Atlanta Falcons: To roof, or not to roof?

[KRUNKuno]

Link

Super Bowl's a lock for NYC/NJ

By Matt Mosley

IRVING, Texas -- Let's not pretend there's any suspense today regarding the announcement of the 2014 Super Bowl site. As Rich Cimini from ESPNNewYork.com writes, the Giants and Jets are at the goal line, and barring a Leon Lett-like fumble at the spring owners meeting, the league will overwhelmingly vote to hold the game at New Meadowlands Stadium.

The Giants and Jets will have 15 minutes to lobby the other owners for the league's showcase event, but the legwork's already been done. Once the league waived the 50-degree rule for outdoor stadiums, this was pretty much a done deal. I believe South Florida and Tampa are both in the running, but their representatives should save their breath. Commissioner Roger Goodell seems to gravitate toward teams and owners who build $1.6 billion stadiums, which just happens to be the price tag on New Meadowlands Stadium. And if you can pull it off in a tough economy, it seems like your name comes up even quicker.

After the 15-minute presentation Tuesday, Jets owner Woody Johnson and Giants co-owner John Mara will share the stage for five minutes. This is the part of the process I'd really enjoy seeing. The Giants and Jets are strange bedfellows in this bid, but they've put aside their differences and done a nice job. In case you were wondering, here's Cimini's explanation of Tuesday's voting process:

It probably won't happen on the first or second ballot, which both require 75 percent of the vote (24 of the 32 teams) for one of the three candidates, but the feeling around the league is that New York/New Jersey has enough support to win on the third or fourth ballot.

If it goes to a second vote and no city receives a 75 percent majority, the third-place finisher (many believe that will be Miami) is eliminated. If neither of the two finalists garners 75 percent on the third ballot, it goes to a fourth. In that case, a simple majority (17 votes) wins the Super Bowl.

Instead of praying for a warm front in early February, the Giants and Jets have embraced the concept of a cold-weather game. They'll show footage of the Cowboys-Packers Ice Bowl, although I'm told images of frostbitten fingers might be edited out.

The Giants and Jets are also hoping the Super Bowl will help them land a naming-rights deal for the stadium. When I talked to co-owner Steve Tisch in March, he seemed supremely confident a naming-rights deal would be in place before the start of the 2010 season. But it's not like the prospect of hosting a Super Bowl has helped Cowboys owner Jerry Jones find a naming-rights partner.

I personally think a New York/New Jersey Super Bowl will be fantastic thing for the league. It's not like many of us avoid trips to New York in the winter simply because it's cold. And the millions of folks watching the game across the country wouldn't mind seeing the teams battle the elements.

The league will go through the formality of a vote. But it's pretty obvious the owners have come around on a New York Super Bowl. Too bad we have to wait until 2014 for the game.

----------

Granted we probably will not see ourselves with a $1.5billion dollar stadium, the fact that Atlanta weather is 1.5billion times better in February than it is in NYC/NJ gives the Atlanta Falcons more reason to follow through on an open-air stadium. We could still stake our claim for a future SuperBowl, World Cup, MLS team, etc. And the stadium will be the newest creation on the block, so you know it's going to accommodate the needs of fans that prefer covered stadiums.

Edited May 25, 2010 by thakrunk1

[phattywankenobi]

Link

Super Bowl's a lock for NYC/NJ

New York City has a lot more to offer than Atlanta so I don't think that makes the open air stadium more enticing. The last Superbowl was an iced over disaster here. Then again a spring like day in February could happen.

On a different note, I saw on NFL Live Smith's comments on playing in New York in an open stadium. He said I don't care if we play in the parking lot just as long as we are playing in the Superbowl.

[Peyton]

I don't know man, it's just really wierd. For 40 years the NFL has insisted that the Super Bowl be played in perfect weather conditions. When it rained for the first time ever during the Colts / Bears game, people talked about what a bummer it was that weather was impacting the game.

Now they are trying to sell us on the exact opposite concept? Just wierd.

But goes to show - in the end, it's all about the money for the NFL.

[KRUNKuno]

New York City has a lot more to offer than Atlanta so I don't think that makes the open air stadium more enticing. The last Superbowl was an iced over disaster here. Then again a spring like day in February could happen.

On a different note, I saw on NFL Live Smith's comments on playing in New York in an open stadium. He said I don't care if we play in the parking lot just as long as we are playing in the Superbowl.

Atlanta is a young, hip city with outstanding nightlife. It is extremely enticing to outside businesses, and lodging is far from a problem. The SuperBowl in a high-end stadium here would be incredible.

[Dale4Saul2Red0]

I don't know man, it's just really wierd. For 40 years the NFL has insisted that the Super Bowl be played in perfect weather conditions. When it rained for the first time ever during the Colts / Bears game, people talked about what a bummer it was that weather was impacting the game.

Now they are trying to sell us on the exact opposite concept? Just wierd.

But goes to show - in the end, it's all about the money for the NFL.

For 40 years the NFL has been wrong. Anyone who whines about the weather during a Super Bowl isn't a fan of football. Teams don't play every single game in a dome and weather is a part of the game. If you can't win in less than ideal conditions then you don't deserve to win the SB. Preparation is just as important and execution in the league, and preparing for less than ideal weather conditions is a part of the game. Fans who complain are a joke.

[Gritzblitz 2.0]

For 40 years the NFL has been wrong. Anyone who whines about the weather during a Super Bowl isn't a fan of football. Teams don't play every single game in a dome and weather is a part of the game. If you can't win in less than ideal conditions then you don't deserve to win the SB. Preparation is just as important and execution in the league, and preparing for less than ideal weather conditions is a part of the game. Fans who complain are a joke.

As a Falcon fan, I would not be happy if we made it all the way to the Superbowl only to have to play it in a driving snowstorm.

If it were two teams other than the Falcons, I would love to watch it.

[vabchbirdlover]

For 40 years the NFL has been wrong. Anyone who whines about the weather during a Super Bowl isn't a fan of football. Teams don't play every single game in a dome and weather is a part of the game. If you can't win in less than ideal conditions then you don't deserve to win the SB. Preparation is just as important and execution in the league, and preparing for less than ideal weather conditions is a part of the game. Fans who complain are a joke.

I'm a strong advocate of an open air venue, but calling other fans Whiners or jokes

because of their personal preferences is plain stupid.

[Chitown2ATL_Falcon]

Link

Super Bowl's a lock for NYC/NJ

By Matt Mosley

IRVING, Texas -- Let's not pretend there's any suspense today regarding the announcement of the 2014 Super Bowl site. As Rich Cimini from ESPNNewYork.com writes, the Giants and Jets are at the goal line, and barring a Leon Lett-like fumble at the spring owners meeting, the league will overwhelmingly vote to hold the game at New Meadowlands Stadium.

The Giants and Jets will have 15 minutes to lobby the other owners for the league's showcase event, but the legwork's already been done. Once the league waived the 50-degree rule for outdoor stadiums, this was pretty much a done deal. I believe South Florida and Tampa are both in the running, but their representatives should save their breath. Commissioner Roger Goodell seems to gravitate toward teams and owners who build $1.6 billion stadiums, which just happens to be the price tag on New Meadowlands Stadium. And if you can pull it off in a tough economy, it seems like your name comes up even quicker.

After the 15-minute presentation Tuesday, Jets owner Woody Johnson and Giants co-owner John Mara will share the stage for five minutes. This is the part of the process I'd really enjoy seeing. The Giants and Jets are strange bedfellows in this bid, but they've put aside their differences and done a nice job. In case you were wondering, here's Cimini's explanation of Tuesday's voting process:

It probably won't happen on the first or second ballot, which both require 75 percent of the vote (24 of the 32 teams) for one of the three candidates, but the feeling around the league is that New York/New Jersey has enough support to win on the third or fourth ballot.

If it goes to a second vote and no city receives a 75 percent majority, the third-place finisher (many believe that will be Miami) is eliminated. If neither of the two finalists garners 75 percent on the third ballot, it goes to a fourth. In that case, a simple majority (17 votes) wins the Super Bowl.

Instead of praying for a warm front in early February, the Giants and Jets have embraced the concept of a cold-weather game. They'll show footage of the Cowboys-Packers Ice Bowl, although I'm told images of frostbitten fingers might be edited out.

The Giants and Jets are also hoping the Super Bowl will help them land a naming-rights deal for the stadium. When I talked to co-owner Steve Tisch in March, he seemed supremely confident a naming-rights deal would be in place before the start of the 2010 season. But it's not like the prospect of hosting a Super Bowl has helped Cowboys owner Jerry Jones find a naming-rights partner.

I personally think a New York/New Jersey Super Bowl will be fantastic thing for the league. It's not like many of us avoid trips to New York in the winter simply because it's cold. And the millions of folks watching the game across the country wouldn't mind seeing the teams battle the elements.

The league will go through the formality of a vote. But it's pretty obvious the owners have come around on a New York Super Bowl. Too bad we have to wait until 2014 for the game.

----------

Granted we probably will not see ourselves with a $1.5billion dollar stadium, the fact that Atlanta weather is 1.5billion times better in February than it is in NYC/NJ gives the Atlanta Falcons more reason to follow through on an open-air stadium. We could still stake our claim for a future SuperBowl, World Cup, MLS team, etc. And the stadium will be the newest creation on the block, so you know it's going to accommodate the needs of fans that prefer covered stadiums.

The NFL waived a rule requiring Super Bowl cities to have either a dome or a mild winter climate for the New York bid.

How many times do you think they'll do that?

[Abe]

New York is their largest market.

[illest_will]

As a Falcon fan, I would not be happy if we made it all the way to the Superbowl only to have to play it in a driving snowstorm.

If it were two teams other than the Falcons, I would love to watch it.

just think if we win in the end...instant classic simply because it's a SB in snow

[kirbyr]

Retractable roof obviously.

[Drathdon]

I loved when Smitty said that on NFL Live! It just says everything that I love about the man in one comment! Man is a winner, and is making us a consistent one!

[KRUNKuno]

The NFL waived a rule requiring Super Bowl cities to have either a dome or a mild winter climate for the New York bid.

How many times do you think they'll do that?

we have both of those already. what's your point?

Clearly the NFL just showed that they could give a flip about the weather conditions.

It's all about the money. Arthur Blank knows this, and surely Rich McKay knows this. I'm positive they would not ponder the idea of building an outdoor stadium without the feeling of still being a SuperBowl hosting contender. They know more than us.

[crankdatfalcon]

first and last time the superbowl will be in the north...

[HouseofEuphoria]

first and last time the superbowl will be in the north...

I bet t.v. ratings will tell a different story.