The Super Bowl

Patriots vs Eagles. Boston vs Philadelphia. Brady vs Wentz Foles. The Super Bowl is not just a football game in America, but an event. Everyone is watching, everyone is listening, everyone is invested. But how much more invested are the cities of the teams going to the Super Bowl/hosting the big game? What kind of economic impact does this game have on Philadelphia, New England, and especially Minnesota? I’m sure the knee-jerk reaction for most people is to say that these cities benefit greatly because of the Super Bowl. Mayors and business executives love to talk about the economic boom that comes with such an event. Influxes of cash and exposure will keep these cities on the rise for decades to come! … Is hosting the Super Bowl really worth it? Let’s take a look at last year’s Super Bowl in Houston and the 2015 Super Bowl in Phoenix. In 2015, the Phoenix area raked in $719 million during Super Bowl week. That’s the number that was boasted about in headlines, news stories and political speeches. That is the benefit. Let’s look at the cost. Between extra security, giveaways to the NFL, changing behavior of local businesses and much more, the Phoenix area spent nearly as much money to put the game on. The NFL insisted that the city would have to waive all state, local and city taxes, pay for billboards promoting the game, pay for hundreds of league officials to check out the arena, provide golf courses and bowling alleys, tens of thousands of free parking spaces and make sure that the stadium is rent free for a month before the game. Not to mention that the NFL also asks for all proceeds from ticket sales. According to Victor Matheson, Phoenix could have made to as little as $30 million that week. Now don’t get me wrong, making $30 million to put on a football game is not a bad thing, it’s just not $719 million. Believing that cities understand the economics of hosting a Super Bowl, one of the main reasons that they would host a Super Bowl is civic pride. I’m sure the city of New Orleans felt a sense of family after they held the Super Bowl a few years after Katrina. I’m sure if Houston hosted the Super Bowl this year, it would help the city come together as one after some hard times. Unfortunately for them, the sense of pride for your hometown does not translate into $719 million. San Francisco hosted Super Bowl 50, and they needed money to begin with to host the big game. Where does this money come from? Taxpayers. During that Super Bowl week, San Francisco taxpayers were on the hook for at least $4.8 million in city services. Not only is that $5 million being spent on the Super Bowl, it’s $5 million NOT being spent on road repairs, schools or feeding the homeless population in the bay area. There are some instances, like Super Bowl XLVIII, where the host state