According to NFL News, 162.9 million viewers tuned in to watch Super Bowl XLV Feb. 6, making it the most-watched show in U.S. television history. As many already know, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31 – 25. This competition was the first Super Bowl the Packers won since their victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI at the end of the 1996 season.

Approximately 122 of the AU students who cheered on the victory of the Packers received a 25 percent discount at the bookstore while the 93 AU students supporting the Steelers would have to wait until next year. However, about half of the students who chose the winning team did not redeem the discount. Those who did commonly bought clothing items like sweaters or shirts and especially the new Nike items featured in the bookstore.

About a tenth of the students at Ashland participated in the event, giving the event an average turnout compared to previous promotions. The biggest promotion the bookstore has done was the “5 Days of Christmas” sale this past December.

Deb Danals, the bookstore employee in charge of the promotion, explained that students enjoy doing an activity more than coming in and simply getting a discount.

The idea for the promotion originated from Pete Hood of The Cotton Exchange, who also financed the advertising and the two $50 gift cards given to the two closest estimations of the final score, both winners guessing 31 – 24 in favor of the Packers.

In terms of sales, this past week has been a very successful one for the bookstore. This is attributed to the combined total percent off from the Super Bowl promotion and the weekend Valentines promotion.

“In today’s market,” Danals said, “sales are a necessary evil. It is a way to entice people to come in and shop.”

Starting two years ago, the University bookstore increased the number of promotions to one or two a month in order to get students more involved in the bookstore.

This Super Bowl promotion was the first one of its kind ever done at the bookstore and also, according to Danals, the “first time to make someone do something to get the discount.”

The bookstore is still making a decision on doing this same promotion again for Super Bowl XLVI next year, which Danals said is a good possibility.