The drama unfolded in Irving, Texas at the NFL Spring Owner’s Meetings like a real football game. Three proposals for Super Bowl XLVIII in February of 2014 stood against a round of votes, with South Florida being eliminated in the second round of votes. New York/New Jersey then faced off against Tampa Bay and neither would get the required 24 out of 32 votes in Round Three. No, this one would go all the way to the fourth quarter.
All that it takes in the fourth round is a majority to get the nod and the Big Apple prevailed. That set off a celebration that stretched all the way to Times Square, where the crowd of bystanders watched it on the big screen from a live NFL Network feed. This will be the first Super Bowl to be played outdoors in a cold-climate area and that is the way that Woody Johnson likes it.
“We hope it snows,” the Jets owner said on the NFL Network. “It will be a lot of fun planning. It’s the largest event in the world and New York has never had one this big. I like doing things for the first time along with my great partners.”
His partners in building the New Meadowlands Stadium and being on the Super Bowl committee included Giants owners Steve Tisch and John Mara. “We approached it as partners,” said Tisch. “We achieved a common goal. To get the support of the other 30 owners was an amazing experience.”
Added Mara, “It’s going to be great for New York, New Jersey and the NFL.”
When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked about the potential weather for the game, he said with a smile, “This is football. It isn’t beach volleyball.” Although hissoner made light of the situation, that was the biggest hurdle for Gotham to be awarded the Big Game. As a matter of fact, the NFL waived a rule to ensure good weather for the event to allow NY/NJ to put together a proposal in the first place.
So now the obvious is going to be asked over and over. If New York is going to hold one, what about the other cities on the east coast? “I think we opened the door for a lot of possibilities,” was the way Tisch summed it up. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has already stated that the nation’s capital should get a Super Bowl if New York did or not and how could anyone not want to see a game like that played on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field?
By the NFL owners showing that the Super Bowl is more than just fun in the sun today, we may have many wonderful experiences ahead.