A Super Bowl in Chicago?
By Benjy Lipsman in News on May 31, 2012 8:40PM
Perhaps the (relative) success of the recent NATO summit has Mayor Rahm Emanuel thinking he can handle hosting other big events. While the city hasn't yet decided to throw its hat into the ring for another Olympics bid, Emanuel did make a pitch today for another high profile sporting event—the Super Bowl.
With NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in town to recognize Soldier Field for becoming the first LEED Certified stadium in the NFL, the mayor floated a trial balloon to host the big game right here in the Windy City.
Crazy? Perhaps. But impossible? Yeah... probably.
Historically, the Super Bowl has been played in locations where weather isn't likely to cause much of an issue for the game. Games have been played outdoors in places like California, Arizona and Florida, or else in domes like Atlanta, Detroit and Indy. Next year's Super Bowl will be played in the new MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, an experiment in holding the game outdoors in a cold climate.
Publicly, Goodell didn't rule out a Chicago Super Bowl:
"I think if we can do it successfully there, and I think that opens up doors where we'll be looking at. Obviously, you know how to host great events. ... And you got a great stadium."
But even if the New York Super Bowl is a success, holding the big game in Chicago still faces long odds. While we're certain that Chicago can roll out the red carpet for the two weeks of pre-game festivities, game day itself presents more of a challenge. The weather in early February can be downright brutal here, especially when winds whip up off the lake. Another giant factor is that Soldier Field has the smallest capacity of any NFL stadium at just 61,500. The game is often played at college stadiums or bowl game sites, which are often bigger than most NFL stadiums. We just can't imagine the NFL leaving 20,000 potentially paying butts on the couch instead of field-side at $500 a pop.
Trying to twist the commish's arm, Rahm revealed that Goodell's in-laws live in the area, joking, "I'm holding them hostage until (the Super Bowl) happens." At least, we hope that was just a joke?