Cold Weather Super Bowl Could Be A Disaster
BOSTON (CBS) - We're 45 days away from Super Bowl XLVIII in the New Jersey Meadowlands, and with two snow storms having already touched down in the north east the NFL is starting to roll out its contingency plan in the event of inclement weather.
During a press conference yesterday outside MetLife Stadium, NFL VP of Events Frank Supovitz discussed a number of different scenarios the league is facing and what they will do to counter the elements.
There's multiple possibilities and quite frankly they're all bad - especially if you're a fan with tickets to the game. The most watched television event of the year could be played a day earlier, re-scheduled for Monday or Tuesday night OR get pushed back into the following weekend.
Could you imagine being a fan from out of state that's already booked a hotel room having to find another hotel for the following weekend?
CBS New York: NFL VP: 'Let It Snow' At Super Bowl - Just Not Too Much
Or what about if the subways are shut down and public transpiration screeches to a halt, how would one get to East Rutherford then?
It would be a nightmare.
"It's a huge commitment for the fans, once in a lifetime. Send these fans to New Orleans or San Diego - some place warm," said Sports Hub host Mike Flynn.
Aside from the logistical issues in dealing with the possibility of a re-scheduled game, former player and 11-year NFL veteran Mike Flynn hates the idea of a cold weather Super Bowl in general.
He explained why on Thursday morning.
"Best case scenario if everything's perfect the game time temperature is what, 20 degrees? At some point in that game the field will freeze up - it's going to happen quick and be slippery and cold," said Flynn.
"I don't know why they would ever have it at an outdoor stadium [in cold weather]. The beauty of the playoffs is that you get to have a homefield advantage in Gillette Stadium with the snow coming down, that's great I'm all for that. But the Super Bowl is totally different."
"It should be mild weather, and besides rain there should be no weather issues. It should be a clean game with a perfect field. That's the way it should be," concluded Flynn.
Ryan Johnston's worst case scenario is that it actually works - that the Super Bowl goes off without a hitch and more northern cities place bids to host the game.
"If there is no catastrophe, if there's no big snow storm - if the weather is cold but nothing disrupts the flow of the game then more of these cities are going to get this thing. They're going to talk about Philadelphia, they're going to talk about Foxboro - or Chicago! That's not good for the league," said Ryan Johnston.
Listen below:
