Could a ‘Super Bowl’ Ever Be Held in Buffalo? Read the Leaked NFL Requirements

We brought up a quick question the other day, mostly based on pure ignorance!  I'll admit it, I don't know everything. Almost everything, but not everything. ;)

Since this year's big game will be held in yet another beautiful, sunny part of the country, I wondered if it was even possible for The Ralph to be a contender in the bid for being a host city.

Is it just about space available?  Does it have anything to do with the home team's performance?  Would weather really be a consideration?

As it turns out, the short answer is: yes.

There is a 153-page document issued by the NFL, that's far too long to sift through unless you're home alone and sick, on a 6-hour plane ride or have run out of the back of shampoo containers to read.

The decision is usually made three and a half to four years in advance.

I sorted through a few highlights with a little help from a 2014 article from CBSSports.com and lets just say, it doesn't look like Buffalo will have a dog in the fight for a while....

• NFL requires a "climate-controlled domed stadium" if average temperature for that region falls below 50 degrees

• "Exclusive, cost-free use of 35,000" parking spaces for gameday parking

• If cellular service is too weak at the team hotels (based on the "sole discretion of the NFL"), the Host Committee must install boosters and/or cell antennas.

• Under "additional facilities" the NFL requires the usage of three golf courses and two bowling lanes

• Full tax exemption from city, state and local taxes for tickets sold to the Super Bowl (and also the NFL Experience, the NFL Honors show and "other NFL Official Events"

• NFL controls "100 percent of the revenues from all ticket sales" including "ticket sales in all suites" and the NFL "must have exclusive access to all club seats"

So, while it doesn't expressly say, "Hey, we're only going to go to affluent cities with warm climates, pretty people, and comfy seats made of rich Corinthian leather," it IS a very competitive process.

It sounds like there are lots of hoops to jump through, and ultimately (and not surprisingly) the NFL gets what it wants.

As for Levi Stadium, there have been some concerns over it's "adequacy" for this game. According to Wikipedia,

The stadium has had repeated problems with the grass surface, including the grass collapsing under Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker during a week 6 game in 2015. This has led to concern that the stadium might not be of a high enough caliber to host a high stakes game such as Super Bowl 50