The Super Bowl will make its first trip outdoors in a cold-weather city this February, when MetLife Stadium in New Jersey hosts the game. And, if all goes well, maybe New England will be the next stop.
After San Francisco (Super Bowl L) and Houston (Super Bowl LI) were selected as the sites for the 2016 and 2017 games on Tuesday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft made his pitch for the game to be played in Foxboro, Mass.
“We would love one day to hold it here if it’s a good experience there,” Kraft told reporters at the owners meetings on Tuesday. “We’re looking forward to seeing this experience in New York and New Jersey.”
If the outdoor Super Bowl in New York/New Jersey turns out to be a big success, then the NFL would be inclined to make cold-weather Super Bowls a more common occurrence in the future. Kraft is eyeing the Boston-Providence area as the primary location, highlighting two of New England best geographical assets.
“It would be great. I sort of like Boston/Providence,” Kraft said. “This is where it all started. Right here.”
Kraft understands there could be some hurdles to get past before the game actually is awarded to the region, but he believes they can be easily overcome.
“Part of what it will require is political people in Boston and Providence coming together so we could really have the right number of hotel rooms and have the support,” he said. “It would require cooperation from all of the political folks who would have to gather together and want this and come together, like they do in other parts of the country.”
The NFL owners might feel compelled to lend Kraft their support in the venture, especially given how integral he was in resolving the lockout between the league and its players in 2011. Although, they might not like it so much if the ever-dominant Patriots are playing in the very game they host. That’s something Kraft would like to see but isn’t going to prioritize.
“I hope we can be in the game. We like playing in cold weather.” Kraft added. “I’d rather be in the game than attract it here though, that’s going to be our priority.”
The earliest the Patriots would be able to host the Super Bowl would be in 2018, the same season Tom Brady is expected to retire. What a sendoff that would be.
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