The action on the field, the TV ads, and the halftime show may be getting the attention, but all of those events that make the Super Bowl such a big night require professionals to pull them off.

Here’s a look at seven career paths that help make the Super Bowl such a huge event.

1. Advertising: During the Super Bowl and the morning after, fans and viewers will be talking about the best TV ads and complaining about the bad ones. When the ads are memorable (remember the Betty White and Snickers ad from 2010 that contributed to the 90 year old’s surge in popularity?), it means ad directors and account managers have done their jobs well by bringing attention to their clients.

2. Catering: I’m still setting my Super Bowl Sunday menu, and in the midst of planning, I was blissfully dreaming of using a caterer for game-worthy grub. It’s not going to happen, but plenty of parties are employing caterers to concoct football-inspired appetizers and desserts for the big game.

3. Sports management: Earning your bachelor’s degree in sports management can lead to a variety of career options, such as helping organize big events like the Super Bowl or the Olympics, the World Cup. You can also work for everyone from professional teams to nonprofits. Some graduates work with professional athletes who are involved in charitable efforts or with teams’ fundraising efforts. Others are involved with ticket sales, plan stadium events and promotions, work with the media, recruit players and coaches, and make sure teams comply with league rules.

4. Athletic training: The professionals running out onto the field when a player is hurt can include athletic trainers, who often hold a master’s or doctoral degree. Athletic trainers provide treatment to players before, during, and after the games to help prevent and treat injuries. Other professionals, such as massage therapists, also are used by players.

5. Event planning: Celebrity-studded events are part of Super Bowl week, with some throwing their own bashes and others attending events hosted by magazines and companies. It takes a hoard of event planners to make the events happen – and to create the “it” bash.

6. Video production: Professionals with training in video production are crucial, not just for the Super Bowl (imagine being responsible for hitting the delay button if Madonna’s halftime show gets too risqué?), but for other TV events like Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl or “The Voice,” which appears after the Super Bowl.

7. Journalism: Swarms of media – reporters and editors for websites, TV and radio stations, newspapers, magazines, and wire services – are part of the Super Bowl crowd, covering the teams and madness for their readers. More than 5,000 members of the media received credentials to attend this year’s Media Day, with access to the players, and that’s before the actual reporting on the game.

That’s only a few of Super Bowl-related professions – let us know what others you see when watching the big game!

-Lori Johnston