NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The New Orleans Saints and the state of Louisiana have missed a key application deadline for the 2031 Super Bowl, effectively taking the city out of the running to host the NFL’s biggest event.
ORIGINAL STORY: Saints, state miss NFL deadline, jeopardizing 2031 Super Bowl bid
Securing a Super Bowl often takes years of planning, pitches and partnerships. Jay Cicero, who played a central role in the host committee for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, said the groundwork begins long before game day.
“It took a long time. The buildup, and the fundraising effort, the public relations effort, all the planning is years in the making,” said Cicero, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.
With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, major football cities are competing to host. Some strengthen their bids by building new stadiums. New Orleans’ chances for 2031 are complicated by the fact that the Saints and Louisiana officials have yet to finalize a long-term lease for the Superdome. Without that agreement, Cicero said, a bid is unrealistic.
“My understanding is the current lease only runs through 2030. So, it only makes sense that if you’re bidding on a Super Bowl beyond 2030, they’re certainly not going to award that to a team. It really says it all right there. Without the lease extension there’s not going to be a Super Bowl bid beyond that date,” Cicero said.
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New Orleans has hosted the Super Bowl 11 times. Ahead of last year’s game, Saints owner Gayle Benson and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell both praised the city’s track record.
“While I am sure he cannot admit out loud, I have no doubt New Orleans is his favorite Super Bowl location,” Benson said in November 2024.
“Clearly, we love coming here to this city and this stadium. Just look around us, it’s absolutely miraculous what you all have done,” Goodell said at the time.
That relationship between Benson and Goodell may be critical in reviving any chance for a 2031 bid. Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said in a statement to FOX 8 that the team is still working to finalize the lease extension.
“While we missed the deadline, we are working to finalize this stadium lease extension very soon. The Saints and the state are valued partners that work together. We are hopeful for a quick resolution and then Mrs. Benson can reconnect with the commissioner to hopefully get us back in the mix,” Bensel said.
“It sounds like it’s going to take a Herculean effort by Mrs. Benson,” Cicero added.
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Because of the timing of future Mardi Gras celebrations and other events, Cicero said 2031 is the best year for New Orleans to host a Super Bowl.
For now, though, those chances are slim.
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