# Why would they ever hold the SuperBowl in an outdoor statium? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 30, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125 "2014-01-30T12:33:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/21 "2014-01-30T15:53:52Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Where in the world did you read that? Super Bowl tickets sell out immediately, because ticket brokers buy as many as they can the moment they’re put on the market. [http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/28/big-game-may-not-be-such-a-hot-ticket-18000-super-bowl-seats-still-available/](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/28/big-game-may-not-be-such-a-hot-ticket-18000-super-bowl-seats-still-available/) 18,000 unsold seats. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/22 "2014-01-30T15:57:42Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Super Bowls are given to cities which build new NFL stadia to encourage NFL cities to continue building new stadia. It has nothing to do with 9/11 or stadium size. That’s why Jacksonville got a Super Bowl (XXIX) despite not having the hospitality industry to support one. It’s why Indianapolis got one (XLVI) despite not having enough beds or any other redeeming features (:D). It’s why Detroit got one (XL). > > In years where they aren’t rewarding new construction, Super Bowls are held in Florida and California. Wrong about XXIX. XXIX was played in Miami, not Jacksonville. The stadium was almost ten years old then, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/23 "2014-01-30T16:00:39Z")
> [@davida03801](#): > > The fact the Super Bowl is being played in more natural weather conditions makes me more interested in the game that I have been for years now. > > To me football is meant to be played in whatever weather as nasty as it can be. Cold, rain, mud or whatever. > > I not care for the antiseptic playing conditions of indoor stadiums or southern locals with nice climates this time of year. Not natural in a football sense, at least IMHO. You’re in the minority. Television companies and most viewers like the “clean appearance” of games played indoors on turf. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/24 "2014-01-30T16:07:46Z")
Sorry, left out an X. _XXXIX_ was played in Jacksonville. As I said, Florida (at least Miami and Tampa) and California aren’t really subject to the “you only get a game if you build a stadium” rule. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/25 "2014-01-30T16:17:32Z")
> [@LionelHutz405](#): > > [http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/28/big-game-may-not-be-such-a-hot-ticket-18000-super-bowl-seats-still-available/](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/28/big-game-may-not-be-such-a-hot-ticket-18000-super-bowl-seats-still-available/) > 18,000 unsold seats. And the link they provide to back that up goes nowhere. Likely, that’s 18,000 tickets in the hands of ticket brokers, who have purchased their tickets from the NFL. The NFL has said that [tickets are sold out](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/29/super-bowl-sales-might-be-a-sign-of-challenges-ahead/5028893/): > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, the NFL has said MetLife Stadium, with a Super Bowl capacity of about 79,000, is sold out. Any tickets selling now are on the secondary market. It’ll be interesting to see who gets the 2018 game. I think New Orleans is out, especially after the blackout last year. Indianapolis impressed the committee in 2012, but Minneapolis’ new stadium is nearly a trump card. It’ll come down to how much Irsay greases the pot. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/26 "2014-01-30T16:27:32Z")
> [@LionelHutz405](#): > > [http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/28/big-game-may-not-be-such-a-hot-ticket-18000-super-bowl-seats-still-available/](http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/28/big-game-may-not-be-such-a-hot-ticket-18000-super-bowl-seats-still-available/) > 18,000 unsold seats. That’s a very poorly written article. They mean for sale in places like stub hub. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/27 "2014-01-30T16:30:34Z")
outdoors because fans show their allegiance to the team, especially those shirtless and painted, which motivates the team. players have balls. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/28 "2014-01-30T16:31:00Z")
Moved to the Game Room. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/29 "2014-01-30T16:42:19Z")
If they wanted to have it in new stadiums, the Patriots got robbed when Gillette opened in '01. Not that Foxborough is exactly a Superbowl-ready town. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/30 "2014-01-30T16:51:25Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Not that Foxborough is exactly a Superbowl-ready town. That’s probably why. Hosting cities have to meet a minimum number of hotel rooms. But here’s a[n interesting article on the possibility](http://foxborough.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/could-gillette-stadium-host-the-super-bowl), that would require Boston and Providence, RI to combine resources. > [@johnpost](#): > > outdoors because > > fans show their allegiance to the team, especially those shirtless and painted, which motivates the team. > > players have balls. 70% of the stadium is filled with corporate sponsors and their guests. So…no. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/31 "2014-01-30T16:52:49Z")
I see the “home” team has never made it to a Super Bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Bellhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Bellhorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bellhorn)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/32 "2014-01-30T17:10:24Z")
There’s no problem with the game, itself, being played in cold weather. The problem lies with the event of Super Bowl Week or Weekend being held in a cold weather city. NYC is a great place to visit, but not in the winter. And there’s always a 50-1 shot that a blizzard shuts down everything. It’s the same problem if they hold in a domed stadium in a cold weather city. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/33 "2014-01-30T17:13:46Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Because football is a winter sport - it’s the way it is meant to be played, outdoors and in the weather. > > ETA - reported for move to Game Room I can remember being dragged to a Buffalo Bills game by a boyfriend and sitting in the snow flurries. Never again. I told him he could force me to watch it on TV but I would never go to a live game ever again. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/34 "2014-01-30T17:27:03Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I see the “home” team has never made it to a Super Bowl. Yes but a number of SBs have been in stadiums the don’t host a NFL team although it’s been a while. There have been a couple where one of the teams was from the same general area as the stadium. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/35 "2014-01-30T17:46:22Z")
One of my favorite football memories is going to college game in a heavy snow, and having to brush snow off my hot dog between bites as we tried to figure out where the yard markers were, watching the players slide around on the snow-covered field. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/36 "2014-01-30T17:50:02Z")
The only non-NFL stadiums to host Super Bowls were the Rose Bowl (x2), LA Coliseum (x2) and Rice Stadium, and there hasn’t been one since 1993. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/37 "2014-01-30T18:05:32Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The only non-NFL stadiums to host Super Bowls were the Rose Bowl (x2), LA Coliseum (x2) and Rice Stadium, and there hasn’t been one since 1993. The LA Coliseum was the Rams home field at the time of those SuperBowls, so scratch that one off the list But you can add Stanford Stadium, who hosted once in the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/38 "2014-01-30T18:12:11Z")
Oooh. Good correction, I forgot the Rams. There were also more than two Super Bowls played at the Rose Bowl so I don’t know why I put (x2) there. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/39 "2014-01-30T18:13:18Z")
> [@echo7tango](#): > > You’re in the minority. I must be in the minority, too. The game earlier where the snow and wind were so heavy that no field goals or extra points were scored? One of the most fun to watch this season. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125/40 "2014-01-30T18:32:47Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The only non-NFL stadiums to host Super Bowls were the Rose Bowl (x2), LA Coliseum (x2) and Rice Stadium, and there hasn’t been one since 1993. True, and all places it is unlikely to freeze even in January (February now, I guess), much less snow. Recent icy conditions in Houston, notwithstanding, of course. \And interesting tidbits for Rice or trivia fans: Rice Stadium untarped is the largest football stadium by seating capacity in the city of Houston. They don’t build 'em like that anymore. Superbowl VIII was the first Superbowl not played at an NFL stadium. Weather was 50 degrees and overcast at kickoff, which is a fairly typical Houston afternoon in January. \ I like watching games in ice and wind. I still remember that 59-0 beatdown the Patriots laid on the Titans in '09 during a blizzard. Brady and Belichick didn’t care one whit about the conventional wisdom of running the ball in bad weather and came up with 6 TD passes. Not a fan of either team, but that was still fun to watch. It must suck for the fans paying hundreds of bucks for Superbowl seats though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-they-ever-hold-the-superbowl-in-an-outdoor-statium/680125.md?page=3)