Super Bowl does not runneth over

Not even the biggest sporting event in the world is immune from the economic downturn it seems. The Playboy gala, which has been a showcase prior to the big game for the past nine years, will not be taking place this year in Tampa. Sports Illustrated also called off its party and the NFL reduced the price of some Super Bowl seats for the first time in history.
Even the most-watched sporting event in the U.S. “is not immune to the effects of an economic downturn,” said Amanda Holt to Bloomberg, a spokeswoman for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee, which lowered its fundraising goal to $7 million from $8 million.
Spending has dropped across the board for the Feb. 1 game in Tampa, Florida, said Alex Sink, chief financial officer for the state. In more sumptuous times, “I walked into the commissioner’s party and there was a huge bowl of caviar,” Sink said. “I guarantee you won’t see that this year.”
That sort of thing does not affect the regular fan, however, and Super Bowl visitors are still expected to pump about $150 million directly into the local economy during Super Bowl weekend, although that is 22.3 per cent less than when the 2008 championship was in Glendale, Arizona, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

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