When football bettors visit the Official Site of Super Bowl 48, they see this warm greeting: “The People of New York and New Jersey are proud to host the first outdoor, cold weather Super Bowl.”
Here are a couple things wrong with their pitch. First, people in that neck of the woods do not need to be reminded that the next NFL Championship game is going to be played in freezing temperatures. I suppose some football diehards in New York and New Jersey will be lining up to buy tickets. However, the people I know from those parts have sold their homes and moved to California. We call them snowbirds, and they are not going back anytime soon, especially for a “Cold Weather Outdoor Super Bowl”.
History Making Cold
The record low for a Super Bowl kickoff is 39 degrees set in January 1972 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. However that was nothing compared to one of the coldest games in history.
Perhaps the most famous cold weather NFL Championship game was the 1967 Ice Bowl in Green Bay. The Packers beat the Cowboys – though many viewers will mainly remember is the minus-13 temps (minus-48 with the wind chill).
Betting Cold Games in the NFL
A lot of money is wagered every NFL weekend by bettors who do not know how much weather conditions can affect handicapping. When the weather outside is frightening, it gives sports bettors a decided edge. When there are extreme weather conditions, the majority of NFL bettors will play under the total especially if the game-time temperature is 20 degrees or fewer.
NFL players can expect a few problems when it rains or snow. The surface becomes slow and sloppy, and players start slipping and sliding. It is also difficult for the QB to deliver a tight spiral in wet conditions, as it is harder to get a good grip on the ball. If the weather is cold, kickers also lose distance on their kicks.
Misconceptions
A problem that sports bettors are keenly aware of is the wind. NFL players agree and will testify that the wind changes a game more than rain or snow. Teams that live and die with the passing game are not able to perform their game plan as well when the wind is gusting. Kickers, quarterbacks, coaches, and most fans too, hate the wind.
Though some might disagree, when you have seen the biggest game in the world played in perfect dome conditions, it is hard to get behind the “First Outdoor Super Bowl”.
Money Rules
New York and New Jersey say all of the football hoopla could generate as much as $500 million to New York and New Jersey.
Now, if they can only guarantee a 70 degree day.