TAMPA, Fla. — There were mountains of shrimp and caviar everywhere. Muhammad Ali would show up, maybe amid a fleet of shiny Cadillacs. Five- star hotels were packed. In years past, the Super Bowl was so much more than a game. It was an outright orgy of football, glitz and gluttony.
The No. 1 sporting event in America, matching the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, is still a big deal. But in these tough times, it’s easy to see: The Super Bowl is taking a hit too.
GM and FedEx pulled their TV ads, even though NBC lowered the price. Playboy canceled its annual party. Almost 200 fewer media credentials were issued.
“When I think of the NFL, I think of recession-proof,” Cardinals lineman Elliot Vallejo said this week. “But that’s not true anymore.”
Now there are empty restaurant tables and hotel rooms. Online ticket broker StubHub had more than 3,000 seats for sale as of midweek — getting less expensive by the minute.
The Associated Press
