Super Bowl Pep Rally Brunch Brings Together Las Vegas Movers And Shakers To Listen To NFL Commish Roger Goodell
Story by Alan Snel Photos by Hugh Byrne
The kickoff for Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas on Feb. 11 began with a blessing and a prayer at a brunch at Caesars Forum Tuesday and then the movers and shakers of Las Vegas got down to America’s other religion — football.
In case you haven’t heard, Las Vegas is hosting every major sports event known to mankind like rodeos, NBA tournament games, poker, MMA cage matches, Stanley Cup Final battles, NFL Raiders events and very speedy cars on our public roads.
And next in line is the biggest event whale of all in the U.S. — the NFL title game being held for the first time in Las Vegas.
A visitor strolling around the brunch staged by the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee asked, “Why are we here.”
Well, Las Vegas is here to promote and hype.
And to pay.
The NFL’s Super Bowl is not coming to Las Vegas for free.
The LVCVA — the Las Vegas public tourism agency — approved $40 million to help put on the Super Bowl. Plus, the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee is charged with raising another $20 million for a total of $60 million.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority chief and the local sports industry’s chief cheerleader, Steve Hill, introduced his pal, Jeremy Aguero to talk about how the sports tidal wave has crashed on the shores of a desert town.
“Jeremy is who we turn to when we virtually need anything,” Hill said Aguero.
Indeed, Aguero — a Las Vegas native and UNLV grad with a law degree — is paid to supply economic spending numbers that, in turn, are used by public agencies to justify massive public million-dollar spending on sports events.
A question to ponder: If the Las Vegas area is the sports hub of the country and so much public resources and political will are poured into advancing private teams and events, why has the sports economic spending not improved the area’s schools, health care, public transit and other vital public needs?
The economic impacts are up for debate by university-educated economists. But what is hard to argue against is the Las Vegas tourism infrastructure.
An event like Super Bowl 58 fits in Las Vegas because of the tourism infrastructure of the airport, stadium and Strip working as a geographic package where jets, venues and hotels are long walks, easy bicycle rides or short Uber ferries from each other.
The NFL’s commissioner, Roger Goodell, is here to get the juices going. He called Las Vegas, “Sports Town USA.”
But before Goodell took the stage, a video showed CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus talking in effusive terms about broadcasting the first ever Super Bowl in Las Vegas.
One enthusiastic woman in the brunch’s media area said excitedly, “Here we go.”
A young woman from the NBA who was also in te media area could only utter, “Amazing.”
McManus said CBS is ahead in its planning of the Super Bowl with four surveys at the stadium.
“This will be our biggest Super Bowl coverage ever,” said McManus, noting 110 cameras will be in use during the telecast. The 110 cameras include 20 that will be in the field pylons.
“We will have it all covered from every single angle,” McManus said.
Aguero chatted with local sports leaders like Vegas Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz and Las Vegas Aces President Nikki Fargas and the pep rally atmosphere set the stage for Goodell.
Goodell thanked Las Vegas for the hard work of hosting the Super Bowl.
“You have become sports town, USA,” Goodell told the brunch crowd.
Raiders team president Sandra Douglass Morgan interviewed Goodell and told the crowd that people could ask questions to Goodell on cards on their tables.
“Not any question,” Goodell half-joked.
Morgan did a nice job asking Goodell questions. Goodell, as he usually does, casually provided soft answers.
What is the NFL doing for metro Las Vegas?
Goodell said the league is helping plant trees later today.
Schools, health care, transportation and public transit — Las Vegas, you’re on your own.
For now, $3 million in legacy grants will be awarded to Las Vegas non-profits by the NFL Foundation, Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee Charities and partners. The $3 million included $1.2 million in pregame grants.
