The Big Game on the Big Stage: Is the Super Bowl Headed To New York?

It was an idea floated all the way back in 2001 after the September 11th terrorist attacks, and now almost ten years and one brand new state of the art stadium later, it’s finally gaining some traction.

New York is a candidate for a Super Bowl.

Well, to be technical, New Meadowlands Stadium is located across the Hudson River in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a little over ten miles outside of Manhattan.

But still, there’s no doubt how Super Bowl XLVIII (48 for those that don't do well with Roman numerals) would be marketed if it were to be played in the shared home of the Giants and Jets.

It would be the New York Super Bowl. The biggest media event played in the country’s media mecca. It seems like the perfect fit.

Only problem?

The Super Bowl takes place in February and anyone that’s ever been in the metropolitan area during the winter knows it can be a little chilly and blustery to say the least.

The NFL has a strict rule in place that it’s biggest game be played in either a climate greater than 50 degrees or an indoor facility. However, that rule has been waived for this year’s vote considering the unique special circumstances that a Super Bowl in the Big Apple presents.

It’s not a done deal for New York, but things are looking well heading into Tuesday’s vote for the 2014 extravaganza. The city will need votes from twenty-two other franchises to make the bid a reality, but the consensus seems to be strong that New York will get enough yays when the owners meet in Dallas.

Who is the competition? Tampa and Miami, who have a combined fourteen years of Super Bowl hosting experience between them (Tampa with four, Miami with ten).

With the exception of the weather, New York seems to have everything else going for it.

The NFL has shown a willingness to grant Super Bowl bids to cities breaking in new facilities in recent years. This is evidenced by Dallas and Indianapolis, who have both opened new stadiums in the last two years, hosting the league’s next two title games.

The future home of both the Giants and Jets, New Meadowlands Stadium, is already considered one of the top venues in the NFL as it readies to open this fall. The seating capacity is listed at 82,500, making it the third largest in the league, and fans will have the benefit of state of the art technology such as four 30 x 118 foot HD video display boards to keep them entertained.

Another key selling point is that the game would not only provide a unique opportunity for the league, it would also help raise over $500 million for New Jersey and New York, who are both experiencing tough economic times.

It seems like a win-win situation for both the league and the city. Now all it's going to take is the owners getting over the weather hurdle.

It has been a plan almost a decade in the making for a city ready to show it's resiliency and now it could finally come to fruition in just a matter of days.