Road to Super Bowl filled with barricades

Tampa Bay's Super Bowl delegation returned home this week with no regrets and plenty of questions.

Bay area officials were certain they arrived in Houston for the NFL's fall meeting armed with a more substantial bid than Arizona.

But on Tuesday afternoon, those hopes were crushed when commissioner Roger Goodell announced the 2015 game was awarded to Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix that serves as home of the Cardinals.

It took two ballots and a simple majority, but the Bay area was turned away for the second straight year in its efforts to land the league's showcase game.

Tampa Bay's Super Bowl Host Committee, chaired by Sandy MacKinnon, knew Arizona was ahead of the Bay area in the rotation. The 2009 game was played at Raymond James Stadium, one year after Glendale played host to the epic matchup between the Giants and Patriots.

But Arizona is the same Super Bowl suitor that dropped out of the bidding for the 2014 game that was ultimately destined for New York.

While Glendale ran away from the table, Tampa Bay officials diligently put together an impressive proposal that nearly stole the 2014 Super Bowl away from the new stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., that houses both the Giants and Jets.

The New York proposal had the tacit backing of Goodell, yet the vote on the 2014 game was very tight once Miami was eliminated, requiring "five or six ballots'' according to Jets owner Woody Johnson, before the Big Apple bid prevailed over Tampa Bay.

"I was not surprised,'' said Rodney Barreto, chairman of the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee. "I think the fix was in for New York.''

But instead of being rewarded for its perseverance and dedication to being a team player for the league, the Bay area was snubbed this week by the very owners who marveled at the strength of Tampa Bay's bid package for the 2014 game.

That's not right.

When Arizona suddenly withdrew from the 2014 competition, officials there cited a harsh local economy. But in their very next breath, they assured Phoenix residents the region would bid on the 2015 game.

"It simply doesn't feel like the right time to distract Arizona's leadership from the sobering fiscal business at hand to request consideration of a significant financial commitment for a future Super Bowl,'' said Mike Kennedy, chairman of Arizona's Super Bowl Host Committee.

It was a sham, and everyone knew it.

Arizona officials packed their bags once it became apparent to them the New York proposal was unbeatable. It had Goodell's support and besides, it was New York .

Fuhgeddaboutit.

After Tuesday's announcement, Kennedy was all smiles, knowing Arizona had played the Super Bowl shell game very well.

The Arizona contingent was rewarded for turning tail – while the Bay area was sacked after making New York squirm.

This wouldn't be such big a deal, except the road to Tampa Bay's next Super Bowl is now filled with barricades.

With new NFL stadiums in Los Angeles and San Francisco likely to be approved within the next few years, the 2015 game was the Bay area's best chance for a while. And don't forget about Miami, always lurking with sand and perks in abundance.

Keep your eye on South Florida.

The NFL has never gone more than four years without returning the Super Bowl to the Sunshine State, but that trend is about to change.

The 2010 game was played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens and frosty Texas played host to the Super Bowl in February.

The next four games are slated for Indianapolis, New Orleans, New York and Arizona, ensuring a minimum five-year gap for the state of Florida.

When Tampa Bay gets an opportunity to compete against Miami for another Super Bowl, officials here will undoubtedly point out Tampa Bay is ahead in the pecking order.

Hey, it worked for Arizona this week.

"Tampa had a setback,'' Kennedy said, "but they'll be back. Those people across the hall do a great job.''

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