Read Babe Ruthless’ and Loyal Homer’s arguments about who they feel the biggest winner of the Super Bowl is.
It is every football fan’s dream to one day get their hands on a pair of Super Bowl tickets. After all, who wouldn’t want to be in Miami on Sunday evening as the Colts battle the Saints for the Super Bowl Championship? I’ll tell you who – ME (but only this year).
As exciting as it would be to actually have the opportunity to attend a Super Bowl game, there is one place THIS year that I would much rather be – New Orleans! In a city already known for their ability to have a great time, just imagine the excitement and the atmosphere as the fervor of support for the New Orleans Saints mingles with the already abundant party-goers on Bourbon St. It will be the perfect party storm.
Obviously, a win on Sunday night will raise the citizens of NOLA to fever pitch, but even a loss by the Saints will still mean a BIG win for the city.
New Orleans has hosted the Super Bowl before, and reaped the economic benefits of being a host city. In those years, though, the circus left town on Monday morning, and all the money left with it. Things will be slightly different for the ‘Who Dat?’ nation this year, however. The after-effects of having their own beloved Saints actually reach the NFL’s championship game will be felt in that city long after the clock ticks to 00:00.
I have witnessed first hand the benefit that a successful sports team can have on a struggling city. Cleveland transforms on game night for the Cavaliers from an industrial ghost town into an overcrowded mecca of #23 jerseys, #33 jerseys, and even a few #11’s thrown into the mix. Likewise, the city was flooded with tailgaters and bar-crawlers during the 2007 Browns season, and THAT was just because the Browns won 10 games that year (they didn’t even make the playoffs). From the sale of merchandise in the stores to the turn out at local bars and eateries throughout the city, people are always happy to spend money in support of a successful team.
Casinos, restaurants, and bars alike will be packed to the hilt in New Orleans on Sunday night, and for many Sundays to come. The thrill of having reached their first ever Super Bowl will not die down after the game ends. Instead, it will feed a contagious buzz that will fester and grow throughout the entire offseason. Having finally received a taste of the good life, the city of New Orleans will be giddy with anticipation for more. That excitement will spill over into summer time training camp, and will carry throughout the 2010 football season.
If the Saints are fortunate enough to continue their success into next season, the excitement (and corresponding benefit) will be amplified exponentially.
Whether or not the Saints are able to cap off their season with a championship on the field, the city of New Orleans will be shining like gold on Sunday night!
