Anti-domestic violence PSA starts a conversation during the Super Bowl

WATCH ABOVE: A new public service announcement that aired during the Super Bowl is tackling the issue of domestic violence. As Tracy Nagai reports, it has a lot of people talking.

CALGARY- The Super Bowl is always the highlight of the year for the NFL.

“I’ve been a fan for about 20 years. My dad was a Packers fan and I started cheering for them just to piss ’em off,” said one fan.

But the last 12 months have been filled with low lights for the league with several players embroiled in domestic abuse scandals.

A new public service ad, promoted by the NFL, is tackling the issue and aired during the big game.

It had a lot of people talking on Super Bowl Sunday as they sat back with friends and enjoyed the game, cheering for their favourite team.

In the ad, a woman makes a call to 911 but pretends to be ordering a pizza because her abuser is in the room.

“Okay, is everything okay over there? Is this an emergency or not? “

“Yes.”

“And you’re unable to talk because?”

The NFL donated both air time and funds to produce the commercial, following two high profile domestic abuse cases involving Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson.

“The NFL is a microcosm, although on a major stage you hear them so often talk of the integrity of the shield,” said James Brown, the host of NFL Today.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The NFL is a microcosm, although on a major stage you hear them so often talk of the integrity of the shield," said James Brown, the host of NFL Today.

“I do think that awareness is starting to increase. It’s not just about the NFL domestic violence knows no boundaries,”  said Maggie MacKillop from HomeFront.

In recent months, there have been several tragic cases of domestic violence in Alberta, including the shooting deaths of eight people in Edmonton and the discovery of Lisa Mitchell’s remains in a southeast Calgary home.

“It doesn’t just happen overnight. Domestic violence is about power and control and these things subtly change individuals,” MacKillop said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It doesn't just happen overnight. Domestic violence is about power and control and these things subtly change individuals," MacKillop said.

HomeFront works with the police and other agencies to help families dealing with domestic violence. The hope is campaigns like these will get people involved.

“It’s just important to check in and ask people if they’re okay,” MacKillip said. “If we can impact one person reaching out in getting the help that they need, it’s worth it.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's just important to check in and ask people if they're okay," MacKillip said. "If we can impact one person reaching out in getting the help that they need, it's worth it."