One of the items that came out of Commissioner Roger Goodell's state of the league press conference late last week was his support for awarding Super Bowl XLVIII to the Giants' and Jets' new stadium in 2014.
"I think there are real benefits to the league considering this as an option," Goodell said. "I think the idea of playing in the elements is central to the way the game of football is played. I think being able to do that and celebrate the game of football in the No. 1 market could have tremendous benefits to the league going forward."
The league broke precedent by allowing the Meadowlands Stadium Company to make a bid to host the game, an indication that they are open to the idea of playing the game in a cold weather venue. They are competing against Miami, Glendale, Arizona and either Houston or Tampa for the right to host the game.
Gary Myers of the *New York Daily News* says Patriots owner Robert Kraft will lobby other owners for it, but Steelers owner Dan Rooney has a big problem with playing the most important game of the year in potentially cold and nasty weather.
Even though the new Giants-Jets Stadium will have no roof, Goodell gave every indication he's on board. Even though he doesn't have a vote and says he must remain neutral, his endorsement may be the deciding factor. The Meadowlands bid would need 75 percent of the 32 votes to win the rights to the 2014 game. The vote will be held during the league meetings in Dallas in late May.
How this plays out bears watching, considering that the city of Philadelphia -- and Lincoln Financial Field -- is less than a two-hour ride down the turnpike from the Meadowlands. The city of Philadelphia was recently named one of 18 finalist U.S. cities to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Lincoln Financial Field, which opened in 2003, has played host to a pair of NFC title games as well as international soccer matches.
Support for a Meadowlands-hosted Super Bowl could have a ripple effect on those outdoor Northeast and Mid-Atlantic cities that have dreamed of hosting the league's biggest game. And imagine the economic impact on those regions.
-- Posted by Bob Kent, 8:16 a.m., February 9
