One reporter called it a “kick in the gut”. Another said “devastating”. Yesterday the NFL awarded the 2018 Super Bowl to Minneapolis. The cold weather city beat out New Orleans and Indianapolis to host the 52nd game. Many thought New Orleans was the prohibitive favorite and when reporters and media types were saying as much, that’s when I started getting nervous. The NFL ownership is made up of 32 billionaires. 32 of the richest men on the planet. When pundits are predicting how eccentric wealthy folks are going to think, often times they go the other way.
Both local and national media predicted New Orleans would land the big game. Most felt and feel New Orleans is the premier destination to host a Super Bowl and still feel that today. But if that were the only prerequisite to hosting the Super Bowl, New Orleans would get the game every year. Minneapolis, not a tourist city in the least bit, especially in early February, is building a new, nearly $1 billion stadium. Tax payers are footing at least half of that bill. This greatly impressed the NFL ownership. Build a new stadium and they will come and that’s exactly what the NFL is doing. New Orleans will land another Super Bowl but the days of us hosting the game every few years is over. In the 70’s we hosted 4 games. The last two decades, just 2. Expect more of the same in the future.