Though there will be plenty of rap-inspired team anthems (Wiz Khalifa's Black and Yellow and Lil' Wayne's new Green and Yellow), Super Bowl XLV will be the first championship game in 45 years without cheerleaders.

The teams facing off in this year's championship game, the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, are two of six NFL teams without their own cheerleading squad. According to a report by Fox Sports, the Packers got rid of their cheerleaders in 1988 after market research indicated no one really cared about the performing gals, while the Steelers eliminated their professional cheerleaders in 1970 for reasons unknown.

Will anyone care, or even notice, the absence of cheerleaders at the big name? Not likely, said L.A.-based sports expert Larry Tobin.

"I have always felt as though cheerleaders were entertainment for people who weren't really there for the game," Tobin told Fox Sports. "I honestly couldn't have told you that there were cheerleaders at any of the Super Bowl games I've been to. I would bet that, if it wasn't a news story, people at the game wouldn't have even known they weren't there."

While there won't be any cheerleaders inside the Cowboys Stadium on Sunday, it wasn't for lack of trying. According to Cowboys cheerleader, Carey DePasquale the Cowboys tried, but failed, to get their ladies inside for the big game.

"The NFL just won't let us," DePasquale told the Kansas City Star. "They've covered up every star, every Dallas Cowboys logo. We'll be performing outside before the game."

Super Bowl II, in 1968, was the last time the championship game did not have any NFL cheerleaders. Super Bowl XLV kicks off this Sunday at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Tags: super bowl xlv, nfl cheerleaders
Categories: Sports