The “Super Bowl flu” could cost US businesses several billion dollars and waste nearly 108 million working hours collectively, according to a new study.
An estimated 54 million employed, alcohol-drinking Americans are expected to tune in Sunday to watch the Kansas City Chiefs go for a three-peat against the Philadelphia Eagles — with nearly 23 million expected to call out of the work the next day.
And if they do show up, they’re probably not working very hard. Whether viewers are toasting in celebration or drowning their sorrows, hungover workers are about 25% less productive and fumble about two hours of the workday, research shows.
The average US employee earns $222 per day so if they waste a quarter of that on company time on what has become known as “Super Sick Monday,” it will cost their employers about $55 per person, totaling a whopping $3 billion, online marketing site NetVoucherCodes found.
“It’s very easy to take things too far and find yourself hungover the next day which can severely reduce your productivity depending on the amount you’ve had to drink and how you handle your alcohol,” said Rebecca Bebbington, finance expert for the marketing service.
“A hangover can impair your performance, making it harder to concentrate, solve problems, or make sound decisions,” she added.
Meanwhile, millions don’t plan to touch down at their place of work on Feb. 10, with plans to call out altogether or use sick days after the Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts showdown, potentially costing businesses even more.
A record-breaking 22.6 million football fans anticipate missing work following Super Bowl LIX, up from 16.1 million last year and 18.8 million in 2023, according to a UKG-Harris poll.
An additional 12.9 million US employees will be saying their Hail Mary’s as they head into work late the morning after the big game.
And for many it’s not even a question — 36% admit they will be less productive than usual if they do go in, up from 30% last year.
That would all be solved if the Monday after the Super Bowl was a national holiday, which 43% of workers want to see happen, up from 37% in 2024.
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