Super Bowl 2011: Power Ranking Every Super Bowl Venue
Super Bowl 2011 will be held at the Palace in Dallas, which happens to be located in Arlington.
Since the new Cowboy Stadium opened in 2009, Jerry Jones' creation has been called the "crowned jewel of sports entertainment."
This will be the first Super Bowl held in Big D, which is a bit surprising considering it's reputation as one of America's great cities, and even more surprising considering some of the other cities and stadiums that have held our annual football extravaganza.
We'll have to wait until next week when the media complains and/or praises the venue to know where it ranks among it's competitors. But for now let's take a look back at all the other places where the Super Bowl has been held.
And although the so-called true football fans love playing the game in "the elements" (rain, snow, or cold ) the Super Bowl is a bit of a special case. Bad weather outside or (especially) inside the stadium is going to bump a venue down on this list.
No. 19: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
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Where: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Super Bowls: XXVI
There's nothing wrong with Minneapolis. It's a fantastic city. And the Metrodome is a nice stadium for football; baseball not so much.
But Minnesota in late January? That is several hundred miles north of Detroit.
No. 18: Ford Field
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Where: Detroit, Michigan
Super Bowls: XL
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis didn't mind the location of the Detroit Super Bowl, but just about everyone else did. Steeler fans, however, liked that they could drive to the game rather than buy a ticket.
At some time in the past decade or two, the Super Bowl became more about the corporate VIPs and celebrity spectators than about the football fans. So having the Super Bowl in Detroit in February was almost a tragedy to them.
And the average fan who did get to go to the game, probably hoped the venue was a bit more exotic.
It was cold and snow, but at least Ford Field was a gorgeous stadium and the entire area (with Comerica Field right next door) was fresh and new.
No. 17: Silverdome
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Where: Pontiac, Michigan
Super Bowls: XVI
Detroit has a rich history as our the birthplace of the automobile industry. But it's not really the most glamorous town in the world.
Back in 1982, the Super Bowl wasn't as much of an "event" as it is today, so having it in Detroit was not quite as offensive to the glitterati as it would be today.
Still, considering that one of the 49ers team buses (the one that carried Joe Montana and Bill Walsh) was held up in traffic while Vice President George Bush's motorcade paralyzed the roads, the venue gets poor marks all around.
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No. 16: Alltell Stadium
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Where: Jacksonville, Florida
Super Bowls: XXXIX
Almost as much as Donovan McNabb throwing up, the poor choice of north Florida was on the minds of the media at Super Bowl XXXIX.
Although it was still Florida, for some reason many criticized the choice of Jacksonville. It rained most of the week and there were complaints about the city's infrastructure.
Still, the game can't be in LA or Miami every year, that would be boring. Having it in new places is vital to keeping the game fresh.
No. 15: Rice Stadium
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Where: Houston, Texas
Super Bowls: VIII
It's not fair to criticize the choice of this Super Bowl just because the game was played in a college stadium. After all, most Super Bowls have been played in a college stadium: the Orange Bowl, the Rose Bowl, the LA Coliseum, etc.
But Rice Stadium just seemed like an odd choice. Houston wasn't a bad selection: it's one of America's largest cities and football is king in Texas.
Still, the Astrodome was available, as was Cowboy Stadium, two places much more equipped to handle the extra traffic and crowds: Super Bowl VIII was the first to be played in a stadium that didn't serve as home to an NFL or AFL team.
No. 14: Stanford Stadium
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Where: Palo Alto, California
Super Bowls: XIX
Much like Super Bowl VIII, the home to Stanford University's Cardinal seems like a strange choice for the championship of professional football.
The weather for northern California in January wasn't a problem and the stadium did hold over 84,000, so as far as college stadiums hosting Super Bowls, Palo Alto wasn't terrible.
No. 13: Tulane Stadium
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Where: New Orleans, Louisiana
Super Bowls: IV, VI, IX
New Orleans is a great venue for the Super Bowl. Late January, early February is right around the time of Mardi Gras.
And although Tulane Stadium is home to a college team, NFL football had been held there from the time the Saints were founded until the Superdome was opened in 1975. And the Sugar Bowl was routinely played there, so it was definitely capable of hosting a major football event.
But, contrary to popular belief, it can be very cold in New Orleans that time of year. When the Steelers and Vikings met in 1975, there was chilly rain and a slippery turf.
No. 12: Sun Devil Stadium
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Where: Tempe, Arizona
Super Bowls: XXX
The first Super Bowl held in the Southwest was not without growing pains. The desert air caused several people in the media and Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Neil O'Donnell laryngitis.
But as the annual site of the Fiesta Bowl and the home to the Arizona Cardinals the stadium had plenty of big game experience.
As the site of the game's 30th anniversary, Sun Devil Stadium was a quality venue. And the Phoenix area was a bold alternative to the annual warm weather spots like southern California and southern Florida.
No. 11: Reliant Stadium
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Where: Houston, Texas
Super Bowls: XXXVIII
The "wardrobe malfunction" perpetrated by Justin Timberlake upon Janet Jackson shouldn't be enough to keep the Super Bowl selection committee from picking Houston again in the future. Although it is curious that more than a decade has passed and Reliant Stadium hasn't been chosen as a repeat venue.
It's a beautiful stadium and Houston is large enough and has the infrastructure to support an enormous spectacle.
Depending on how things go off next week in Arlington, the next time Texas hosts the big game, Reliant Stadium might be the venue instead of Jerry Jones new palace.
No. 10: University Of Phoenix Stadium
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Where: Glendale, Arizona
Super Bowls: XLII
The game (arguably the most thrilling Super Bowl of all time) certainly helped, but that isn't the only reason why Glendale will be a virtual lock to host several more Super Bowls in the future.
The stadium was revolutionary with grass inside a dome and the weather was excellent.
The only reason this venue can't be higher? Aside from the BCS National Championship Game (Ohio State vs. Florida) there wasn't much history or tradition to the oddly named University of Phoenix Stadium.
No. 9: Tampa Stadium
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Where: Tampa, Florida
Super Bowls: XVIII, XXV
The Big Sombrero was an interesting choice as far as venues go. Having the game in Florida, but on the other side of the state from the usual host in Miami, might not have made sense at first.
But in the long run, the Tampa area has been a great alternative.
It's still very nice weather, and not potentially blistering like south Florida. And the St. Petersburg/Tampa area is large enough to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people that flock to town for parties and the game.
No. 8: Raymond James Stadium
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Where: Tampa, Florida
Super Bowls: XXXV, XLIII
Not far from where Tampa Stadium once stood, Raymond James is a great venue, the pirate ship in the end zone notwithstanding.
Having two Super Bowls in town (XVIII, XXV) before Raymond James held the game in 2001, certainly helped establish the city as a quality host.
No. 7: Qualcomm/Jack Murphy Stadium
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Where: San Diego, California
Super Bowls: XXII, XXXII, XXXVII
San Diego is often declared the greatest American city to live in, so who are we to argue with that selection.
Qualcomm Stadium (formerly Jack Murphy Stadium) has been home to the Chargers for decades so they know how to put on a show.
All the appeal of southern California without all the annoyances that sometimes plague Hollywood and Los Angeles.
No. 6: Georgia Dome
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Where: Atlanta, Georgia
Super Bowls: XXVIII, XXXIV
Atlanta is a great city or a sports championship: Since 1904, only one other American city that hosted the Summer Olympics is Los Angeles.
Should the game return to the capitol city of the Peach State, there will be plenty of site-seeing for visitors and perfect weather inside the dome....although the last time the game was held there, the weather outside was horrible, a terribly unexpected ice storm.
However, considering that the Georgia Dome is a bit outdated compared to the newer stadiums, (ground was first broken in 1992) it's not hard to understand why the game hasn't been re-assigned to the stadium in over a decade-and-a-half.
No. 5: Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphin Stadium/Sun Life Stadium
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Where: Miami Gardens, Florida
Super Bowls: XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI, XLIV
Miami might be the best city for the Super Bowl. The weather is usually perfect and there are so many side activities.
Now when it's your team that's going to the Super Bowl, and you have tickets, you probably couldn't care less about the venue. But for those people who are just attending to see history, the venue matters.
And Sun Life Stadium (formerly Dolphin Stadium, formerly Pro Player Stadium, formerly Joe Robbie Stadium) is a great place for a sporting event, although evidently not to baseball fans.
No. 4: Los Angeles Coliseum
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Where: Los Angeles, California
Super Bowls: I, VII
You can't argue with history.
The first Super Bowl was held here. And the Dolphins completed their perfect season on that same field.
Not only that, but twice the Olympics have been held at that site and seven Heisman Trophy winners and 11 national champions have called the LA Coliseum home.
Furthermore, it's located just a few miles from Hollywood. No wonder Max McGee partied and got drunk there the night before the Packers defeated the Chiefs in Super Bowl I.
But just like pro football itself, for whatever reason, the Super Bowl has left Los Angeles and doesn't seem back anytime soon.
No. 3: Rose Bowl Stadium
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Where: Pasadena, California
Super Bowls: XI, XIV, XVII, XXI, XXVII
With five Super Bowls, dozens of Rose Bowls, and countless outstanding UCLA Pac-10 battles on it's resume, there is endless tradition at this venue.
And since it holds over 100,000 people it's always a special place to watch a football game.
There must, however, be something wrong with the logistics, the infrastructure of Pasadena, or the stadium itself that bothers the selection committee and/or the NFL's bigwigs. The Super Bowl hasn't been held there since January 1993 and there don't seem to be any plans to host the game there again.
No. 2: Superdome
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Where: New Orleans, Louisiana
Super Bowls: XII, XV, XX, XXIV, XXXI, XXXVI
Since the Super Bowl has been pushed back further and further over the last few decades, and the game is now in early February, Mardi Gras and the game overlap perfectly.
And unlike Tulane Stadium, which was increasingly outdated and didn't feature great weather, the Superdome has been updated several times and is in doors.
The championship game will return to the Crescent City in 2013 and after Hurricane Katrina and more than a decade's absence, Super Bowl XLVIII should be an incredible event.
No. 1: Orange Bowl
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Where: Miami, Florida
Super Bowls: II, III, V, X, XIII
As great as New Orleans and the Superdome have been for the Super Bowl, the Orange Bowl was better.
Domes are nice and they make the playing field as level as possible. But football is supposed to be played outdoors. And Miami is just as much of a party town as The Big Easy.
Two of the greatest Super Bowls ever (Cowboys-Steelers I and II) were played there. A handful of the greatest college football games of all time were held there. And the greatest upset in American sports history (Super Bowl III) took place on that stage.
Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphin/Sun Life Stadium has been a nice replacement for the stadium that was demolished in 2008. But it will never be the quintessential Super Bowl venue like the Orange Bowl.
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