Drexel Alumni Dedicates Super Bowl 53 to Disabled Vets

For many, Super Bowl weekend means cheering for their favorite team, eating delicious food and crowding around in front of a big screen. This year, for Daniel Pell, it meant making a difference in his community.

Daniel Pell ’18 decided to apply to volunteer for Super Bowl LIII because he believes in the power of sports to bring people together and help create change in the community. After completing a project on sports economics during the last year of his graduate studies that focused on the impact of the sports industry on local communities, Pell was moved by the ability of sports to develop cities as he had seen through studying sports complexes in Atlanta.

The project came full circle when Pell was selected as a volunteer for TeamATL, helping to create events for Super Bowl weekend. For Pell, the experience drove home how the community and the leagues must work together during these events, observing how the community and Super Bowl Host Committee had to compromise and work together on different aspects of the weekend.

The standout moment for Pell was working with Operation Warrior Wishes, a nonprofit organization founded to honor disabled veterans at sporting events. Pell attended and provided support for events dedicated to the organization’s “warriors,” including the Celebrity Flag Football Challenge on Feb. 2.

“I am always excited to give back and help make a difference for veterans,” said Pell. “Whether it was through direct or indirect interactions with players, fans or other volunteers, TeamATL allowed me to be myself and be creative.”