Why This Superbowl That Makes No Sense
The Superbowl at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey makes no sense. Sure, the NFL created huge fanfare about having a Superbowl at Metlife, mostly based on the fact that the location is near New York City. Most of the events planned will take place in New York City, not New Jersey. Most people attending the game will stay in New York. It's a New York event, and to the extent that New York is America's "greatest" city and a huge tourist attraction whith venues to accommodate every possible gathering, from the innocent to the degenerate, it's a super-perfect Superbowl venue, you'd think - at least from the NFL's point of view.
But the logic of it all begins to fall apart with the fact that the stadium has no dome - combined with date of the game. In these parts, January and February are prime snow time. And so the NFL quite logically anticipates the possible arrival of snow, or worse, a big snow storm. Now, those who believe this is "real football weather" really can't justify their view, since, for the most part, snow is rare in college and professional football. What's with this "real football weather" thing I can't say.
Next, even assuming there's no big storm, the cold weather presents a problem. Okay, so there have been football games played in extremely cold weather. And the players do the best they can. But what about the fans? For a normal game, fans show up shortly before the game begins, and leave any time they want. Even if they stay the whole time, they're out shortly after the game, which means they're there for, what, 3 hours or so. But the Superbowl requires fans to be in their seats two hours before game time - which means some of the 80,000 fans will be there even earlier, since you can's march 80,000 fans into the stadium all at one. Then there's the looooong (and usually boring) halftime show, with the game followed by the awarding of a trophy. So the fan is stuck in the stadium for what, 6 to 7 hours? That's a tough haul in a domed stadium, never mind being exposed to the elements.
I suspect this is why the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced he would sit in an outdoor seat rather than a box. That must be the league's way of acknowledging the issue of exposure to the elements. I'm sure fans will be comforted by the fact that the Commish is sitting there with them - one of "the people." (Hmmm...why do I think that you won't find Goodell sitting in his outdoor seat 2 hours before gametime?)
As it turns out, there's already talk about the NFL thinking this was not the best idea, as they once thought it was, now that they're reduced to watching weather forecasts and announcing that there's even a chance the game will be held the day before or the day after its scheduled date, based on weather.
Well, I suppose it will all come down to the NFL selling the game out and getting a big TV audience, just like all Superbowls do. And I imagine they will sell out and that the TV audience will be huge. It seems NFL fans will put up with just about anything.
But it still doesn't make sense.
LATE WEATHER UPDATE: Looks like fans lucked out and the weather will be upper 30s with no rain or snow: a bullet dodged by the NFL.
But the logic of it all begins to fall apart with the fact that the stadium has no dome - combined with date of the game. In these parts, January and February are prime snow time. And so the NFL quite logically anticipates the possible arrival of snow, or worse, a big snow storm. Now, those who believe this is "real football weather" really can't justify their view, since, for the most part, snow is rare in college and professional football. What's with this "real football weather" thing I can't say.
Next, even assuming there's no big storm, the cold weather presents a problem. Okay, so there have been football games played in extremely cold weather. And the players do the best they can. But what about the fans? For a normal game, fans show up shortly before the game begins, and leave any time they want. Even if they stay the whole time, they're out shortly after the game, which means they're there for, what, 3 hours or so. But the Superbowl requires fans to be in their seats two hours before game time - which means some of the 80,000 fans will be there even earlier, since you can's march 80,000 fans into the stadium all at one. Then there's the looooong (and usually boring) halftime show, with the game followed by the awarding of a trophy. So the fan is stuck in the stadium for what, 6 to 7 hours? That's a tough haul in a domed stadium, never mind being exposed to the elements.
I suspect this is why the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced he would sit in an outdoor seat rather than a box. That must be the league's way of acknowledging the issue of exposure to the elements. I'm sure fans will be comforted by the fact that the Commish is sitting there with them - one of "the people." (Hmmm...why do I think that you won't find Goodell sitting in his outdoor seat 2 hours before gametime?)
As it turns out, there's already talk about the NFL thinking this was not the best idea, as they once thought it was, now that they're reduced to watching weather forecasts and announcing that there's even a chance the game will be held the day before or the day after its scheduled date, based on weather.
Well, I suppose it will all come down to the NFL selling the game out and getting a big TV audience, just like all Superbowls do. And I imagine they will sell out and that the TV audience will be huge. It seems NFL fans will put up with just about anything.
But it still doesn't make sense.
LATE WEATHER UPDATE: Looks like fans lucked out and the weather will be upper 30s with no rain or snow: a bullet dodged by the NFL.
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