Super Bowl City, a free “fan village” in S.F., will "close down the easternmost stretch of Market Street and fill Justin Herman Plaza in the eight days leading up to" Super Bowl 50, according to Heather Knight of the S.F. CHRONICLE. The city is "expected to add more public transportation to the area and reroute the historic F-line streetcars, as well as provide additional police protection." Details of the fan village "are still being worked out, but it is expected to include food and drink vendors, corporate sponsors’ exhibits and family-friendly events." It will also be the "staging ground" for CBS to "broadcast live from Justin Herman Plaza throughout the week." The bocce ball courts there will be "temporarily covered to create a football field that will serve as a backdrop for the CBS shows." Notable buildings in the area, including the Embarcadero Center and the Ferry Building, will "either be wrapped with Super Bowl logos or have logos projected onto them." S.F. Bay Area Super Bowl Host Committee CEO Keith Bruce said that the eight-day stretch is "longer than previous Super Bowl fan villages, giving locals a few days to enjoy it before the hordes converge from around the country midweek." The previously announced that the NFL Experience "will be housed at Moscone Center" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/22). In San Jose, Patrick May notes the village is "expected to draw more than a million visitors" over eight days. Organizers also "unveiled the village's logo: The words Super Bowl embedded in the word 'city' in gold, uppercase letters, each filled" with S.F. icons like the Bay Bridge, Coit Tower and the Ferry Building (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 4/22).
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: In S.F., Ron Leuty noted the past three Super Bowls "opened their fan experience events on the Wednesday before the game." Host Committee Chair Daniel Lurie said that the early opening is "thanks in large part to a large group of sponsors" that will be featured in Super Bowl City, including Google, Intel, Kaiser Permanente, Chevron and Yahoo. Bruce said that early corporate support "allowed the host committee to 'anticipate' opening Super Bowl City early and for free" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/21).
