The Super Bowl could be heading back to California, for back-to-back editions of the NFL’s premier event.
The locations of only the next two games have been selected, with Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas and LIX in New Orleans. Some thought L.A. would make a play for Super Bowl LX, in early 2026.
On Wednesday, Rams COO Kevin Demoff said that the Rams instead plan to bid on Super Bowl LXI, to be played in early 2027.
“That run of ’26 World Cup, hopefully maybe ’27 Super Bowl -- I don’t want to spill the beans here, but we are interested -- Olympics in 2028, that run would be unprecedented,” Demoff said, via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal.
Several years ago, the NFL changed the Super Bowl site selection process from an open competition to a targeted conversation. And the implication from Demoff’s comments is that the NFL is talking to L.A. about Super Bowl LXI.
So what of Super Bowl LX? Via Fischer, “Sources say Levi’s Stadium and the S.F. Bay Area have been in discussions with the NFL about that year, which is known to have lower demand because so many NFL venues are also hosting FIFA World Cup matches that summer.”
Los Angeles likely will be in the regular mix for the hosting of Super Bowl. Other cities that seem to be in the unofficial rotation are Miami, Phoenix, and Las Vegas (presumably).
Cities that build new stadiums with significant public contributions also tend to get a quid pro quo Super Bowl, unless the stadium is in a cold-weather city without a dome. That would put Nashville in play for a Super Bowl in the not-too-distant future.