49ers Could Host 50th Super Bowl
By Chris Glennon
Santa Clara students have a reason to get excited about football in the Silicon Valley again.
As soon as 2016, the San Francisco 49ers' new stadium, which is currently being built in Santa Clara, could host the Super Bowl.
"I think it's great for the city and especially for students at Santa Clara," said sophomore Kevin Gilio. "It will be nice to finally have a football team to call Santa Clara's, and if they host the Super Bowl that will make it all the more exciting."
In a statement after the announcement, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said, "San Francisco has proven time and again that we know how to host the world for major events and shine on the international stage."
On Tuesday, NFL owners announced that the stadium, to be completed in 2014, is one of two finalists to host the 50th Super Bowl in 2016. The other finalist is Miami's Sun Life Stadium, home of the Dolphins.
According to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the 50th game will be packed with extra pageantry.
Whoever doesn't get the nod in 2016 will again be a finalist for the 51st Super Bowl in 2017, this time competing with the Houston Texans' stadium.
The decision is expected to come sometime this upcoming May.
The Super Bowl has come to the Bay Area before. In 1985, old Stanford Stadium, former home of the Stanford University Cardinal, hosted the game. The 49ers were lucky enough to get somewhat of a home-field advantage that year, beating the Miami Dolphins 38-16 in the 19th playing of the game.
The 49ers last played in a Super Bowl in 1994, and fell one game short last year.
The last time California hosted a Super Bowl was in San Diego in 2003.
"We've been working for a long time to get a new stadium built in California," Goodell said.
San Francisco would be the official host city and would be the sight many of the events leading up to the game being played in Santa Clara.
"We will be able to showcase all the great things we have from the Golden Gate to Silicon Valley," said Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews in an interview with the San Jose Mercury News. "(San Francisco) definitely knows how to throw a big party."
Lee continued, "A Super Bowl in the Bay Area will bring an enormous economic boost to our entire region and leave a lasting legacy for Bay Area youth."
Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard estimated that the economic impact of hosting the Super Bowl last year brought in $200 million to $250 million.
Owners have expressed concerns about a return to Sun Life Stadium, saying the building requires some major upgrades. Goodell said that the Dolphins "feel that (renovations) are a large part of their bid." South Florida has hosted the most Super Bowls with 10.
"It's not like hosting the Super Bowl will completely make up for us not having a football team," said sophomore Taylor Hawes. "It could sure help, though."
Contact Chris Glennon at cglennon@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.