TAMPA, Fla. — For 54 years, three men have never missed a Super Bowl, ever. 

“Here is my first six," said Tom Henschel, pointing to the first six Super Bowl tickets. "They were only 12 dollars a piece, 12, 12 and 12.” 

He is one of the few remaining members of the Never Miss A Super Bowl Club. The other two, Gregory Eaton, from Michigan and Don Crisman from New England. 

“I’ve always felt like a  VIP, I have always told everybody, I no problem getting tickets, because I am on their VIP list," said Henschel. "Because they always send me an invoice, I send them the money, that is how I get my tickets ya know, because they all know about us.” 

That is how it worked in recent years. With the groups popularity and national recognition gaining, Henschel said the NFL helped them by setting aside tickets, so the men in their 70s and 80s could pay face value. 

But thanks to the pandemic, that isn't happening this year.

In an email sent to Crisman by the NFL, it said in part, "Unfortunately, amidst the current environment and the uncertainty surrounding us in 2020. We are not in a position to offer you your group tickets for this years Super Bowl.” 

Which means, the Henschel, Eaton and Crisman have to now find tickets on their own, and the cost will be steep. 

For Crisman, add in the pandemic, and it looks like the streak of attending Super Bowls is coming to an end. At 85, the risk might outweigh the reward. 

“I am about to give up on Super Bowl 55," he said in an email to the other two. "My family is lobbying hard for me to not go even if a ticket was offered.”

But Henschel and Eaton still plan to attend, even though they do not have tickets yet. 

“I am going to be careful, I am waiting for the shot. I keep my mask on," said Eaton. “We are on the back forty. Ya know. Right. And that this will give us something to talk about for a whole year.”

The catch of it all is, if the men don't attend this year, the streak ends and with it the club. The number one rule is you have to go to each and every Super Bowl. This could be an end of an era. 

“I will get in, God help me, I don’t care what it is going to cost me, I have to be there," said Henschel determined. “I don’t care if I am in the last row in the end zone. I have to be in that game." 

We will continue to stay in contact with all three men, and will keep you updated on their choice in attendance to Super Bowl LV, in Tampa.