When it comes to the Super Bowl, it’s not just the players battling it out on the field—the competition begins long before the first whistle blows. Behind the scenes, cities across the country enter their own high-stakes game, vying for the honor of hosting America’s biggest sporting event.
The upcoming Super Bowl LIX will be played at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, but how does the National Football League decide which city gets to transform into the epicenter of all things football for one exhilarating weekend? Well, it’s not as simple as good weather and great hotels (though those certainly help). From proposals to planning, it takes a whole lot to become the host city. Basically, getting to welcome two winning teams and their fans into your stadium is a big win in itself.
So, how does the NFL pick Super Bowl cities? Well, keep reading to get a little peek at the playbook that shows what it takes for a city to bring home the hosting title—and that includes the requirements to even be considered.
Becoming a host city for the Super Bowl is a long and difficult process, one that starts years before the game actually takes place. When all is said and done, the decision behind the host city essentially boils down to a vote of the owners from all 32 NFL teams.
But how did this vote come about? Well, in the past, the NFL would invite cities to bid for the privilege of hosting the big game, but that system has now changed. Since 2018, the NFL reaches out to a city that fulfills the league's hosting requirements to ask if they will host the Super Bowl. If the chosen city wishes to participate, they must negotiate the terms of the gig with the NFL, in the form of a suitable proposal. Following this proposal from the potential city, the team owners then vote to accept or reject it.
In order for a city to be considered for the coveted event, there are a few standards that need to be met. After all, thousands of fans will flood the city, spending money on everything from hotel rooms and restaurants to tours and shops. Those conditions include:
- The host stadium must be in a market that hosts an NFL team
- The host stadium must have a minimum of 70,000 seats
- The host stadium must have specific media and electrical amenities
- The host stadium must have an average game day temperature of at least 50°F (if the temperature is below this, the stadium must have a domed roof or receive a waiver from the league)
- The host stadium must have at least 35,000 parking spaces within one mile of the stadium
- The host stadium must have practice space of equal and comparable quality for both teams within a twenty minute drive of the team's hotels
- The host stadium must have hotel spaces equaling 35% of the stadium's capacity within one hour’s drive of the stadium
- The host stadium must have space for the entire NFL Gameday Experience, including a large pregame entertainment area and space for all other events that take place during Super Bowl week at areas such as golf courses and bowling alleys
While the Super Bowl city decision used to revolve around weather (Following this year's Super Bowl, Miami and New Orleans will be tied for hosting the most games at 11 each), now, there's so much more that goes into earning your spot on the NFL's schedule.
In fact, the selection process is so rigorous that future Super Bowl locations are chosen long in advance. The next few stadium's have already been announced. Super Bowl LX will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, Super Bowl LXI will happen at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, and Super Bowl LXII will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
Macie Reynolds is the assistant editor of E-Commerce and SEO for The Pioneer Woman.
