, still probably pretty fun. Maybe not that safe, though.
Regardless, you’re here to know what that “LV” means, and you probably know that it’s a number being displayed in Roman numerals. But what number? And why Roman numerals? Why does the NFL do this to us?
There may never be an answer to why the NFL does what it does, but at least LV is a factual, easy answer, once you get to know Roman numerals.
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What number is the Super Bowl this year?
In Roman numerals, LV equals 55.
Roman numerals amount to addition and subtraction problems once you know what the individual symbols/letters represent. All numbers are represented by the following symbols:
I V X L C D M 1 5 10 50 100 500 1,000
LV is a relatively easy one. You take the L, which stands for 50, and since V is to its right, you add the 5 that V represents and get 55.
Where it can get trickier is when subtraction comes into play like in last year’s Super Bowl LIV. There, you start with the 50, but since a smaller value I is to the left of the larger value V, you subtract that 1 value from the 5 value. So IV represents the value 4, and since it’s to the right of the larger L meaning 50, it adds up to 54.
Thankfully, LV is a simple one, and the next three Super Bowls should be, too. Super Bowls LVI, LVII and LVIII all just allow you to add up left-to-right with the L for 50, V for 5 and the I for 1.
Roman numerals chart
(SN illustration) https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/61/e5/roman-numerals-012020_1m8zg7tfwr9y61kgay8zqylk9q.jpg?t=-216531641&w=500&quality=80
Why does the Super Bowl use Roman numerals?
The NFL began using Roman numerals to refer to Super Bowls starting with the fifth Super Bowl, which took place in January 1971. Here is the explanation from the NFL’s media guide:
“The Roman numerals were adopted to clarify any confusion that may occur because the NFL championship game — the Super Bowl — is played in the year following a chronologically recorded season. Numerals I through IV were added later for the first four Super Bowls.”
So that explains why the NFL doesn’t refer to each Super Bowl by year. The 2020 regular season features its Super Bowl in 2021, for example.
What’s less obvious from that explanation is why the NFL doesn’t just use the numerals — known as Arabic — we’re all used to. Super Bowl 55, for example, just means its the 55th Super Bowl and doesn’t have anything to do with 2020, 2021 or 2055 for that matter. That seems like it’d be straightforward enough.
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What about Super Bowl 50?
In 2014, the NFL announced Super Bowl 50 would be displayed with Arabic numerals instead of Roman numerals. It was a logical one-year exception, because who would’ve wanted to play in Super Bowl L?
“When we developed the Super Bowl XL logo, that was the first time we looked at the letter L,” NFL vice president of brand and creative Jaime Weston said at the time. “Up until that point, we had only worked with X’s, V’s and I’s. And, at that moment, that’s when we started to wonder: What will happen when we get to 50?”
The league returned to Roman numerals for Super Bowl 51 (LI). The next three Super Bowls to be played in years that only feature one letter would be scheduled as Super Bowls 100, 500 and 1,000 — Super Bowls C, D and M, respectively. Otherwise, it’ll be multiple letters depicting Roman numeral values for each Super Bowl going forward.
Anything to keep the Roman Empire alive, right?