Could a Super Bowl Come to Chicago After All?

by Steven Schweickert on Feb 4, 2012 11:00 AM CST in News

Yesterday at the Commissioner's annual press conference, Roger Goodell was asked about the prospects of Chicago as a Super Bowl host city, given how New Jersey is set to host the game in 2014.

"Chicago is a great community... I hear it from my wife every day, by the way, but as far as football fans are concerned, there is no greater passion in Chicago. There are a number of issues that go into playing a Super Bowl. It's not just the stadium. It's clearly the number of hotel rooms, the other infrastructure, all of which I presume that Chicago would meet.... If they're interested, we certainly will meet with them and discuss the ability to do that."

We know the open roof of the stadium (also known as the weather effect) isn't necessarily a precursor to not hosting the game (case, see Bears-Colts in Miami with Prince in the rain). But the stadium itself could be a problem - Soldier Field has the lowest seating capacity in the NFL including the Rogers Centre in Toronto and Wembley Stadium in London. In addition to that, other "cold-weather" cities that have hosted the Super Bowl in recent years have all (or will be, in the case of the New Meadowlands) been played in new, state-of-the art stadiums. Chicago's was just renovated in the last ten years, so the odds of the Bears getting a new stadium or new seating expansion sufficient to host a game on this stage is fairly slim.

I wouldn't think any of the other infrastructure would be a problem, so if the stadium is the lone holdup, I don't see why the Bears and the Park District wouldn't improve the seating capacity of the stadium and otherwise improve it.

What do you think? Would you like to see Chicago host the Super Bowl?

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I think it would be great for the city

I just don’t know why they would come with so few seats

When Mike Ditka calculates pi it's decimal representation ends.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Feb 4, 2012 11:36 AM CST via iPhone app reply actions

And we'd have to deal with the

Grass.

by TJ Shouse on Feb 4, 2012 11:48 AM CST via Android app reply actions

I'd like to see every city with the infrastructure and hotels be able to hose a Super Bowl.

The revenue generated from ticket sales is a drop in a bucket compared to the revenue generated from commercial sales, so I don’t think it should play a huge role in determining where the game is played. If the NFL expects tax payers to build these stadiums then these cities should have the oppurtunity to host the Super Bowl regardless if it’s in a cold environment and doesn’t have a roof.

by Silence_Dogood on Feb 4, 2012 11:49 AM CST via mobile reply actions 3 recs

Agreed

The Super Bowl is all about the Pre-game festivities. Now, if they had to do the media day at Soldier Field and it was snowing, there could be some problems. However, I’m sure there are other places they could hold media day. (Possibly next door at the McCormick Place)

by lowkeyman on Feb 4, 2012 3:00 PM CST up reply actions

How bout the United Center?

The Bulls can go a road trip….

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Feb 4, 2012 8:00 PM CST up reply actions

Bulls would already be on a road where we wouldn't have to force them to go on one.

The is the circus trip in November and the Ice Show in February.

by Shuggs on Feb 5, 2012 4:33 PM CST up reply actions

Agreed

Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan
Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Rattlers fan
[I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].

Leading the NFL in swagtangibles

by JoeCB1991 on Feb 4, 2012 7:53 PM CST up reply actions

Absolutely agree.

"And furthermore, I think Carthage must be destroyed."

by TheotherDane on Feb 4, 2012 11:02 PM CST up reply actions

They would have to increase the seating capacity some how before this would happen

"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders

It's all about THE []_[] baby!!!

~"Smile when u being attacked,laugh when they talking boutcha,wave when they hating on u and Pray when they leave u alone Somethings wrong!"~ Deion Sanders

At least FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER before you judge me fool

by suckmyditka on Feb 4, 2012 11:53 AM CST reply actions

Not by alot

Lucas oil stadium capacity is only 63,000 and solider field is 61,500. They originally said Lucas could seat yo to 70,000 for the superbowl but now say maybe only 66,000 as they don’t want another fiasco like last year in dallas. Still don’t understand why they didn’t make it bigger when they renovated it in 2001 though.

by Ninja636 on Feb 4, 2012 12:30 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

up to 70,000

Stupid auto correct

by Ninja636 on Feb 4, 2012 12:32 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

They rebuilt Soldier Field, not renovated it. Renovation wouldn't have taken a whole year and left a remnant of the seating rather than the just the pillars.

by Shuggs on Feb 5, 2012 4:37 PM CST up reply actions

Thank you kindly for the lip service Roger.

This will never happen.

Above all; keep 'em guessing, never let them lose their sense of confusion.

by Just Dave on Feb 4, 2012 12:27 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

Lol

That’s what I was thinking.

"Brian Urlacher, coasting down the right sideline. A Sunday stroll into the endzone."

by DutchBear on Feb 4, 2012 2:06 PM CST up reply actions

I think the Bears should look into renvating SF.

Expand the seating and design a retractable roof. The Bear could just keep it open for all their games. But if they were to have concerts they could close it. They should also switch to field turf. Thats probably more than the family would be willing to do.

retaeluos

by BloodHorn on Feb 4, 2012 1:53 PM CST reply actions

Didn't we just get done renovating SF?

Of course the field still needs to be improved. Preferably to something artificial…..or simply to the level that the Cardinals have, with ridiculous care given to the grass.

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Feb 4, 2012 7:59 PM CST up reply actions

Soldier Field

is Park District property. It does NOT belong to the McCaskey family.

I believe the previous renovation will not be paid off until something like 2020, and the state is now withholding money that it promised for the project.

So basically, ain’t happening.

by Virto on Feb 5, 2012 8:33 AM CST up reply actions

Not gonna happen.

Not in the Spaceship. Not with 61,500 capacity for a football game (much more for a concert).

I’d still like to see the SB go to Ann Arbor or Happy Valley. 120,000 screaming NFL fans in a single stadium? Yes please!

by Doshi on Feb 4, 2012 2:06 PM CST reply actions

always wishes they'd play a game at the big house

had a friend from Michigan who went to a couple games and said the place is deafening and i can remember a game a year or two ago the camera was shaking from the noise. i also remember the preseason game against denver after the cutler trade the cameras shook from thw noise

Tony

by chitown-tony on Feb 4, 2012 4:33 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

I don't know about the new version of the Big House...

But I was there for the Penn State game that went into overtime. I wasn’t certain if the stadium would hold up from the amount of noise we made. Quite possibly the most entertaining sporting event I’d ever gone to (and I was part of some Bulls series-clinching games).

But remember that they essentially rebuilt the Big House a few years ago with those strange box seats on the EAst and West sides. I’d assume they’d hold the noise better, but they also took out about 7000 seats by doing that.

Big House would make for an EPIC Super Bowl. Happy Valley would probably be just as cool (they seat something like 105,000). I’d love to see a 6-figure attendance number out of a Super Bowl. I think it’d be something special.

by Doshi on Feb 4, 2012 5:01 PM CST up reply actions

Wasn't there a 6 figure attendance number at last years SB?

Or did Dallas come up short? I can’t remember. I think the NFL would be well served by hosting the big game at “neutral” sites like Happy Valley (still get an immature chortle over Beaver Stadium resting in the Happy Valley) or the Big House.

Above all; keep 'em guessing, never let them lose their sense of confusion.

by Just Dave on Feb 4, 2012 7:53 PM CST up reply actions

Dallas served up 6 figures

Due to Jones putting in his “standing room clubhouses” in place at about the Mezzanine level. He can pack in ridiculous numbers with being able to pack in a couple thousand more in STO.

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Feb 4, 2012 7:55 PM CST up reply actions

There were several Pasadena SBs that had 6 figures.

I don’t count Dallas’s 6 figure event last year, cuz his Palace can only find seating for 80,000 normally. Everything else is Standing Room.

The Big House has actual SEATING for 109000+. Beaver Stadium has capacity of 107000+. Not standing room tickets. Seating. No NFL stadium has that.

by Doshi on Feb 5, 2012 9:03 AM CST up reply actions

Not a big Happy Valley fan.

Sorry. Same would apply for Notre Dame, and every other distinguished program that would have alumni screaming for the game.

Besides, let’snot reward the college system until a real 16 team playoff was in place.

LSU vs. Alabama was a snoozing travesty.

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Feb 4, 2012 7:57 PM CST up reply actions

Ted needs to get out of his office chair

And start a huge campaign to get the next NFL Super Bowl bid. ASAP. If we’re REALLY lucky knock on wood we get one in say….2017, when Cutler is STILL in his prime years, and we have plenty of weapons on D and O at that point.

I want to win one next year, but I REALLY want the Bears to be the first to win the Super Bowl in their own city.

Maybe we can finally get them to rename the Lombardi trophy to something less….GreenBayBlechness…

Cacti are prickly.

by crackedcactus on Feb 4, 2012 7:53 PM CST reply actions

This year has been like the new "fans" of last year superbowl champions

very fairweathered. If this continues, I don’t see any reason not to do games on cold-climate cities. Of course, the game could be played during a blizzard, and it would be an absolute shame if the half-time show was cancelled. A terrible loss for football.

by lmfsilva on Feb 4, 2012 11:00 PM CST reply actions

I can't see any reason to cancel a halftime show, regardless of weather

The winter olympics always has a grand ceremony and sometimes the weather is downright frigid. It just takes planning and preparation. In other words don’t put the parks district in charge.

"And furthermore, I think Carthage must be destroyed."

by TheotherDane on Feb 4, 2012 11:06 PM CST up reply actions

the Super Bowl should be played on the same fields a team took to get there

I say each host city/stadium gets a fair chance to host the game every 32 yrs.

this crap of always playing indoors, in perfect conditions isnt football. there are always turf and weather issues that some teams have to prepare for. the Super Bowl should be no different.
and its cuts down on the bribery and vote buying some cities will do to get the game.
every year, another NFL city hosts. w
we could draw straws to set the order, and stick to that order. we can predict 30-40-50-75 years in advance where the Super Bowl will be played. nothing wrong with that.

and it would take away the automatic advantage turf teams have. can you imagine MN or Dallas coming to Chicago when its snowing? too bad, should have prepared for it if you cant handle bad turf.
that is football. all weather. all seasons. rain or sleet, the game goes on… the Super Bowl should be no different.

by ChicagoBearOfAnaheim on Feb 4, 2012 11:28 PM CST reply actions

I think Chicago would be a great place for a Super Bowl,

but until the playing surface is improved, there’s no chance.

2011: A wasted year

by Tepo6688 on Feb 5, 2012 4:28 AM CST reply actions

I wonder how it compares to

the fields that something like the first 10 or 15 super bowls were played on…

I bet it’s not any worse.

by Virto on Feb 5, 2012 8:34 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

It's not 1966 anymore either.

It compares pretty poorly to the playing surface of the last 20.

2011: A wasted year

by Tepo6688 on Feb 5, 2012 3:52 PM CST up reply actions

The first winter Super Bowl should have been in Lambeau and not New York. I hate that East Coast preference. Go with tradition.

Heck, why not Arrowhead?

by Shuggs on Feb 5, 2012 4:35 PM CST reply actions

I hate the Slack...

And I agree with this. Lambeau is something of a hallowed place. As much as I hate the Slack, I’d also hate to see them tear down or abandon that place. It’s as much a part of NFL history as the Soldier Columns.

by Doshi on Feb 5, 2012 5:28 PM CST up reply actions