01/21/06

The Wall Street Journal

Super Bowl's Starting Lineup: Shovels, Plows & Bowlers

by By Russell Adams

Two weeks before Super Bowl XL, Paul Ridgeway is worried about his opponent's ability to pile up, block running lanes and make passing nearly impossible. Mr. Ridgeway isn't a player or a coach. He's the National Football League's man in charge of transportation. His foe: snow.

For the first time in 14 years and only the fourth time ever, the NFL is holding the Super Bowl north of Georgia, and if history is any indicator, Mr. Ridgeway had better bring his mittens. The NFL brought its showcase event to chilly Michigan once before, in 1982. Ice storms, gridlock and a wind chill of minus 27 almost made some players late for kickoff and kept many paying fans from getting there at all. "It was like an ice village," says Pat Summerall, who broadcast the game.

So, this time around, the hosts are jumping through hoops to be sure the NFL's big gamble pays off come rain, shine or snow. The game will be played indoors, but the real concern is making sure ticketholders- and the players- can make it there. A brigade of more than 500 people will respond around the clock to commands from a state-of-the-art weather center. To clear areas that several hundred pieces of snow-removal equipment can't get to, organizers are training 200 athletes from nearby Wayne State University as volunteer shovelers. And in the event of an emergency- say, one of the team buses gets stuck en route to the stadium- a "hit" squad of six plow professionals who normally clear snow from the track at Michigan International Speedway will swing into action.

Of course, February 5 might well bring sunny skies and nary a flake. But Detroit's snowfall since Nov. 1 is more than seven inches above average, according to the National Weather Service. And it's snowed in Detroit on Feb.5 in four of the last six years.

Despite the NFL's longstanding preference for warmer spots like Miami and New Orleans, the league gave Detroit this year's game even after 1982's weather problems. The main reason: Ford Field, a snazzy, $500 million, enclosed stadium that opened in 2002. To encourage new stadiums- and the money they generate- the NFL often rewards cities that build brand-new facilities with its biggest event of the year.

But for the people making the trip, the Super Bowl isn't just a football game, it's a weeklong party, a junket where the big shots of the sports and corporate worlds wine, dine and make deals. And there are some signs that the potential for ice in places besides cocktails is deterring some of the very bigwigs the event is meant to woo.

”People just don’t want to come and stay in Detroit for three nights,” says John Leggett, a partner in On Point Sports, a sports travel firm. He says about 90% of clients this year have booked trips of three nights or less; typically, Super Bowl travelers purchase packages of four nights or longer. And one trip that is selling fast – a “high roller” package that jets fans in and out of the city just for the game – isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for the charms of a long stay in the motor city.

In the News 01/21/06 01/26/06 04/30/06 07/05/06 11/20/06 03/01/07 04/29/08 11/01/08 04/06/09 Press Releases Media Contacts Company Fact Sheet First Name: Last Name: Email Address: unsubscribe		View cart Print 01/21/06 The Wall Street Journal *Super Bowl's Starting Lineup: Shovels, Plows & Bowlers* by By Russell Adams Two weeks before Super Bowl XL, Paul Ridgeway is worried about his opponent's ability to pile up, block running lanes and make passing nearly impossible. Mr. Ridgeway isn't a player or a coach. He's the National Football League's man in charge of transportation. His foe: snow. For the first time in 14 years and only the fourth time ever, the NFL is holding the Super Bowl north of Georgia, and if history is any indicator, Mr. Ridgeway had better bring his mittens. The NFL brought its showcase event to chilly Michigan once before, in 1982. Ice storms, gridlock and a wind chill of minus 27 almost made some players late for kickoff and kept many paying fans from getting there at all. "It was like an ice village," says Pat Summerall, who broadcast the game. So, this time around, the hosts are jumping through hoops to be sure the NFL's big gamble pays off come rain, shine or snow. The game will be played indoors, but the real concern is making sure ticketholders- and the players- can make it there. A brigade of more than 500 people will respond around the clock to commands from a state-of-the-art weather center. To clear areas that several hundred pieces of snow-removal equipment can't get to, organizers are training 200 athletes from nearby Wayne State University as volunteer shovelers. And in the event of an emergency- say, one of the team buses gets stuck en route to the stadium- a "hit" squad of six plow professionals who normally clear snow from the track at Michigan International Speedway will swing into action. Of course, February 5 might well bring sunny skies and nary a flake. But Detroit's snowfall since Nov. 1 is more than seven inches above average, according to the National Weather Service. And it's snowed in Detroit on Feb.5 in four of the last six years. Despite the NFL's longstanding preference for warmer spots like Miami and New Orleans, the league gave Detroit this year's game even after 1982's weather problems. The main reason: Ford Field, a snazzy, $500 million, enclosed stadium that opened in 2002. To encourage new stadiums- and the money they generate- the NFL often rewards cities that build brand-new facilities with its biggest event of the year. But for the people making the trip, the Super Bowl isn't just a football game, it's a weeklong party, a junket where the big shots of the sports and corporate worlds wine, dine and make deals. And there are some signs that the potential for ice in places besides cocktails is deterring some of the very bigwigs the event is meant to woo. ”People just don’t want to come and stay in Detroit for three nights,” says John Leggett, a partner in On Point Sports, a sports travel firm. He says about 90% of clients this year have booked trips of three nights or less; typically, Super Bowl travelers purchase packages of four nights or longer. And one trip that is selling fast – a “high roller” package that jets fans in and out of the city just for the game – isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for the charms of a long stay in the motor city.