Indy's competition for 2018 Super Bowl getting ridiculous

February 1, 2013
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The competition to land a Super Bowl is always intense.

Indianapolis found that out the hard way, getting jobbed for the 2011 Super Bowl by Dallas, before landing the big game in 2012 on another nail-biter.

The competition for the 2018 Super Bowl is getting down right ridiculous. Indianapolis was the first to officially throw its hat in the ring in early 2012. Coming off what many within the NFL called the best Super Bowl hosting job ever, Indianapolis looked like a strong contender for 2018. Some even were brave enough to suggest the Circle City might get in on a regular host city rotation.

Less than 11 months after jumping into the ring to fight for another Super Bowl, Indianapolis’ ability to secure it in 2018 seems anything but certain. In fact, it now looks like they’re fighting an uphill battle, with some NFL insiders quietly putting their weight behind other cities.

It’s going to take some masterful lobbing by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay and another super-creative bid to get Indianapolis back toward the lead in this race.

Heading into this week, here’s the list of cities considering bidding for the 2018 Super Bowl: Miami, San Francisco, Houston, Minneapolis and Dallas. Minneapolis and San Francisco are likely to have new stadiums to flaunt. And we all know how the NFL likes a shiny new stadium for Super Bowls.

No city can generate more money for the NFL and its 32 team owners than Dallas, which despite its problems in 2011, can still boast the ability to pack 100,000 people into the Jerry Jones Dome. And we all know how much the NFL likes money.

As if all that’s not enough, the battle for the 2018 Super Bowl became a full-on bar brawl this week, when the NFL “invited,” I repeat “invited” Denver to bid on the 2018 Super Bowl. I’m not sure what you make of the word ‘invite,’ but in my book, that means ‘you are wanted, desired and lusted after.’

Then on Thursday, Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation President & CEO and Super Bowl XLVII Host Committee Executive Director Jay Cicero announced that the group “would like to bid to host the 2018 Super Bowl, timed to the city's 300th anniversary.”

Now that’s just dirty pool. How is Indianapolis supposed to compete with that? We all know New Orleans knows how to throw a party. I can’t imagine what they’ll do to tie it in with its tricentennial. If nothing else, that will bring even more media attention to the Super Bowl, and. the NFL likes media attention almost as much as it does money.

I don’t expect Indianapolis officials to cower from the challenge. 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee CEO Allison Melangton is in New Orleans this week on a re-con mission for Indy’s next bid.

The smallish Lucas Oil Stadium, once thought to be a strike against Indianapolis, might now be considered a big plus. This week, Stadium Journey Magazine ranked Lucas Oil Stadium—for the second consecutive year—as the best U.S. venue to watch a sporting event.

The bids for the 2018 Super Bowl are due in May, 2014. The local host committee headed by Melangton will start working on the bid in June or July, she said.

Hopefully Melangton is gathering some good intel this week. Indy is going to need all it can get to emerge from this vicious fight victorious.

 







 

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  • Weather was a factor
    JFebruary 1, 2013 1:27 PM
    Indy did a good job, but had it not been for the flukish 60-degree weather, it wouldn't have gone over as well as it did. Yes, there were the hotels-within-walking-distance and new-fangled Georgia Street walkways (which aren't even used now). Those are great things. But I woke up this morning and it was 7 degrees outside. If Indy hosted a game with all the same positive factors but with weather like we're having today - it would not be touted as the best-hosted Super Bowl. Guaranteed. Everything within walking distance means nothing when no one wants to freeze their booty off.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • why 2018
      patFebruary 1, 2013 1:42 PM
      hey why 2018 why not go for 2019 then. Also Denver has an outdoor stadium so double BRRRRR and Minn. while indoor (think they still are) everything else is outdoor. And Miami it has rained everytime they have it so who cares about them. If the stadium isn't as big as Dalls more people watch it on TV which bumps up their ratings even higher!!!
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • I Love L.A.
      Burl HatterleyFebruary 1, 2013 7:00 PM
      Once the stadium is built in downtown Los Angeles, the Super Bowl will be a regular event there, held every other year or every third year, fourth at the outset. The NFL is busy giving other cities "their" Super Bowl in the meantime. They will not get to them all, but they'll get to a few. After 2019, the Super Bowl will be played something like this: 2020 - Los Angeles. 2021 - Dallas. 2022 - New York (a new dome) 2023 - New Orleans - 2024 - Los Angeles again. Repeat. The Indy's, San Diego's, Atlanta's, and Houston's will not even be considered. Indianapolis has held its Super Bowl. The one and only it will ever hold. The Super Bowl will he held like this and the NFL will continue to grow big of britches for another decade or so and then it will be time for the diapers. By 2035, it will be semi-fading in that NASCAR-ish sort of way, popular but not like it was, empty seats and lower ratings, struggling a bit. By 2045 it will be about as popular as today's PGA is. By 2055 it is a relic. Now then, the deaths on the field that are soon to occur with auto racing like regularity may diminsh the sport sooner. Also, a changing culture, one in which nearly everything for the purposes of entertainment will be found in a small, electonic box in a virtual-reality world, compelte with sensory applications to include, odor, taste, and nerve-reaction, will supplant watching others do. Concurrent, the collapse of the American economy as we have known it this past half century or so, will hasten the demise as there will simply not be capitol available to fund folly. There will be an economy but it will preclude billionaire investors paying millionaire charges to play a game not considered note-worthy by all but the two oldest generations. Youngsters will not play either of lack of interest or by prohibition (see game deaths). Indebted and bankrupt schools and their districts will no longer be able to sustain athletic programs of any sort. Youth leagues will exist but barely. Municipalities will no longer be able to provide adequate grounds for the football games. Youth leagues will resemble "vintage" or "nostalgia" contests. Tackling will be prohibited in most of the 45 states left in America. In the Republic of Texas, tackling will be permitted. But suffering from an invasion of Mexicans, escaping the Mad Max decline of that nation, all entertainment capitol will be seized to contest the Border Wars, particularly after France pulls out of defending her to save their own nation from economically being forced to join Germany. The 5 percent who hold the capitol in what is left of America may have "gentlemen's football leagues" behind the gates, relegating exhibitions of the once great game to Sunday picnic outings for the elite, but dust bowl America, will not really care, distracted by their inexpensive "entertainment and occupation" devices, which take them to virtually any place or anything, up to an including an illusory perception they are participating in the, for example, the 2013 Super Bowl as a Raven or member of Destiny's Child.
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
      • Texas Gone?
        Question for BurlFebruary 2, 2013 7:46 AM
        Not too surprising, I suppose. Care to name the other four states you predict will bolt? South Carolina? Mississippi? Alabama? Alaska? Morgan County, Indiana?
        Reply to CommentFlag Comment
      • indymanFebruary 2, 2013 10:07 PM
        Nice to see Burl bring his "unique" perspective to something other than racing. And it appears he has about the same accuracy in his predictions
        Reply to CommentFlag Comment
      • Burl?
        IndymoonFebruary 3, 2013 8:25 PM
        Is that Burl or George Orwell?
        Reply to CommentFlag Comment
      • irrelevant
        MattFebruary 3, 2013 10:47 PM
        Detroit Metro Minneapolis-Saint Paul New York Metro And possibly Denver
        Reply to CommentFlag Comment
      • Weather
        MattFebruary 3, 2013 10:49 PM
        Previous comment in response to J
        Reply to CommentFlag Comment
      • Observation
        Indy JeffFebruary 4, 2013 10:53 AM
        Wow. Burl, I bet you're a real treat be around at parties.
        Reply to CommentFlag Comment
      • Snow is awesome...
        Idyllic IndyFebruary 4, 2013 2:49 PM
        but I bet the Indy committee will be looking at ways to almost fully enclose and heat Georgia Street for its upcoming application. Perhaps a series of retractable glass panels between the buildings.
        Reply to CommentFlag Comment
        • Burl
          JimboFebruary 5, 2013 10:47 AM
          Burl, when is all this horrible stuff supposed to happen, so I can prepare?
          Reply to CommentFlag Comment

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        1. liek the rest of America

        2. These quaint,obsessed musings by the stalkers are certainly entertaining, but I'm trying to figure out what, if anything, all the yelping below has to do with Zak Brown.

        3. It's evident that Moffett was pushing the right buttons and corporate America is now trying to squash him. He just wanted to withdraw the free pilot services provided to the company by the pilots to try and put some pressure on a company that has not been interested in negotiating a contract in over 5 years. The company does not provide a contract because not having one has saved them a bundle of money. Shame on any Republic pilots not standing behind their union leader just because things are getting tough, can you not see such strategic moves by the company as putting the last union president in a corporate position and into THEIR pocket. Do you really believe the last union president is so appalled at the attempts by Moffett, do you not remember his oppositions to the company? We stood behind him. It has been proven over and over again for thousands of years without fail, a man cannot serve two masters. Anyone that believes people vote contrary to their paycheck and livelihood deserve to be taken advantage of, the recent statements by the former union president are laughable as he denounces the current union president from his new corporate position. Have you ever seen a drafted sports player score points for his previous team, it cannot be done, he is not on the pilots side anymore, he gets his money a different way now than you and I do, and he should not be allowed to remain on the seniority list. A drafted player brings strength, credibility, tactical knowledge, and a strategic advantage to his NEW team, he would not be drafted or paid were it otherwise. We are all forced to choose only one side to play for and support, not doing so has many references in life such as insider trading and shaving points, all illegal for good reason. This basic fact is why corporate moguls, scientist, and engineers all sign non-discloser agreements and non-compete clauses, as protection in case they are lured into switching sides as our former union president has done. No NFL coach ever drafted a player so that both teams could benefit and better understand each other, they are recruited to win the game against that former team, period. Likewise the company does not recruit the former union president by accident or mutual understanding, its strategy. Don't confuse playing the game with good sportsman-like conduct in support of common business and prosperity goals, with the requirement to only play for one side. Good men we all love and favor fall subject to this manipulation, often without their knowledge, and it is not a betrayal of their friendship to oppose them when they switch sides. If we did not love and trust them, they would not have been chosen and lured to the other side in the first place. The deception by the drafted player is not made at a conscious level, it's just human nature and it's all about money and power which corrupts our ability to be objective and loyal to two masters. This is why our court system created the defense attorney, and why our military created counter intelligence. Its strategy and its propaganda, and it works, and that's why the "powers to be" manipulate the chess pieces by sometimes changing their colors. Some players know they are being manipulated when their color is changed, but it brings them more money and power so they do not care. The rest have good intentions but do not even realize they are being manipulated. This tactic is also known by another name, Divide and Conquer. In battle sending an imperfect message with an imperfect team is obviously not ideal, but it's still being sent by YOUR team, your union leader, a leader that has common goals and common rewards with you, they are the best, because we have elected them to do a job for us. If you are not backing Moffett but believing the spin by those that have recently switched sides, you are taking food out of your own mouth. Showing unity and backing an imperfect situation still results in taking just as much ground, it's about unity and bargaining power. It's not necessary to wait around for that perfect attack because it will never come, the company will spin and attempt to destroy anyone that gets in their way. Ultimately it's not about any specific attack anyway, ASAP or whatever it makes no difference, it is and always has been only about power. If this company cared about safety it would not build pairings with 8 hour overnights, come on, are you that naive? Besides, do you really think Hoffa cares, no, he got a call from corporate America and was squeezed into denouncing Moffett. If he didn't they would spin the safety card against him and the Teamsters National with implication for truckers, future contracts, insurance rates etc...saying something like the Teamsters use safety as a bargaining chip, blah blah blah... Do you really think any pilot is going to do something unsafe for the contract, absolutely not, the only ones threatening safety here is the company with reduced rest, fatigue, and poverty. Do you not find it odd that Hoffa and the Teamsters are opposing a Teamster president publicly? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and work with one of their own? Why did they not sit down and help him strategize, correct any mistakes, and charge ahead? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and leverage a contract for all those pilots that have been paying Teamster dues, isn't that why we have all been paying Teamster dues in the first place? I sure haven't been paying dues so that the Teamsters National could come along and write this kind of an article undercutting our union leader and our unity. Whose side is the Teamsters National really on, it's obviously not the Republic pilots side.

        4. No matter what Moffatt does the company is going to spin it like he is the terrorist and brainwash people like you into believing it, wake up, back your players that are trying to change things for you and your livelihood. Where has Hoffa been for the last 6 years, except collecting our dues. Seriously, do you really think an FO going for upgrade, signed off by a checkairman ready for the upgrade, who then fails, is not even capable of returning as a First Officer.

        5. whoa!

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