The selection of Atlanta, South Florida and L.A. to host the '19-21 Super Bowls "maintains the recent cycle" of NFL owners "rewarding cities that have built new stadiums or renovated existing facilities with the lucrative financial reward of hosting" the game in return," according to Steve Reed of the AP. Super Bowl 50 in February was played in Santa Clara, Calif., after the 49ers built Levi's Stadium, while Minneapolis will host Super Bowl LII in '18 at U.S. Bank Stadium, which "opens this season." N.Y.-New Jersey, Indianapolis, Dallas and Detroit "all received Super Bowl bids in the past after spending millions on new stadiums." Rams Owner Stan Kroenke said, "It shows that the communities and the owners who are willing to make these investments and stick their necks out, if you will, that it is worthwhile and they believe in them long term" (AP, 5/24). Falcons Owner Arthur Blank said other team owners "realize to build a stadium today is a huge capital investment." Blank: "The message it also sends to communities that are considering other NFL stadiums, this is going to be important in terms of Super Bowls. A Super Bowl is -- if not the biggest event -- one of the biggest events in the world in terms of a sport opportunity. It's the right message" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/25).
REWARD SYSTEM: In Charlotte, Joseph Person notes the owners yesterday "sent a strong message" with its "awarding of three future Super Bowl sites: If you build it, they will come" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 5/25). NFL Network’s Dan Hellie said, “The formula for getting a Super Bowl seems pretty straightforward as of late. Build a new stadium, and you're going to get a Super Bowl." NFL Network’s Judy Battista: “If you have a new stadium -- or in the case of South Florida, a virtually new stadium given all the money that's been poured into renovations there -- you're probably going to get a Super Bowl. ... That's probably a signal to the stadiums that were left out of this to get moving on stadium renovations” ("NFL Total Access," NFL Network, 5/24). USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes the decisions "followed suit with typical NFL logic that extends its showcase game as a reward." Falcons President & CEO Rich McKay said, "One of the reasons you build stadiums is to continue to get the big events" (USA TODAY, 5/25).
LOSING ITS LUSTER: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted one of the main questions to come out of the vote concerns the future status of New Orleans as a Super Bowl host after the city lost its bid for the '19 game to Atlanta. Saints Exec Officer Gayle Benson "got up there and gave an impassioned plea to the ownership about bringing the Super Bowl back to New Orleans one more time," but that "obviously did not work, just like it did not work when Minnesota won out a couple years ago." Saints officials have promoted the use of $400M in public money to improve the Mercedes-Benz Superdome "over the last couple years." Rapoport: "Perhaps this is a sign that they need to do more to spruce up the Superdome to get themselves back in the mix” (“NFL Total Access,” NFL Network, 5/24).
ALREADY OUT OF FASHION? In Indianapolis, Brian Eason writes the "bias for all things new and shiny worked" in the city's favor when it hosted Super Bowl XLVI in '12. Lucas Oil Stadium just opened in '08, but "in the arms race that is the NFL," the venue is "beginning to look like ancient history" with regards of potentially hosting a second Super Bowl (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/25).
