The NFL Needs More Cold-Weather Super Bowls

Jan 23, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; General view of University of Phoenix Stadium in advance of Super Bowl XLIX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Every year when we are gearing up for Super Bowl time I hear the same debate come up about where the Super Bowl should be held. It’s the same arguments every year as well from those who oppose cold-weather Super Bowls:

"Weather should not be a factor in the outcome, the better team should win. Weather can give an unfair advantage.The game can potentially get delayed or postponed due to weather.Why would the NFL want to invite rain, snow and cold to one of the biggest television events of the year?Fans should be able to enjoy the game without dealing with miserable cold and potential snow."

In my opinion, all of these arguments are garbage and the NFL needs to make a change now. Of the 48 previous Super Bowls, 47 of them have been held at either an indoor stadium or warm-weather state with the exception being last year’s game at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey. In so many words, if you’re a team in a warm weather state or indoor stadium, you have a better chance of hosting a Super Bowl that you may be playing in. How is that fair?

Many say that it is not fair to an offensive or indoor team and gives the defense or outdoor team an advantage.

Dec 8, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A football lays in the snow during the fourth quarter of a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Lions 34-20. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

However, if it is played in perfect conditions, with that mentality, wouldn’t it be unfair to the defense or outdoor team? There are already multiple rules in place that have gone in the offense’s favor in the last several years which has caused record breaking offensive numbers to be generated. If that’s really a defensive advantage, maybe it’s time for something to be implemented with defense in mind. Furthermore, every team, no matter where they are, has a mixture of players that are from all over the country. It is still the game of football, no matter where you play it.

Even if it does snow, it’s not doomsday. Northern cities have figured out how to coexist with frozen water falling from the sky and uncomfortable temperatures. Public transportation is abundant; in New York, Chicago or Philly. Not to mention, you can count on your hands the amount of times that NFL games have been postponed in the past several decades. Most of those games were postponed due to lightning. If we’re going to panic about weather conditions for a Super Bowl, then why don’t we just move all conference championships and playoff games to indoor and warm weather stadiums?

Then there are the opponents of cold-weather Super Bowls that look at the game as a Hollywood reality television show. “Why would we want to watch this game in cold, freezing, snowy or rainy conditions,” is what I hear. Well, because IT’S A FOOTBALL GAME. If you want to watch reality television, go watch the Real Housewives. What do conditions matter to a television viewer? It doesn’t because it all looks the same and feels the same behind a television set. There have been many NFL games in poor conditions that were actually more enjoyable because of the conditions (last year’s Lions/Eagles game rings a bell). If you don’t want to go to the game and be uncomfortable, don’t buy a ticket and stay home.

Football is an outdoor sport that should be played in any condition. This is what makes it unique from any other major sport. Indoor stadiums create unbalanced teams and statistics so why should an outdoor Super Bowl not have it’s opportunities? If 2 teams have made it to the Super Bowl, they are both good and deserve to be there. Even if weather causes a few fluky bounces, it’s the same risk on both sides. If your team plays worse in poor conditions, then that’s your fault as a coaching staff and organization for not getting your team prepared. Players and coaches should be ready for any condition and if they’re not, shame on them. Man up and deal with it.

There are stadiums that just aren’t equipped for it, such as Soldier Field due to the seating. That’s a completely different topic. However, wouldn’t it be awesome to watch a Super Bowl at Soldier Field or Lambeau Field? What do you think?