Did You Know This Super Bowl Tradition Started in Minnesota?
If you haven’t noticed it’s Super Bowl Week (where have you been hiding?), there’s signs in stores, ads on TV and the Radio, and of course people planning parties.
The Super Bowl has birthed many traditions over the years, from the parties to the commercials (that aren’t as good after they’ve been leaked online before the game), to the half-time entertainment.
No matter which city hosts the big game, there are always events that take place leading up to the game. One tradition that is in its 31st year around the Super Bowl got its start right here in Minnesota, and that’s Media Row.
If you’re not familiar, Media Row, or Radio Row as it was first called, is where media outlets from around the country and sometimes around the world are all gathered in one big room to gather interviews with other sports stars and other celebrities.
According to a story from Front Office Sports, It all started when the then Washington Redskins were facing the Buffalo Bills inside the Metrodome. A Sports Radio Station in New York City had asked to broadcast live from the lobby of the Hyatt hotel in Minneapolis where the NFL was housing their headquarters for the game.
The Hyatt was going to charge the radio station $40,000 for the right to be able to set up in their lobby. One NFL official urged the hotel not to charge the station because he was familiar with the power that radio can have and it could be a good thing for the hotel and the league.
The next year when the game was in Pasadena California, invitations were sent out to stations to broadcast from a conference room at one hotel, and there were between 8 and 12 of them on site.
Now there are around 500 or so stations that broadcast from a convention center during the week and chat with sports stars, actors and other celebrities.
Some of the celebrities are there representing a specific product who is paying them to be available to answer questions and then push their product.
Just imagine if a $40,000 demand in Minnesota would have derailed what has turned into a 3-decade long tradition around the biggest sporting event in the world. Luckily, “Minnesota Nice” took over which has led to you being able to have hours and hours of sports content to get you ready for the big game.
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