2014 Super Bowl faces potential weather threats, NFL could postpone the game
Fans sit in the snow covered seats before a game between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets at Ralph Wilson Stadium. (Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports)
Snow, snow stay away…
Next year’s Super Bowl is scheduled to come to the New York Giants and New York Jets’ home, MetLife Stadium. The outdoor stadium is the perfect accommodation for the massive crowd the Super Bowl draws, seating over 80,000 people, but its location in a cold climate could present a challenge for the NFL.
According to the report by Sport Business Daily, the NFL is developing several contingency plans should snow be in the forecast, including postponing the game several days, or even playing on the prior Saturday. The league is also developing plans to account for the possibility of a nor’easter, which could potentially shut the entire area down.
Initial concerns of keeping the quarterbacks’ hands warm have shifted to concerns of the weather’s potential effects on viewership and revenue. The Sports Business Daily notes that if the weather causes a delay in the game time, not only will flight plans and hotel accommodations be affected, but fewer people may tune in to watch the game. The weather has yet to deter ticket sales which are in high demand along with other perks surrounding the game. One company that offers “on-site Super Bowl hospitality packages” has been taking deposits since last October and other sponsors are “predicting record-high prices for both [tickets and hospitality].”
While this is not the first time the Super Bowl will be held in a northern state, past games have typically been played in indoor-stadiums which have protected both players and spectators from the elements. With all the media coverage and revenue involved with this multi-day event the NFL better pray that Jack Frost stays away.
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