A dust storm that "ripped across" the Phoenix area yesterday
caused workers to halt construction of the NFL Experience north
of Sun Devil Stadium and destroyed several awnings inside the
stadium. Dave Newman, Senior Dir of NFL Properties, said the
storm will not prevent the NFL Experience from opening Friday
(ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/18).... Even after many airlines reported
adding extra seats in and out of Phoenix for the days before and
after the Super Bowl, most flights are booked and remaining seats
are "close to full fare." However, Phoenix and Tucson-area
residents are being offered very low fares for travel out of the
area before the game and back to AZ afterwards (ARIZONA DAILY
STAR, 1/18)....USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand reports the lack of
limousines in the Phoenix area could leave consumers "faced with
a shortage so severe it could rattle society's elite." Hiestand
notes there were 800 limos parked outside Super Bowl XXIX in
Miami, but only 150 in the entire Phoenix area (USA TODAY,
1/18)....Residents who live near Sun Devil Stadium plan on
charging up to $50 for parking on their property during the game.
Around half of the 20,000 parking spaces made available by the
Host Committee will be reserved for ticket holders (ARIZONA
REPUBLIC, 1/18)....Pittsburgh as the designated home team in the
game will wear their black home jerseys, Dallas will wear white.
Pittsburgh is 3-0 in Super Bowls wearing black, Dallas is 4-2
wearing white. Ticket brokers are asking from $1,050 to $4,000
for seats to the game (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/18) ....Ocean Spray
will sponsor the TableTop Football National Championships on
Saturday. The winners will receive $10,000 scholarship for their
school and tickets to Super Bowl XXX (Ocean Spray).
ADVERTISING NEWS & NOTES: Subway, which is a first-time
Super Bowl advertiser, has purchased one 30-second spot in the
3rd quarter, in which the company will feature its current $.96
meatball sub deal. The company will air a new commercial during
the spot (THE DAILY)....NTN Communications will poll Super Bowl
viewers playing the interactive football game QB1 about their
favorite commercials during the game. During the two-minute
warning, viewers/players will be asked to rate the commercials at
3,000 bars and via America Online. The winner will receive NTN's
first annual award for best Super Bowl commercial. ... Seven-
year-old Trent South of Sherman, TX, won the national competition
to sing the Oscar Mayer Bologna Song in a commercial that will
premiere during halftime. ... Mail Boxes Etc., a first-time Super
Bowl advertiser, will air its spot featuring the driver of the
Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. In the spot the driver will be shown
to depend on Mail Boxes Etc. for on-the-road business needs (AD
AGE ONLINE, 1/18)....This morning's "Super Bowl Ad Watch" in USA
TODAY features Chrysler-Plymouth's three 30-second spots airing
in the 1st quarter. Plymouth will feature its new Breeze
subcompact line, showing how carmakers "employed lessons learned
in kindergarten" during the production. C-P will also run its
"Popcorn" ad that is currently airing (USA TODAY, 1/18).
