Super Bowl 50 is coming to the Bay Area! Danielle DeLancey currently works for the Super Bowl Host Committee as the VP and Chief of Staff. She was recently placed on the Influential Women in Business list by the San Francisco Times. PT Online journalists Zeli Grey ’17 and Ryan Kimball ’17 interviewed her about the Super Bowl’s impact on the Bay Area.
In what ways do you think Super Bowl 50 will benefit SF and the SF community? What does SF really want to get out of this year’s Super Bowl?
The committee itself is an independent community so we’re not necessarily SF or Santa Clara. When we talk about the benefits for the community, it’s a regional effort. What the committee is trying to get out of it is a positive experience for all the Bay Area community and its people. We look to “redefine the Super Bowl” and to celebrate not only the last 49 years of the Super Bowl history but also to set the stage for the next 50 years to come. Super Bowl Festivities will focus on what makes the Bay Area great. SF is a world class destination with world class restaurants. we really want to showcase and highlight all the phenomenal things that make the Bay Area so special.
You said the Super Bowl committee this year is an independent organization?
Yes. The Super bowl committee is formed every year in the host region, and it’s a nonprofit organization created simply to bid and host the Super Bowl and to promote the regional interests of the community by hosting the Super Bowl.
The host committee’s role is to be “good hosts” to the NFL by being their arms and legs and eyes and ears on the ground so that when they come in to do their job, they have the tools and resources that they need to do it effectively.
Levi’s stadium is located in Santa Clara. NFL Experience is primarily based in Santa Clara. How do you envision these to cities working together?
The big picture is that we’ve been working together since day one. We realize that no one city can host the Super Bowl by itself. So for example, Santa Clara doesn’t have the hotel rooms and the inventory to accommodate such large amounts of visitors, and SF doesn’t have a stadium so it would be virtually impossible to host a Super Bowl. Since day one we’ve worked collaboratively knowing that it’s a regional effort. Moving forward as we look toward the execution of the game, we’ve been planning with all the regional agencies, be it the local transportation agencies like CalTrain or Bart that go throughout the region, and really working a lot with the regional agencies in public transportation and public safety.
The game and festivities will go on rain or shine, and we hope any rain won’t dampen the enthusiasm for the game.
How will Super Bowl 50 be different from past years?
After New Orleans, the NFL really decided to move forward with a larger public fan experience and activities. It’s about five times the size of the New Orleans Super Bowl. There will be a concert stage with free entertainment, and it’s great entertainment every night; Alicia Keys will be headlining on Saturday February 6th, the night before the Super Bowl. Things are being kicked off nine days before the game so that the entire region can experience the Super Bowl before the game comes to town. We also have tried to infuse Bay Area culture into all the activities, so we have phenomenal wine from Sonoma county as well as phenomenal Bay Area food. We have great local talents, not just the headliners, and we also have local marching bands and some other great local performers. For our “wow factor,” We have a “Fan Energy Zone”, an area where everyone can come and interact and participate. The area will have a lot of really cool tech games that people can play in order to get people really excited and to demonstrate all the fan energy throughout the city.
There are two main events this year: The NFL Experience and Super Bowl City. The NFL Experience will be hosted in Moscone center. Super Bowl City is down by the waterfront, and these are the two main opportunities for people to enjoy the Fan Experience.
How does the massive increase of people coming to SF to enjoy the Super Bowl affect the daily lives of the residents and workers of SF?
In general, people will be affected. Some roads will be closed, and we are encouraging people to make adjustments and take public transportation. We’re also encouraging people to come and enjoy the festivities, as they’re free and open to the public. We’re hoping people will see and appreciate the economic benefits, as well as the excitement and energy provided by the festivities. We’re trying to have a plan and to make the people really aware of these plans so that they aren’t surprised.
Editor’s Note: Our very own Marcus Veal and his ensemble, the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble (LJYE) will be performing the morning of the Super Bowl, February 7th, at Super Bowl City in the Embarcadero.
For Bay Area residents, the following streets will be closed:
- The Embarcadero southbound, from Washington Street to Don Chee Way (the Ferry Plaza)
- Market Street east of Beale/Davis Streets
- Steuart Street from Market to Don Chee Way
- Howard Street from 3rd to 4th Street
Please note that there will be a lot of traffic around the street closures; stay safe and enjoy the festivities!
