Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium was "successful enough for the NFL to consider the 49ers for a future bid," as the Bay Area's "two-pronged approach to hosting the big event seems to have worked," according to Ann Killion of the S.F. CHRONICLE. S.F. hosted "all the fun," including the NFL Experience and Super Bowl City, while fans then attended the game "48 miles away in a brand-new stadium." However, despite the success of the past week, the new Inglewood stadium that is scheduled to open in '19 "will create more Super Bowl competition within California" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/8). Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio disagreed, saying he has a "feeling this is the one-and-done quid-pro-quo if you build a new stadium, you get a Super Bowl." Florio: "There’s been no buzz this week that, ‘Hey, the Super Bowl has to come back to San Francisco.’ ... The city doesn’t feel like a Super Bowl city." He added the NFL likely will not "want to associate such an important brand with a city that’s disjointed." He said, "The stadium is so far away. ... Not an ideal, by far, Super Bowl location” (“PFT,” NBC Sports Network, 2/5).
MINNY HAPPY RETURNS: In Minneapolis, Rochelle Olson noted Super Bowl LII in ’18 will be at the Vikings' new U.S. Bank Stadium, and local residents wondering what to expect "can start by picturing a longer, stronger, louder version” of the ‘14 MLB All-Star Game at Target Field. The Minneapolis Host Committee is “planning for 1 million visitors from the Saturday to the Thursday” before the game. Host Committee CEO Maureen Bausch said that she “envisions using both Nicollet Mall and Loring Park for Super Bowl City.” While venues for other events “are not yet determined, the Minneapolis Convention Center and St. Paul’s RiverCentre are obvious choices for something.” Bausch added that the Mall of America is “likely to become a party venue in addition to a shopping destination” and St. Paul has “committed to building an ice castle.” Planners said that Minnesota’s venues “must be covered, heated and/or indoors” due to the threat of extreme winter weather. However, with the game's theme being "Bold North," organizers "will embrace the climate.” Olson noted law enforcement also “has been scouting out” how S.F. handled the festivities. Minneapolis Deputy Police Chief Bruce Folkens “has been in town, along with three other law enforcement representatives from Minnesota.” Folken said that logistically, “security will be easier in the Twin Cities.” He said, “We’re going to be really lucky in Minnesota not having the venues 40 miles apart” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/7).
GOING HOLLYWOOD? In California, Todd Harmonson noted the NFL opted for L.A.-area Super Bowls seven times “in the first 27 years of the game, tied with New Orleans and one ahead of Miami in that stretch.” It was "no mystery that the league wanted a) a fun destination and, b) preferably one with great winter weather.” That was before Super Bowls “turned into carrots dangled in front of cities debating funding stadium improvements and the focus was on ideal settings.” With the Rams relocating from St. Louis, the “soonest Inglewood can get one” is ‘21. Harmonson: “Count on it happening then and on a regular basis going forward.” L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said that the day after the Rams’ return was official NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell “told him to start working on a bid for the Super Bowl” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 2/7).
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY: Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts said that it is “time for Charlotte to renew its conversation about hosting a Super Bowl.” In Charlotte, Mark Washburn noted the key to “making a bid for the NFL title game would be finding a way to raise millions in corporate support and ensuring the number of hotel rooms that the league would require.” Roberts: “It is not outside the realm of possibility to bid on the Super Bowl in 2020 or 2025.” Roberts on Friday met with S.F. Mayor Ed Lee, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to “talk about how the Bay area organized its preparation for the Super Bowl.” Houston hosts next season’s Super Bowl (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/7).
LONE STAR: In Dallas, Jeff Mosier wrote it will be “at least a decade before there’s any chance of the NFL returning” to AT&T Stadium. The most recent batch of Super Bowl hosts has been “dominated by new stadiums and old standards -- New Orleans and Florida.” Half of the 20 Super Bowls leading up to the ‘18 game “were or will be in new stadiums.” Still, “memories of those North Texas troubles -- some preventable and some not -- linger” from ‘11. That year, the region was “paralyzed early in Super Bowl XLV week by an unusually vicious ice storm.” One halftime show worker was “seriously injured by snow falling from the stadium roof, and so was a news photographer.” The NFL last year “lost a lawsuit filed by fans who were displaced or delayed getting into the stadium when about 1,200 temporary seats couldn’t be completed in time.” More lawsuits are “in the pipeline.” A future Super Bowl at AT&T Stadium would “probably have fewer temporary seats” and the NFL would “almost certainly supervise the seating installation rather than giving that job to the Cowboys” like in ’11. Former NFL Senior VP/Events Frank Supovitz, who presided over the game in ’11, last year said that he could “see a return to Arlington after this current wave of new stadiums have hosted” (DALLASNEWS.com, 2/5). In Ft. Worth, Gil LeBreton wrote the NFL has “adopted a handshake policy of rewarding its municipalities who come forward and help build new football venues.” That is how Minneapolis was “able to jump the line ahead of legacy host New Orleans” and get the ‘18 game. New stadiums in Detroit and Indianapolis "were also rewarded with Super Bowls,” in ’06 and ’12, respectively (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/7).
