Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago

NFL was aware of seat issues; ousted fans to receive XLVI tix
 
Associated Press
Published: Feb. 7, 2011 at 10:47 a.m. Updated: Feb. 7, 2011 at 01:54 p.m.

DALLAS -- The NFL knew last week there were problems with the installation of temporary Super Bowl seating sections and hoped until hours before kickoff that they could be fixed.

"At the end, we just ran out of time," NFL executive vice president Eric Grubman said Monday.

Four hundred people were forced to give up their seats for the Green Bay Packers' 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night and instead had to watch the game on monitors or use standing-room platforms in corners of Cowboys Stadium.

Another 850 fans were moved from their seats in the temporary sections to other seats.

"It was obviously a failure on our behalf, and we have to take responsibility for that," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "We had, obviously, a lot of challenges this week. There were a lot of things we were trying to deal with. But there's no excuses. When you put on an event like this, you know you're going to have those sorts of challenges."

Goodell said the league would give tickets for next year's Super Bowl to the 400 fans left without a place to sit Sunday. The league already had said it would offer those 400 people refunds of triple the face value of their Steelers-Packers tickets.

A total of about 15,000 temporary seats were added to $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium, and Sunday's attendance was announced at 103,219, just short of the Super Bowl-record 103,985 who were at the Rose Bowl for the 1980 game.

Sunday's temporary seats filled open platforms that are usually standing-room only "party pass" areas for Cowboys games.

Grubman said there "was no vertical structural issue that we were aware of from the police department," but that issues arose with the "final installation of railings, of tightening risers, steps, things of that nature -- and that's what did not get completed at the end."

The league, Grubman said, "felt in the middle of the week that it was going to be a problem. We did not feel until the game day that we had an issue where ... there was a distinct possibility that we wouldn't be able to accommodate fans."

Grubman said final work on the temporary sections was done Sunday afternoon.

In the coming weeks, the NFL will review what happened to figure out what went wrong.

Asked whether Cowboys owner Jerry Jones or local organizers were at fault for the seating issues, Goodell said: "No. We put on this event. This is the responsibility of the NFL."

There was other bad news for the first Super Bowl in the Dallas area.

A rare winter storm swept across the area Tuesday, ripping holes in tents on stadium property and hampering travel and celebrations across the region. On Friday, six people at the stadium were injured by melting snow falling from the stadium roof.

"I don't think the weather had any significant contribution to the seating issue," Grubman said.

Goodell said local organizers "did an outstanding job. It was a great event. And I'm sure that they'll be seeking another Super Bowl, and I'm sure the ownership will look at that very seriously."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press


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dfosterf (3h) : I think a Kenny Clark tribute is in order
Zero2Cool (11h) : new site, text editor gooder even on phone
beast (11h) : Oh yes, sometimes they make using a cellphone tough. I just wanted to make sure it was the correct article, & thank you for pointing it out.
jdlax (13h) : I can't believe one of my teams went out and wablammo just up and acquired one of the best players in the world overnight
dfosterf (17h) : I do very much appreciate when Beast and others pick up my slack 😊
dfosterf (17h) : I accept Beast's admonishment regarding my failure to link stuff I reference. I simply never learned to link from my cell phone.
beast (18h) : That's not what your she said 😌, she said keep going 😏
Mucky Tundra (21h) : Anything over 4 hours means he needs to get to the hospital
Mucky Tundra (21h) : Someone might want to check on Hafley and make sure his erection has gone down
Zero2Cool (23h) : LaFleur texts "bleep me I cannot sit down"
Zero2Cool (23h) : YouTube has had me last hour or two lol
Mucky Tundra (23h) : Ugh this trade happened right as my shift started and it's killing me
Zero2Cool (23h) : Parsons wore 23 in high school.
Zero2Cool (23h) : Packers just cost Lions more money with Hutchinson too huh
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : That is fair by me.
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : Kenny Clark is the player, 2 1st rnd picks
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : umm... what?
wpr (28-Aug) : I am stunned
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : RICKEY SCOOPS WAS RIGHT AGAIN!!!
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : ITS HAPPENING
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : DEAL IS DONE
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : MICAH IS COMING TO GREEN BAY!!!!!!!!!
wpr (28-Aug) : Me do-ed it gooderly,
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Bahah, I was like WTF why isn't anyone posting on PP.com ... oops no one has permissions
dfosterf (27-Aug) : tell her I reckon
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Micah Robinson cut. Probable PS player tomorrow. Has to call mom back and t
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : New site so much better. Might make switch and deal with it.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Mecole Hardman to our practice squad
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Nick Nieman from Texans our 5th linebacker. Special teams signing
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Looks like we signed Clayton Tune as QB3
wpr (27-Aug) : TKT people lose their minds over QB3. Point is almost none of them are ready that's why they are on the PS and other teams don't take them.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Unfortunately he doesn't seem ready to be an emergency QB.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : As a Canadian and a follower of Canadian University football. I am rooting for him
dfosterf (27-Aug) : I bet a lot of us will follow the Taylor Elgersma journey with interest. Personally, got a Kurt Warner vibe goin' on. I like him
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Not sure if either will be claimed though.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Tune or Hooker would make sense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Clayton Tune cut by the Cards? Don't know if that's the guy, we shall see
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Per Bill Huber, the Packers will not be bringing back Taylor Elgersma or Sean Clifford on the practice squad, so a new third quarterback
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Schefter must have deleted his tweet
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Hopefully Jerry reaches under the seat cushions and ashtrays of his jet and scrapes up the 45 million apr and spares us further nonsense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Have to admit the PO'd Cowboy fan videos would be fun to watch. Problem with draft picks is half their fanbase barely knows what that is
beast (27-Aug) : I think Cowboys fans are ready to get their pitch forks and burning sticks if Jerry were to trade Micah
dfosterf (27-Aug) : If Jerry traded Micah to GB, here in northern Va. they would have to quick build yet another data center to handle the internet hate traffic
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : its signing and trades that you don't hear about, other then announced
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