# 2014 Super Bowl in the cold. Will viewer ratings go down? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 25, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756 "2013-11-25T14:58:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/21 "2013-11-25T17:01:56Z")
Remember that there are all kinds of bad weather, and they don’t all affect play equally. If you have a cold, clear day but the field has a lot of snow on it, well, that can actually make for a lot of good passing. Many quarterbacks and receivers will tell you that a snowy field is a GREAT place to throw the ball, because receivers know when and where they’re going to make their cuts, but defensive backs don’t. Hence, receivers can often get open more easily on a snowy field, as defenders slip and fall while trying to stay in pursuit. Warren Moon and many other guys have put up big passing numbers in the Canadian football league under difficult weather conditions. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/22 "2013-11-25T17:14:27Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Mea culpa. I got my playoff games and Super Bowls mixed up. Sorry. > > I still think football in freezing and snow conditions is a very bad idea. Theres too much at stake. Players may only get one or two shots at the Super Bowl in their entire NFL careers. A lot of great players never played in a Super Bowl. To have that game ruined by ice and snow makes no sense. > > It’s like moving the NBA games to outdoor courts. Real tough men play outside. Cold doesn’t bother them. Right. It would ruin the NBA and get a lot of great players injured. No, it’s not anything like moving basketball games outside. Football is an outdoor sport that is played in crappy weather all the time. It’s one of the things I love about football. Pro basketball is ALWAYS played indoors. I hate the ‘it changes the game’ argument too. Teams from cold weather outdoor stadium cities have to build their teams balanced and able to compete in all weather. Why negate one if their advantages? Why should only high flying fair weather teams be rewarded? I hate that the Super Bowl is always nice while the playoffs are a grind I whatever Mother Nature throws at you. The Super Bowl should be no different. I’m excited by a cold weather Super Bowl. I hope it snows during the game. Smash mouth physical football. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/23 "2013-11-25T17:39:07Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The Super Bowl, OTOH, has always been at a “neutral” site, and, until this year, has always been at a warm-weather site. About the only time that weather has ever really come into play at a Super Bowl was in SB XLI in Miami, where it poured rain for much of the game. Of course it could be at someone’s home stadium. Should the Jets make the Superbowl this year they will end up playing at home. San Diego was the host of many SBs but always in years when the Chargers sucked. > [@Munch](#): > > Well Detroit has hosted twice, and Minneapolis and Indianapolis have each hosted once, so that’s not quite right. Indianapolis made pretty extensive outdoor plans for the Super Bowl village, and will likely win another chance to host because XLVI got rave reviews. One of the helpful factors there, though, is that the stadium, Super Bowl village, and all the major hotels are within walking distance of each other. Didn’t Detroit get theirs as part of the deal when they got a new stadium? Overall they like to have them in places where the sponsors and their families would like to go on vacation anyway. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/24 "2013-11-25T17:54:45Z")
Has the 2015, 2016 sites been selected yet? Warm locations or cold? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/25 "2013-11-25T18:07:10Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Didn’t Detroit get theirs as part of the deal when they got a new stadium? Not exactly. Cities with new stadiums certainly get consideration from the Super Bowl Selection Committee, but it’s no guarantee. There are plenty of other hoops to jump through, but yeah - getting a shiny new stadium is typically at the top of that list. > [@aceplace57](#): > > Has the 2015, 2016 sites been selected yet? Warm locations or cold? 2015: Phoenix 2016: San Francisco (Santa Clara, actually) 2017: Houston Indy is pushing for a 2018 bid, and will be up against Minneapolis (good: new stadium, bad: Minnesota in February) and New Orleans (good: Bourbon St., bad: 2013 blackout). ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/26 "2013-11-25T19:11:16Z")
Millionaires and sports journalists are the only ones who complain. The reason they complain has nothing to do with football, it’s all about the parties and the nightlife surrounding the game. The shame is that people pay attention to them. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/27 "2013-11-25T19:34:46Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > playing inside or in miami all the time for good conditions is for babies Actually, the locker room in Miami sounds downright unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/28 "2013-11-25T19:38:41Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Unfortunately, I suspect that Green Bay would never get one – it’s actually primarily an issue of available hotel rooms. The Super Bowl host city has to be able to provide an enormous number of “quality” hotel rooms within a reasonable distance to the game. A game played in GB would have attendees staying in Milwaukee (2 hours away) or further, and that likely wouldn’t fly. Pshaw, Green Bay has more than enough wintertime accommodations. They’re called ice-fishing shanties. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/29 "2013-11-25T20:07:57Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Millionaires and sports journalists are the only ones who complain. The reason they complain has nothing to do with football, it’s all about the parties and the nightlife surrounding the game. The shame is that people pay attention to them. That’s true. Most people are thrilled just to get to go to a game. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/30 "2013-11-25T21:01:35Z")
Inclement weather makes football better. I hope this season’s Super Bowl gets precipitation of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/31 "2013-11-25T21:14:08Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Last night’s game in Foxborough was 22F at kick-off and it was a thriller. > I don’t think the cold affects the excitement any. For me, inclement weather increases the enjoyment. I love footbal when it is cold and raining. Maybe some slush, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/32 "2013-11-25T21:23:17Z")
Hey it’s Jersey … so what if someone paid someone something to do something it will never hit the news, right? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/33 "2013-11-25T22:02:57Z")
We are talking about New Jersey, not the Arctic Circle. Its possible there might be bad weather. Or it might be fine. Regardless the ratings will not suffer. It may even make it more interesting. The 2008 NFC Championship game was a thriller and was certainly not effected by the -1 temp (-23 wind chill) in Green Bay. Hell, the home team didn’t even win. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/34 "2013-11-25T22:04:38Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > But I rarely waste my time watching a playoff or championship game in the snow. It’s too low scoring and boring. You think watching football in the snow is boring? I love it! I’m screaming at CBS, “There’s three feet of snow falling in Denver! Change the game!” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/35 "2013-11-25T22:37:43Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Of course it could be at someone’s home stadium. Indeed, it could be, though it has yet to have ever happened. The closest that a team has come to playing a Super Bowl “at home” was when the 49ers played at Stanford Stadium, down the road in Palo Alto. The Jets (or the Giants) **could** do it this year, though both are under .500 at the moment, so it’d be an uphill climb. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/36 "2013-11-25T23:09:38Z")
Here’s the almanac for the [weather history in East Rutherford on February 2](http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/NJ/East%20Rutherford/2013-02-02) (you can change the year). Other than what appears to be a truly shitty day in 2008, I don’t see anything all that terrible in the last 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/37 "2013-11-25T23:24:29Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > I think every city that has a team should have the opportunity to host a Super Bowl. It would never happen. It could never happen. Having been to numerous Steelers games, the stadium is in a really fabulous location but it is totally impractical for a Super Bowl. As fans we can tolerate the multi-hour traffic jams trying to get up the Parkway through the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, but that won’t wash with the NFL trying to make the Super Bowl a great experience. The city layout is all wrong, and the best way to get to the game is to take the boat, which further delays the exodus. New York is getting the Super Bowl because it’s New York. That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/38 "2013-11-25T23:35:33Z")
Jacksonville had to bring in cruise ships to have enough hotel rooms to qualify. They were docked near the stadium. That won’t work too well in Pitt. 😃 NYC was promised a super bowl after 9/11 if they built a new stadium. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/39 "2013-11-25T23:52:53Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > It would never happen. It could never happen. Having been to numerous Steelers games, the stadium is in a really fabulous location but it is totally impractical for a Super Bowl. As fans we can tolerate the multi-hour traffic jams trying to get up the Parkway through the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, but that won’t wash with the NFL trying to make the Super Bowl a great experience. The city layout is all wrong, and the best way to get to the game is to take the boat, which further delays the exodus. > > New York is getting the Super Bowl because it’s New York. That’s it. Except its New Jersey. But close enough I guess. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756/40 "2013-11-26T00:58:58Z")
Bijou Drains: > [@](#): > > NYC was promised a super bowl after 9/11 if they built a new stadium. That promise was based on its being a domed stadium, specifically the West Side Stadium that was being discussed at the time. Somehow that eventually turned into “New York is SPECIAL and should be awarded a Super Bowl despite not meeting the requirements that everyone else had to meet.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2014-super-bowl-in-the-cold-will-viewer-ratings-go-down/674756.md?page=3)