While millions of people around the world watched from homes, bars, and restaurants, nearly 66,000 people witnessed the Super Bowl from the stands of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

Two of those people will be Reginald Castilla and his wife.

Photo by Kenny Bunch/Blue & White Flash

Reginald Castilla

On nfl.com/superad, Castilla tells how he would sneak out of church to see scores of football games in his father’s Lincoln Continental.

“I went through a lot to really stay in touch with the NFL,” says Castilla on his entry slated to be shown on a commercial before the Super Bowl.

The selection process was long, as fans all over the world voted for the story they wanted to be on the commercial since Nov. 20. The contest, sponsored by the NFL and Samsung, took the top 48 vote-getters into the first two rounds of competition. Following those rounds, the final round featured nine stories, and as the contest ended on Jan. 4, the winner was declared --  Mississippi native Reginald Castilla.

“I’m very excited to be going,” said Castilla in an interview during the week before the game. “My wife and I are flying to Tampa on Thursday. We have been doing a lot of interviews and will do more with Samsung and the NFL. But it has been great.”

Undoubtedly overjoyed about the opportunity to attend a game that many never get the chance to attend, Castilla was a little unhappy his favorite team could not make it to the big game.

“I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan, so I wish they could have gone (to the Super Bowl),” said Castilla, who received a jersey and hoodie from the Cowboys, who heard of his story and that he had won the contest. “But I’m just excited that I’m going to be in that atmosphere.”

However, Castilla was well aware of the type of game he is going to be watching on Sunday.

“It’s going to be a good match-up between two young head coaches, going to the Super Bowl for the first time. It’s a high-powered offense versus a great defense,” stated Mr. Castilla.

Castilla said he would be rooting for the Steelers in support of Pittsburgh cornerback Deshea Townsend, a graduate of South Panola High School in Batesville, Miss.

Castilla’s commercial was scheduled to be aired between during the pregame show prior to Super Bowl XLIII.

Kenny Bunch writes for the Blue & White Flash, the Jackson State University student newspaper, which provided this article.