The New York/New Jersey Super Bowl Host Committee, which was responsible for organizing last year's game at MetLife Stadium, "took in and spent" just over $81M -- "more than twice the amount being raised in Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX," according to financial filings cited by Ted Sherman of the Newark STAR-LEDGER. Separately, state and other agencies spent at least $36.9M "in public funds to help move fans, prepare for possible snow removal, and provide layers of security -- costs that were not reimbursed by the committee or the NFL." The league has acknowledged that it was "the most expensive Super Bowl ever played," at "well over" $100M. Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee spokesperson Kathleen Mascarenas said that the organization "expects to raise" $30M for this year's game. Sherman noted the $81M spent by the N.Y./New Jersey committee "went to support activities ranging from media events and Super Bowl Boulevard in New York, to charity and marshaling volunteers." He cited the filings as showing that "in the yearlong lead-up" to Super Bowl XLVIII, the committee spent $7.8M "in salaries" in '13 alone. Committee President & CEO Alfred Kelly earned $3.6M "in compensation and benefits for that year," including $1M "in deferred compensation." Exec VP/Sales Mark Bingham "was paid $610,497," and Senior VP/Philanthropy Richard Petriccione "received $312,548" (NJ.com, 1/25). Meanwhile, CBS' David Begnaud reports Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers is "questioning the money-making potential" of Super Bowl XLIX. He said, “If you looked in the till at the end of the day, I think you'll have less money in it than came in.” When Glendale hosted the Super Bowl in '08, the city "estimates it lost $1.6 million." The biggest expense "then and now: public safety … and that is just one in a list of expenses a city has to accept when it wins the chance to host the world’s largest single-day event.” Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said, “If you want to be in the Super Bowl hosting business, there's not a lot of negotiation that goes on with the NFL. They have certain requirements but I believe as mayor it's certainly worthwhile for us to put our best face forward to the rest of the world.” Begnaud said the “greatest benefit to Glendale may be the public exposure in front of a worldwide audience.” ("CBS This Morning Saturday,” 1/24).
BARGAIN HUNTING: USA TODAY's Josh Peter notes the $30M being spent on this year's game is "a relative bargain," as S.F., the host for the 50th Super Bowl next year in Santa Clara, Calif., "expects to spend more than" $50M. Last year, New Jersey and N.Y. "spent a combined" $70M hosting the game. There is "concern in cities such as New Orleans, which has hosted 10 Super Bowls." SMG Exec VP/Stadiums & Arenas Doug Thornton, whose company manages the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, said, "The cost to cities for all of these major events has skyrocketed in the past 15 years. Soon certain cities may priced out." Peter notes as the NFL's "requirements grew, so did the Super Bowl host committees budgets -- with the money used to pay game-related expenses and the committee's own operational expenses." Former NFL Senior VP/Events Frank Supovitz said that the "budget range for host committees grew" from as little as $12M to as much as $50M between his joining the league in '05 and departing last year. Supovitz "declined to disclose the league's budget for the Super Bowl," but he "said the league's expenses far exceeds the money it gets from the host committees" (USA TODAY, 1/26).
TEXAS TOAST? In Ft. Worth, Gil Lebreton writes Texas-sized expectations for Super Bowl XLV at AT&T Stadium "fell prey to freak weather and thorough planning that included (oops) too many tickets but not enough snow plows." It ended up "like the Atlanta Olympics." Now, no one "seems to know yet when the NFL will be back." It cost the North Texas host committee a reported $39M "to win the bid and stage" the February '11 game. A "blessed chunk of the reimbursement for that came from the state’s Major Events Trust Fund." But it "takes money to bid and win these Super Bowl host things." It "takes manpower and salaries and a bid strategy, which is hard to do when you have a big ego in town who thinks he just has to wait for his phone to ring." Except the NFL "hasn’t called" Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones back yet (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/26).
