Proposed bill: Should Super Bowl Monday become a holiday?

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The big game is just days away and after two lawmakers recently introduced legislation to make the day after the Super Bowl a holiday, many are thinking about the possibilities.

Whether you’re cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles or neither, Super Bowl Sunday is an excuse to have a good time.

“I am just excited for it. We are going to have it on,” said Emily Gorba, manager at Play It Again Sports Hendersonville.

But a bill introduced by Tennessee State Senator London Lamar and Representative Joe Towns Jr. may give football fans a chance to rest after celebrating.

“I don’t think I have missed any Super Bowls since I was a teenager,” said Brent Wenger, co-owner of Play It Again Sports Hendersonville.

Wenger believes a move like this could be good for business.

“I would definitely keep it open. When it is a federal holiday or state holiday, the activity in the stores is more like a weekend day,” Wenger explained.

The bill proposed would replace Columbus Day with Super Bowl Monday as a state holiday. However, Towns plans to amend it by just adding an additional holiday instead of taking the other away.

“In the upcoming final version of the bill, we won’t be replacing any other holidays. But with more than 16 million Americans expected to skip work the day after the Super Bowl and about eight million expected to ask for the day off in advance, we’re talking about a major hit to the workforce. My bill simply wants to examine giving the rest of us the day off,” Towns said. “Let’s face it. It doesn’t get much more American than the Super Bowl, and this is a bill that can unite both Democrats and Republicans since it’s already becoming more and more the norm to miss work the next day. Maybe we should just codify it or at least just talk about it.”

If passed, many would see the change as early as next year.

Copyright 2023 WSMV. All rights reserved.