• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Tampa Bay Looks to Keep Moving Forward With Super Bowl LV

  • Plans for infrastructure and the experience for this year’s Super Bowl, hosted by Tampa Bay, have already been set.
  • Officials did not reveal potential contingency plans related to COVID-19.
what-we-know-first-pandemic-super-bowl
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

This isn’t the first time Tampa Bay has hosted a Super Bowl during “challenging” times, whether that be the 2009 economic collapse or the Gulf War, said Rob Higgins, the Super Bowl Host Committee CEO and head of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. 

But this is the first time Tampa Bay — or any city, for that matter — will host a Super Bowl amid a global pandemic.

The Super Bowl Host Committee has already unveiled its plans for the Super Bowl Experience, a mecca of fan activities on the Tampa Riverwalk — and much of the infrastructure, from hotels to restaurants, has already been built. 

But it remains unclear what the safety protocols for the first Super Bowl during a pandemic will look like, from safety protocols to how many fans, media members and even game-day volunteers may attend. 

The NFL and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission are “joined at the hip from a communications standpoint, not only daily but hourly,” Higgins said. “ I’m sure if things evolve or plans need to be adjusted … they’ll continue to communicate with us. And we’ll be prepared to be nimble and ready.”

The two groups recently released their detailed plan for the fan-zone, which was slightly modeled after the festivities held in the city during the 2017 College Football Playoff, said Higgins.

The Super Bowl Experience, for which entrance is free, will include not only food and games but also opportunities for fans to see the Vince Lombardi trophy. 

The fan zone will be held entirely outdoors, a decision resulting from Tampa Bay’s ideal weather during February rather than the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused many events to move outdoors to prevent the spread of the virus, multiple officials confirmed.

Fifty-two infrastructure projects are “in the works,” said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, and are at “various stages of completion.” From hotels to dining experiences, those projects should be completed by Super Bowl LV, Castor said. 

exclusive

Q&A: Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s First Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer

FOS spoke with Beane about his longtime affinity for football, how D&I…
August 28, 2020

Much of this infrastructure, however, has already been completed, said Michelle Harrolle, the director of the Sports and Entertainment Management program at the University of South Florida. Harrolle has taken on a large role in helping with Super Bowl planning, particularly with regards to coordinating student volunteers for the Super Bowl festivities. 

Other planning opportunities have not been hindered by the pandemic, though all planning meetings have taken place virtually, Castor said.

Despite the uncertainty of the pandemic, local partners have been extremely supportive of the city’s effort to get the Super Bowl off the ground, Harrolle said. She added that Tampa Bay has a particularly strong sense of community, which is motivating partners to get involved despite the economic circumstances. “People want to help as much as they can,” Harrolle said. 

The unknowns regarding the state of COVID-19 in February continue to loom large, as does the constant need to plan and revise contingencies. Harrolle anticipates that for students who either come to Tampa to volunteer or local students already there, anyone using USF campus housing will have to use the COVID-19 symptom tracking app the faculty and students have already adopted in order to access campus resources. Castor emphasized that probably the most visible COVID-19-induced difference will be a mask mandate.

But outside of that, officials remain tight-lipped about what specific safety protocols will be taken both for in-stadium and out-of-stadium activities. Castor said that in-stadium protocols haven’t been determined yet. Harrolle said she wasn’t aware of specifics of the safety protocols that might be put in place for the Super Bowl, saying those would be up to the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, NFL and local officials. But Higgins said that the decisions were ultimately up to the NFL, as well as local and federal health officials.

An Unlikely 2020 NFL MVP Candidate: Infection Control Officers

The ICO position was created this spring as the league and NFL…
September 2, 2020

“I think it’s going to continue to be a work in progress. As we’ve experienced over the recent months, every day brings about new information,” Higgins said. “The exact protocols continue to be in development.”

Several NFL teams have announced protocol to bring fans into the stands, as have some college football teams. Higgins said that as with any idea regarding a sporting event, he’s looking to see what works with other NFL games both regarding health and safety and other marketing or operations activations. But he didn’t specify that there were any protocols the Super Bowl Commission or NFL are weighing above any others. 

The NFL did not respond to a request for an interview for this story. 

Higgins did say that as of now, the NFL fully plans to hold the Super Bowl as scheduled on Feb. 7, 2021. Castor does not anticipate a Super Bowl without fans. But, in a worst-case scenario, if there are limitations on fans — or the Super Bowl can’t be played with fans at all — the city still plans to welcome visitors and help them experience the Super Bowl’s festivities in whatever way possible. 

Harrolle held that two major consequences would result from a Super Bowl without fans: the loss of a major source of economic wealth for the Tampa community, which relies heavily on tourism, and the inability for large swaths of student volunteers to participate in Super Bowl operations. 

If there aren’t fans, there will be less of a need for volunteers — but as long as it’s safe to bring volunteers to Tampa, the Super Bowl will need them. “People have been volunteering at the Super Bowl for decades, and that will continue to happen as long as it’s safely,” Harrolle said.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Georgia takes the field for the first half of the SEC championship game against Texas in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024.

SEC Lands Starring Role in Netflix College Football Docuseries

Netflix brings its sports storytelling to the heart of SEC football.

Manfred on State of MLB: Pay Gap Is Growing, Media Future in..

Divisions between management and labor are again laid bare.

Georgia’s Kirby Smart Says Money Is Making Players Too Comfortable

The football coach is concerned about the revenue-sharing era.
Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith (65) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Trey Smith, Chiefs Reach Record Deal Before Franchise Tag Deadline

Smith was taken by the Chiefs in the sixth round of the 2021 Draft.

Featured Today

May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.
Rimouski, QC - JUNE 1: Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the London Knights on June 1, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc.
July 11, 2025

CHL Is Facing a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Questions Amid NCAA Talent Departure

As players defect to college, the Canadian Hockey League won’t cede ground.
Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.
July 9, 2025

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
Sponsored

Game the Green: Transforming Fan Experiences at TPC Sawgrass

As fans gather at THE PLAYERS Championship, Comcast Business will be keeping spectators and the PGA TOUR connected like never before.
October 8, 2024

NBA GMs Rank Salary-Cap Apron As Rule That Needs to Change Most

Schedule changes finished second with 17% of the vote.
February 3, 2025

Super Bowl Ticket Prices Crash As Hotel Rooms See Historic Rate Hike

Prices sink by about 30%, due in part to a lodging crunch.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
September 8, 2024

US Open Breaks Attendance Record

Top-seeded Jannik Sinner beat No. 12 Taylor Fritz in straight sets Sunday.
Sponsored

Mastercard’s Foodies & Fairways: Where Golf Meets Gourmet at the TOUR Championship

This year’s TOUR Championship in Atlanta isn’t just about world-class golf—it’s also a celebration of local flavors.
July 18, 2024

Loyal WNBA Fans Hit With Enormous Season-Ticket Price Hikes

Some season-ticket holders are seeing their prices doubled.
July 16, 2024

CONMEBOL, Hard Rock Stadium Continue Trading Blame Over Copa Disaster

Each blames the other for the security madness at Sunday’s final.