If Your Team Is In The Super Bowl, You'll Probably Get The Flu

Sorry to rain on your week, Panthers and Broncos fans, but according to a recent study, the flu-virus mortality rate is noticeably higher among residents in cities where teams play in the Super Bowl in any given year.

I know, what the real f*ck?

The American Journal of Health Economics published the findings, which, using statistics from 1974 to 2009, revealed areas with teams participating in the Super Bowl experienced an 18 percent increase in deaths caused by the flu when compared to those same cities in years their teams weren't in the Super Bowl, as well as other non-Super Bowl locations.

This fact may seem odd to wrap your head around, but if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. The Super Bowl is held during peak flu season. If your team is in the Super Bowl, you're more likely to attend a Super Bowl party where you're in close contact with a large number of people.

How easy is it for the flu to spread?

Someone already infected with the virus can spread the illness through his or her saliva, be it by coughing or sneezing. Heck, someone can spread the flu just by talking within 6 feet of another person. I don't know about you, but I usually have a conversation with someone from about 3 feet away, max.

Panthers and Broncos fans may want to think carefully about where they watch the big game on Sunday. They may also want to see if NFL.com is selling team-themed sterile bubbles.

Citations: Your Team Made the Super Bowl? Better Get a Flu Shot (The New York Times)