MetLife Stadium was buried underneath 14 inches of snow in the latest storm to hit New York, leaving a wintry scene at the field that will host Super Bowl XLVIII in a little more than a week.
After a storm hit New York City that left more than a foot of snow between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, crews were dispatched to clean out the stadium hosting the first-ever cold weather Super Bowl.
The cleaning was seen as a “dress rehearsal” in the event of a real blizzard on or around Super Bowl Sunday, and crews made quick work of the process. Within hours of the storm the field had been cleared and stands emptied of snow.
Had the storm taken place just one week later, it could have wiped out media day, forcing the annual circus of reporters into a different setting.
There are still 11 days until the Super Bowl kicks off at the New Jersey stadium, and though long-term forecasts are unreliable that far in advance, indications are that the weather could be calmer for the big game. AccuWeather.com predicts that the temperature will reach 40 degrees with a low of 25 degrees and a possibility of snow showers.
By Wednesday, MetLife Stadium was cleaned out enough that league officials said the game could have been played, but would not comment on what would happen if Tuesday’s storm hits on Super Bowl Sunday.
“I’m not going to get into hypotheticals,” a league spokesman told ESPNNewYork.com’s Jane McManus .
Experts believe that the Super Bowl would still be played, even under ice and snow. Advertisers have pumped too much money into the game and television studios around the world are ready to broadcast, so delaying the game would be seen as a logistical nightmare for the league.
But if MetLife Stadium looks on Super Bowl Sunday anything like it did this week, the big game could get very interesting.
