When was this? I’m 44 and don’t remember any time people were allowed to throw around Super Bowl without permission. I’ve watched the game long enough that “express written permission of commissioner Rozelle and the NFL” is one word in my brain. So you’ll need to show such a thing actually happened. Meanwhile vigorous defense has caused a number of trademarks do go away, it’s how Bill Watterson lost control of Calvin and Hobbes, here’s another case ( http://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverherzfeld/2013/02/28/failure-to-enforce-trademarks-if-you-snooze-do-you-lose/ ). That is the reality of the situation and your declaring it “pious baloney” doesn’t change those facts but does show your lack of same.
The use of the name Super Bowl to describe the championship of pro football predates the official adoption of the name for what was originally the NFL AFL Championship Game. Of course that was before you were born:-)
For many years “win a free trip to the Super Bowl” promotions were everywhere both nationally and in local ads. These promos had no connection to the NFL. This whole “Big Game” nonsense came down the pike later. Maybe when you were a teenager. Once the Super Bowl hit huge is when the NFL started throwing their weight around.