Super Bowl LII, the 52nd Super Bowl championship game, will decide the league champion for the 2017 NFL season. The Big Game is scheduled to be held on February 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It will be the second Super Bowl in Minneapolis, which previously hosted Super Bowl XXVI in 1992. This year’s game will be just the sixth Super Bowl in a cold weather city.
Welcome to the Bold North
Recognized as one of 2016’s Best Sports Cities, one of the 52 Places To Go in 2017 and one of 2017’s Best Cities for Football Fans, Minneapolis has an amazing sports scene and bustling energy.
“Super Bowl LII is our opportunity to showcase Minnesota to the world; all that life in the Bold North has to offer, and our incredible hospitality,” said Maureen Hooley Bausch, CEO of the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee. “While our bold new stadium plays host to the biggest event of the year, our community will host thousands of members of the media and more than a million visitors throughout the 10 days of festivities leading up to the Big Game.”
As the host of Super Bowl LII in 2018, Minneapolis has been celebrating the city and Bold North region for 52 weeks before the big game. Each week will featured a unique gem from the Minneapolis area—a restaurant, shop, attraction or natural wonder that make the metro area shine.
U.S. Bank Stadium
Super Bowl LII Host Committee built their presentation on the theme, “Bold North,” highlighting the new, iconic and bold stadium as a centerpiece, and included the many bold moves Minnesotans have made in creating a destination that is ready to host the world’s biggest game.
Located in the heart of Minneapolis, U.S. Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium and home to the Minnesota Vikings and seats 66,200. With 137,000 square-feet on the stadium floor and six club spaces throughout the building, this state-of-the-art facility will host prominent national and international programming including concerts, family shows, college and high school sporting events, conventions, trade/consumer shows and other community events.
The U.S. Bank Stadium cost $1.13 billion to build and is twice as big as its predecessor, the MetroDome. U.S. Bank Stadium opened on July 22, 2016 and has been chosen as the site of the Summer X Games (2017 and 2018), Super Bowl LII (2018) and the NCAA Men’s Final Four (2019).
U.S. Bank Stadium features five of the world’s largest hinged doors, ranging from 75 to 95 feet tall. The doors can be fully opened on warm days with smaller, sectional entryways built right into the larger glass doors that can be opened when the weather turns wet and cold. That allows the natural light and clear views of the snowy environment to flow in while keeping the damp weather and drafts out.
The stadium is not just a location, but an epicenter of excitement, opportunity, and Minnesota pride. The Vikings are an important part of the proud heritage and the relationship between the Vikings and the citizens of Minnesota runs deep.
Halftime Show for Super Bowl 2018
Superstar Justin Timberlake will headline this year’s halftime show giving the crowd even more to cheer about. Timberlake has won ten Grammys and numerous other awards and this will be his third time performing on the halftime stage, the most appearances by any other entertainer. He previously performed at Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVII.
Timberlake joins an esteemed list of recent halftime acts including Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Madonna, The Who, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Prince, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2 and more.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show is the most-watched musical event of the year. Last year’s show was the most-watched musical event of all-time across all platforms and the most-watched Super Bowl Halftime performance in history through broadcast and digital channels, reaching more than 150 million unique people, garnering more than 80 million views and totaling 260 million minutes watched.
I’m not planning on attending the game. Is there a way for me to still have a Super Bowl experience?
The Super Bowl is more than just a game; it’s a 10-day festival, with events held across the metro area drawing in fans and families from around the state and around the world to enjoy all the Bold North has to offer. The 10 days leading up to the Super Bowl will feature events for all ages, with a variety of activities–including many at no or low-cost to attend. From Super Bowl Experience to Super Bowl LIVE, visitors will experience a world-class, uniquely Minnesotan event, including the Loppet, snowmobiling and outdoor ice bars.
If You Go…here’s where to go.
Uptown
Just outside of downtown Minneapolis, Uptown is a popular neighborhood known as the place to be when looking for something to do! Shop, catch a show, or grab dinner at Calhoun Square, right in the heart of Uptown.
Paisley Park
The artist Prince’s home and studio, Paisley Park, is permanently open to the public for tours. Get a rare glimpse of his 65,000-square foot home, studio and rehearsal spaces. Throughout the experience, visitors will have the opportunity to see artifacts from Prince’s personal archives, including iconic concert wardrobe, awards, musical instruments, artwork, rare music and video recordings and motorcycles. Learn more about the artist that helped put Minneapolis on the map.
The Great Northern
Embrace the winter season by exploring this 10-day festival celebrating winter sports, unique cuisine, local art and entertainment, plus more! With the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, Loppet, and St. Paul Winter Carnival as the building blocks, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy great winter sports alongside local products and events and a beautiful winter wonderland.
Mall of America
Shopping, top-notch restaurants AND unique attractions, all in one spot! You may need a full day for this one. Bring your kids and enjoy the thrilling theme park at Nickelodeon Universe, or explore and discover at the Sea Life Aquarium. With more than 500 stores, there is an endless amount of shopping to do.
Prop Bets
From betting on the coin toss, to length of the national anthem, to the color of the Gatorade that will be poured on the coach after the game, there is almost nothing that you can’t bet on during the Super Bowl. Prop bets allow you to put money on individual events on the field (or off) rather than the entire game itself.
The biggest broadcast of the year will draw diehards and non-fans alike, and the spread of nonessential prop bets reflects the wide net of viewers looking to make the game a bit more interesting.
The list of prop bets is wide-ranging and has expanded exponentially to focus on halftime shows, first scores, and whether MVPs will declare their love for Disneyland.
• How long will it take to sing the U.S. national anthem?
• Will any player on be seen kneeling during the national anthem on TV during live broadcast?
• How many times will “Trump” be said on TV during the broadcast?
• Will a fan run on to the field during the game?
• What will the Nielsen TV Rating be for Super Bowl 52? — Over 47.5/Under 47.5
• What color will the Gatorade be that is poured on the winning coach?
The main bets like the Point Spread and Moneyline are obviously the biggest bets wagered for the Super Bowl, but second-half and in-game betting has also gained favor in American amongst bettors. These extra wagers have been a part of the big game since the eighties and probably won’t be going away any time soon.
How and where to tune in…
Television
NBC will broadcast this year’s Super Bowl, as well as the 2018 Winter Olympics that will begin just five days later. This will be the first time since 1992 that a single broadcast network will air the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics in the same year. NBC’s lead-out program will be an episode of This is Us, alongside a special episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon from the Orpheum Theatre.
Radio
This will be the last game in Westwood One’s current national radio contract with the NFL. Each participating team’s flagship station will also carry the game with local announcers.
Last Year’s Super Bowl
In Super Bowl LI (51) in Houston, the New England Patriots scored the largest come from behind victory in the history of the Super Bowl. Tom Brady smashed previous Super Bowl records for passing yards and completions, leading New England back from a 25-point deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28. Brady demonstrated once again he’s the greatest QB of them all. Previously the largest come back in Super Bowl history was 10 points.
Future Super Bowl Sites
2019: Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Super Bowl LIII
2020: South Florida, Hard Rock Stadium, Super Bowl LIV
2021: Tampa Bay, Raymond James Stadium, Super Bowl LV
2022: Los Angeles, Los Angeles Stadium, Super Bowl LVI
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By: Matt Willinger
