As the NFL prepares to host the Super Bowl in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium next year, some local officials are not happy with the league and its plans to utilize local resources. Two mayors, of Carlstadt and Secaucus, have issued a statement that questions how good a partner the league has been, and flatly denying any assistance, saying “Don’t ask”.
Per NJ.com:
In the release, the mayors said every event at MetLife Stadium creates overtime expenses for their police departments, costs for which their towns are never compensated.
But Roseman told NJ.com Monday that he still hopes to meet with the organizers of the Super Bowl. The mayor said he would reconsider withholding emergency services if Carlstadt would be compensated for the cost.
“I don’t think that’s an unreasonable thing to request,” he said.
…
“We feel as though we give and we give and we give and we get nothing back,” he said. “And we just can’t give anymore. We can’t afford it.”
The President of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, Wayne Hasenbalg, stated that he was unaware of any concerns prior to the release, and hopes to work together as the Super Bowl approaches. Again, per NJ.com:
“I think everybody in the Meadowlands region has a right to be informed about what to expect during the week of the Super Bowl and we’re going to do the best we can to advise people and also incorporate them into our planning effort,” he said. “We have established some committees, and outreach from those committees will start happening within the month.”
While a solution has not yet been reached, the people in the league office will no doubt be working tirelessly until the issue is resolved. After the most recent Super Bowl featured a blackout lasting over half an hour, the league could scarcely afford another PR disaster surrounding its showcase event. You can read the entire statement from the mayors here (PDF).
let’s ignore the revenue that the games generate for local businesses, and the fact the the teams built the stadiums on their own dime*
*season ticket holders dime