Super Bowl Experience

Last updated

The Super Bowl Experience at Georgia World Congress Center for Super Bowl LIII. Super Bowl Experience at Super Bowl LIII, Feb 2019 1.jpg
The Super Bowl Experience at Georgia World Congress Center for Super Bowl LIII.

The Super Bowl Experience (formerly the NFL Experience) is an annual event which has been held since 1992 at a venue in the host city of the Super Bowl. The event is described as an interactive "theme park", [1] [2] featuring various fan-oriented attractions, including football-related activities and autograph sessions with current and former players. [1] Proceeds from the sale of Super Bowl Experience tickets go to fund the NFL's Youth Education Town (YET) initiative, which constructs facilities (typically in low-income neighborhoods of Super Bowl host cities) offering afterschool programs for youth. [3] [4] Tickets to this event are free and can be assessed at the OnePass App on the NFLs main website. [5]

Contents

In November 2017, the NFL opened an NFL Experience attraction at New York City's 20 Times Square, in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, which featured a similar array of interactive experiences and memorabilia. Consequently, the NFL began to refer to the travelling event as the Super Bowl Experience beginning in 2018 for Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis–Saint Paul. The Times Square experience was later closed.

History

The first NFL Experience was held at the Minneapolis Convention Center in January 1992 prior to Super Bowl XXVI. The NFL's interactive theme park was followed by Major League Baseball's first "FanFest" in San Diego, California six months later.

In 2013 the NFL Experience was hosted at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. [3]

The NFL Experience was not held for Super Bowl XLVIII. Instead, the NFL organized an outdoor festival, Super Bowl Boulevard, along Broadway and Times Square, which featured a similar array of fan-oriented events and attractions (such as an artificial toboggan hill). [6] [7] [8] Animal Planet held a "Puppy Bowl Experience" at the Discovery Times Square exhibition promoting its annual Puppy Bowl special (which traditionally airs on the day of the Super Bowl), to ride the festivities' coattails. [9]

The 2015 NFL Experience was hosted at the Phoenix Convention Center. [3]

The 2016 NFL Experience was hosted at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. [10]

The 2017 NFL Experience was hosted at George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. The Houston Super Bowl Host Committee also hosted its own outdoor festival, Super Bowl Live, in the adjacent Discovery Green park, which featured entertainment events. [11] [12]

For Super Bowl LII, the event was renamed the Super Bowl Experience, and was held at the Minneapolis Convention Center. [13] [1] The Super Bowl LIII edition was held at the Georgia World Congress Center. [14]

The Super Bowl Experience for Super Bowl LIV was held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. [15]

Super Bowl LV's Super Bowl Experience was held at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, with capacity and health protocols in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [16]

Super Bowl LVI’s Super Bowl Experience was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

NFL Experience Times Square

On November 30, 2017, the NFL opened an attraction known as NFL Experience Times Square, within four ground-level floors of 20 Times Square in New York City. The 40,000 square-foot attraction was a collaboration with Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, and featured various interactive activities and multimedia experiences, including a 4D film, a simulated locker room and practice area, displays of memorabilia, and a bar and restaurant that would feature a rotation of menu selections from NFL stadiums. [17] [18] [19] [20] In February 2018, it was announced that NFL Network's Good Morning Football would move to a studio at the attraction in April, after having previously used a CBS studio in New York City. [21]

In September 2018, it was announced that the attraction would close, citing underperforming attendance numbers (which analysts pegged to poor promotion by the NFL, and high ticket prices). It was to remain open through at least the end of 2018. [22] [23] Good Morning Football moved to SportsNet New York's facilities at 4 World Trade Center in November 2018. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl</span> National Football League championship game

The Super Bowl is the annual league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game has been played on the second Sunday in February. Prior Super Bowls were played on Sundays in early to mid-January from 1967 to 1978, late January from 1979 to 2003, and the first Sunday of February from 2004 to 2021. Winning teams are awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after the eponymous coach who won the first two Super Bowls. Because the NFL restricts use of its "Super Bowl" trademark, it is frequently referred to as the "big game" or other generic terms by non-sponsoring corporations. The day that the game is held, is commonly referred to as "Super Bowl Sunday" or simply "Super Sunday".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vince Lombardi Trophy</span> Trophy for the winning team of the Super Bowl

The Vince Lombardi Trophy, also known simply as the Lombardi Trophy or even just the Lombardi, is the trophy awarded each year to the winning team of the National Football League's championship game, the Super Bowl. The trophy is named in honor of NFL coach Vince Lombardi, who led the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowl games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cirque du Soleil</span> Canadian contemporary circus company

Cirque du Soleil is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, Montreal, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 June 1984 by former street performers Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NRG Stadium</span> Stadium in Houston, Texas, United States

NRG Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. Construction was completed in 2002, at a cost of $352 million and has a seating capacity of 72,220. It was the first NFL facility to have a retractable roof.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NRG Park</span> Multi-venue sports and entertainment complex in Houston, Texas

NRG Park, formerly Reliant Park and Astrodomain, is a complex in Houston, named after the energy company NRG Energy. It is located on Kirby Drive at the South Loop West Freeway (I-610). This complex of buildings encompasses 350 acres (1.4 km2) of land and consists of four venues: NRG Stadium, NRG Center, NRG Arena and the NRG Astrodome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caesars Superdome</span> Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

The Caesars Superdome, commonly known as the Superdome, is a domed multi-purpose stadium located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the home stadium of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Dome</span> Former stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

The Georgia Dome was a domed stadium in the Southeastern United States. Located in Atlanta between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west, it was owned and operated by the State of Georgia as part of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. Its successor, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, was built adjacent to the south and opened on August 26, 2017. The Georgia Dome was demolished on November 20, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alamodome</span> Multi-purpose domed stadium in San Antonio, Texas, United States

The Alamodome is a 64,000-seat domed indoor multi-purpose stadium in San Antonio, Texas. It is located on the southeastern fringe of downtown San Antonio. The facility opened on May 15, 1993, having been constructed at a cost of $186 million.

The George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB), opened on September 26, 1987, is located on the east side of Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.

<i>Puppy Bowl</i> Super bowl counterprogramming hosted by Animal Planet

The Puppy Bowl is an annual television program on Animal Planet that mimics an American football game similar to the Super Bowl, using puppies. Shown each year on Super Bowl Sunday, the show consists of footage of a batch of puppies at play inside a model stadium, with commentary on their actions. The first Puppy Bowl was shown on February 6, 2005, opposite to Super Bowl XXXIX. The puppies featured in the Puppy Bowl are from shelters. The program is designed to raise awareness about adopting pets from shelters and rescuing abandoned animals.

The National Football League Kickoff Game, along with related festivities, marks the official start of the National Football League (NFL) regular season. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. This first game of the season is usually scheduled for the Thursday following Labor Day. An exception was made in 2012, when the game was moved to Wednesday to prevent conflicts with the acceptance speech of the Democratic National Convention. Although the Kickoff Game is typically played on Thursday night, the league treats it separately from the Thursday Night Football games during the rest of the season.

Jamie King is an American creative director, choreographer, and producer. His work directing concert tours for pop stars has grossed over $2 billion as of 2011.

Although the Super Bowl is consistently one of the most watched television programs in the United States annually, broadcasters have sometimes attempted to intentionally counterprogram against it by running new programming against the game as an alternative, such as special episodes of existing series, one-off special presentations, and previews of new series, typically during its halftime break.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">20 Times Square</span> Skyscraper in Manhattan, New York

20 Times Square is a 42-story mixed-use development at 701 Seventh Avenue, on the northeast corner with West 47th Street at the northern end of Times Square, Manhattan, New York City. The development includes one of Ian Schrager's Edition Hotels, operated by Marriott, above a 6-floor 76,000 square feet (7,100 m2) retail component. It opened in February 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl LI</span> 2017 National Football League championship game

Super Bowl LI was an American football game played at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on February 5, 2017, to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2016 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Atlanta Falcons, 34–28. Super Bowl LI featured the largest comeback in Super Bowl history, with the Patriots overcoming a 28–3 deficit in the third quarter to emerge victorious. Due to the comeback, the game is nicknamed "28–3". The game was also the first Super Bowl to be decided in overtime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl LII</span> 2018 National Football League championship game

Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) and defending Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots, 41–33, to win their first Super Bowl and their first NFL title since 1960, and make the NFC East the first and currently only division where every team has won a Super Bowl. The game was played on February 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was the second time that a Super Bowl was played in Minneapolis, the northernmost city to ever host the event, after Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome during the 1991 season. It was also the sixth Super Bowl held in a cold-weather city, although the stadium is indoors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VidantaWorld</span> Theme park in Nayarit, Mexico

VidantaWorld is a 2023 theme park at Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. When completed, the park will feature three 'dream parks,' BON: Beauty of Nature, a nature-themed park, Jungala Aqua Experience, a water-themed park, and an immersive 'imagination-fueled' park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SoFi Stadium</span> Indoor stadium in Inglewood, California, U.S.

SoFi Stadium is a 70,240-seat sports and entertainment indoor-outdoor stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, California, United States. SoFi occupies the former site of the Hollywood Park Racetrack, 0.15 miles (0.24 km) southeast of Kia Forum and 0.2 miles (0.32 km) northwest of Intuit Dome, and 3 miles (4.8 km) from Los Angeles International Airport.

The children's cable television network Nickelodeon has on occasion, produced special programming in-line with its corporate cousin CBS and that network's then forthcoming Super Bowl coverage.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Tickets for Super Bowl Experience 'theme park' go on sale Tuesday". TwinCities.com. December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  2. ↑ "L.A. Gets The NFL Experience". Advertising Age. January 25, 1993. Retrieved November 1, 2017. a 'theme park' event held outside game gates called the NFL Experience, which for the second year will bring sponsorship opportunities for national NFL advertisers and their local partners
  3. 1 2 3 "NFL Experience". fanhospitality.com. Retrieved November 1, 2017. s
  4. ↑ "Jerry Jones, NFL give $1 million each for Arlington's new Youth Education Town". SportsDay. February 3, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Super Bowl LV Experience - FAQ". NFL.com. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  6. ↑ "New Jersey takes backseat in Super Bowl XLVIII billing". USA Today. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Super Bowl 2014 fan guide: NFL 'Boulevard' on Broadway". NJ.com. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  8. ↑ Jeff Briggs (February 13, 2013). "2014 Super Bowl will not have NFL Experience in New York". SB Nation . Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Puppy Bowl X Preview: Designer Dogs, Penguin Cheerleaders and Fantasy Four-Legged Football". The Hollywood Reporter. January 17, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  10. ↑ Roberts, Chris (October 15, 2014). "Super Bowl 50 Gets Financial Boost from Big Tech". NBC Bay Area. NBCUniversal Media. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Super Bowl LIVE Kicks Off at Discovery Green". Houston Press. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  12. ↑ Barron, David (November 17, 2016). "Super Bowl LI "Opening Night" at Minute Maid on Jan. 30". Houston Chronicle.com. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Twin Cities setting stage for Super Bowl LII in grand fashion". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Road to Super Bowl LIII: Atlanta's downtown cluster a perfect fit for NFL". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Complete Guide to Super Bowl LIV Week Events in South Florida". NBC 6 South Florida. January 20, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  16. ↑ "NFL Experience rises along Tampa waterfront as Super Bowl 55 nears". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  17. ↑ "This New Times Square Hotel Will Be Wrapped in New York City's Biggest Billboard". Travel & Leisure. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  18. ↑ "The Future of Cirque du Soleil Isn't the Circus". Bloomberg Businessweek. November 29, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  19. ↑ Cox, Gordon (June 23, 2016). "Cirque du Soleil, NFL Team Up For Massive Times Square Attraction". Variety. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  20. ↑ "The NFL opened up a football theme park in the middle of Times Square". SBNation.com. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Good Morning Football moving to new NFL Experience in Times Square". Awful Announcing. February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  22. ↑ "NFL Experience Sacked During First-Year Opening Drive". MediaPost. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  23. ↑ "NFL Experience Still Open In Times Square Through End Of Year". Sports Business Daily. Retrieved November 26, 2018.(subscription required)
  24. ↑ Dachman, Jason (October 26, 2018). "NFL Media Ramps Up for Exclusive London Broadcast; Good Morning Football Preps for Move to SNY". Sports Video Group. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.