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Giants fans brave sub-zero temperatures at MetLife Stadium for Sunday’s game vs. Dallas.
MetLife Stadium has Ice Bowl potential.
The future site of Super Bowl XLVIII was blustery and frigid on Sunday evening during the Giants matchup with the Cowboys. The temperature was 28 degrees at kickoff and felt like 17 with the wind chill, with gusts up to 25 mph, giving the 80,499 fans on hand plenty to shiver about.
“I’m freezing,” said Consuelo from Ridgefield, N.J., draped in a Cowboys blanket. “I’m trying to keep warm. I have hand warmers (and) I just had a hot cocoa. It’s just unbearable right now.”
Simmons, Howard/New York Daily News
Despite the freezing weather, fans of all ages flock to MetLife Stadium to see a regular season NFL game. Even more people would do the same to watch the Super Bowl.
Scheduled for Feb. 2, the XLVIII matchup will be the first Super Bowl played outdoors in a cold-weather city. How the game and the fan experience plays out will likely affect how cold-weather cities are viewed for selection in the future.
“I think it scares (the Super Bowl committee) as far as temperature goes, but I think in a perfect world they’d love to have snow and they’d love to have a blizzard essentially,” Pete from Bayside said. “That’s the game of football, that’s the way it’s supposed to be played. It’s supposed to be played in the elements. It’s played in three seasons (and) I think that adds an element of charm. If people who don’t appreciate football can’t take that, then stay at home or stay in the box or don’t watch the game.”
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Simmons, Howard/New York Daily News
Blankets and hot chocolate are hot-sellers during Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium.
Five-dollar hot chocolates were the drink of choice for many in the stands on Sunday, at least for those who weren’t guzzling down beers.
One merchandise vendor said that blankets — priced at $ 30 and $ 60 — sold out early in the first quarter. Knit hats, gloves, scarves and earmuffs were other hot items sold. But most fans seemed to think that the key to beating Mother Nature was through their own preparation.
“You’re a fool, in my opinion, if you don’t plan accordingly. You wear your layers, you wear your jacket and you should be fine,” Pete said. “I’m wearing four (layers), and probably could have went for another one but I’m handling it all right…The beer helps too, not to mention maybe a whiskey, but that’s harder to come by.”
Cold or not, the Super Bowl is the Super Bowl and MetLife probably won’t have much trouble filling the seats in early February.
“Fans are fans. They’ll be here (and) they’ll love it,” Consuelo said. “I mean I’m here. I’m freezing, but I’m loving the game.”
