Skip to main content

Featured Post

Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park infographics: what's built/what's coming/what's missing, who's responsible, + project FAQ/timeline (pinned post)

Was the Barclays Center used to lure the 2014 Super Bowl?

Would you believe that New York Used Barclays Center To Help Lure 2014 Super Bowl, as claimed by NetsDaily?

Well, you'd have to go to the links. The evidence isn't there.

From a New York Post article headlined Apple fans all feeling Super:
"America came to the rescue of New York, and that's something I think that New Yorkers have never forgotten," Bloomberg said. "This is a little bit of our chance to say thank you."

State economic development chief Peter Davidson told The Post that the under-construction Barclays Center in Brooklyn will be added to the list of venues hosting Super Bowl-week gala events, including the Javits Center and the James A. Farley Post Office.

The Jets' Johnson wasted no time in raising the possibility of a Jets-Giants championship game in four years.
From a Brooklyn blog post headlined EXCLUSIVE: New Brooklyn arena in line to host events during Super Bowl week in 2014:
Peter Davidson, executive director of the Empire State Development Corp., told the Post yesterday that the planned Barclays Center for Prospect Heights would be a perfect place to host some of the gala events that will be held in the New York area during the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII.

Although nothing is finalized, he and other local officials said they expect the under-construction, 18,000-seat arena to join the list of venues already slated to host Super Bowl-week events, including both the Javits Center and the James A. Farley Post Office in Manhattan.

“We will obviously work with the Nets to see if we can make this work, but the Barclays Center will be a great place to host events," he said. "It has excellent mass transit, and it should be ready by the time the Super Bowl arrives."
Well, the ESDC won't run the arena--there's an arena operating company--so they'd have to work with the Nets. In fact, the arena operating company surely would be happy to reap some revenue.

Alternative explanations

Maybe the Farley Post Office was used to lure the Super Bowl? Or maybe it was the weather. Or maybe it was the whole shebang. Wrote the four Senators from New York and New Jersey:
There is no greater stage on the planet than the New York City/New Jersey metropolitan area to showcase the world class athleticism, determination and competition that makes the Super Bowl the preeminent single event in all of sport. New Jersey and New York City are simply unmatched for entertainment and sporting venues. As the nation’s most populous metro area with more than 19 million people, and as the nation’s top media market, the fanfare of the Super Bowl would be uniquely enhanced by the vibrancy that the region has to offer. The City of New York is world famous for its arts, entertainment, cultural and culinary venues. The Jets and Giants each have state-of-the-art training facilities in New Jersey, perfect for Super Bowl Week practices that will fully prepare the NFC and AFC Champions for the big game. Liberty State Park on the Hudson River is one of the most picturesque public spaces in the nation - perfect for a pre-game celebration. Northern New Jersey communities - from Newark to Hoboken to Jersey City - are also home to some of the nation’s top restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as one of its most culturally diverse populations. It is also worth noting that the New York City metro area is no stranger to other major sporting events, having hosted 7 World Series, 5 Stanley Cup finals, 4 NBA Finals, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, and the FIFA World Cup over the last 20 years.

Comments