It’s almost time for the big game and we think logistics, the real Super Bowl MVP, makes it happen for the most-watched sporting event in the world. According to the 2023 Super Bowl survey, 192.9 million U.S. adults plan to tune in to the big game, with 103.5 million people planning to throw or attend a party, and 17.8 million planning to watch the game at a bar or restaurant. Plus, 63,000 fans will watch the game, in person, at State Farm Stadium in Arizona.
This event takes a lot of planning and preparation to effectively come together, including behind-the-scenes logistics. Let’s look at what’s involved.
Super Bowl Venue Preparation
Everything necessary to put the Super Bowl together needs to be transported to the selected stadium including grass, sports gear, halftime show equipment, and, of course, food and beverage. These freight transportation efforts are what makes logistics, the real Superbowl MVP.
The Field
This year’s big game is at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. This stadium has a natural grass playing field, so even the sod needs to be transported. Growers start planning to prepare the sod for Super Bowl 2 years in advance because it needs to withstand not only the abuse of the game but also the halftime show.
As you can imagine, moving approximately 100,000 square feet of sod from farm to field is no easy task. It is rolled, wrapped, and loaded into 30 or more refrigerated trucks about a week before the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl Halftime
The fleeting multi-million-dollar halftime production requires the delivery of things like stage materials, props, electrical equipment, and generators. These are transported in many of the hundreds of trucks that arrive at the stadium in the days leading up to the event.
the massive amount of items required to make the Super Bowl happen arrive on as many as 200 to 350 trucks and in giant cargo containers per day
In fact, the massive amount of items required to make the Super Bowl happen arrive on as many as 200 to 350 trucks and in giant cargo containers per day during the 7 days preceding the big game.
Food and Beverage
The Super Bowl is the second biggest eating day of the year besides Thanksgiving. Chicken wings top the list of most-eaten foods during Super Bowl and according to the National Chicken Council, Americans are expected to consume a whopping 1.45 billion chicken wings during the big game this year. But that’s not all that fans like to munch on while watching this event. Stats reported on last year’s game revealed Americans’ favorite Super Bowl snacks included:
- 11.2 million pounds of potato chips
- 139.4 million pounds of avocados – and this is projected to be 8% higher this year.
- 3.8 million pounds of popcorn
- 3 million pounds of nuts
- 325.5 million gallons of beer
- 12.5 million pounds of bacon
- 10 million pounds of ribs
- 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips
Plus, 88 million pounds of cheese.
According to Mercedes-Benz Stadium officials, fans in attendance at Super Bowl LIII (in 2019) purchased 117,400 beers and 16,300 hot dogs.
And don’t forget all the hot dogs and beer consumed at the stadium! According to Mercedes-Benz Stadium officials, fans in attendance at Super Bowl LIII (in 2019) purchased 117,400 beers and 16,300 hot dogs.
Logistics Planning & Execution
An event like this, on a specific date, leaves no room for errors when it comes to moving all that freight to create the ultimate Super Bowl experience. The only way to accomplish this is through careful planning of logistics requirements.
There are also special requirements to haul commodities such as beer, so you’ll want to plan for those execution exceptions.
Retailers, restaurants, and event planners all plan for this event. Otherwise, they risk missing out on the massive opportunity to cash in on the opportunities of this tradition.
With carriers continuing to struggle with things like equipment delays, a worsening driver shortage, and capacity limitations, it’s best to prepare ahead of time if you want your shipments to arrive on schedule. There are also special requirements to haul commodities such as beer, so you’ll want to plan for those execution exceptions.
Don’t risk falling short by trying to do it alone during high-demand shipping times like Super Bowl. A trusted logistics partner can help you navigate these challenges and any special requirements by arming you with greater shipping expertise, knowledgeable information, and supply chain visibility for a better experience for all.
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