{"id":169233,"date":"2026-02-08T12:47:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T12:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/169233\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T12:47:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T12:47:16","slug":"why-san-jose-plays-the-long-game-while-san-francisco-hosts-the-super-bowl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/169233\/","title":{"rendered":"Why San Jose plays the long game while San Francisco ‘hosts’ the Super Bowl"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many fans in the South Bay, the Super Bowl\u2019s return to Levi\u2019s Stadium feels like a sequel to their least favorite movie, \u201cSan Jose Takes a Back Seat.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Super Bowl 50 happened here a decade ago, most of the official NFL events were in San Francisco. That scenario has played out again for Super Bowl LX. Fan draws like the Super Bowl Experience, the NFL Honors, Taste of the NFL and even an innovation summit were all staged in the 49ers\u2019 former hometown. The only official events scheduled in the South Bay were Super Bowl Opening Night in San Jose and the big game itself in Santa Clara.<\/p>\n

With its perfect weather this week and home to some of the biggest names in tech, you might expect a city of about 1 million people to get more respect. But that\u2019s not how a global brand like the NFL thinks.<\/p>\n

When the NFL awarded Super Bowl LX to Levi\u2019s Stadium in 2023, you can bet the Bay Area Host Committee\u2019s bid package didn\u2019t include photos of Plaza de Cesar Chavez or the Guadalupe River. But\u00a0the committee\u2019s website<\/a> makes clear what was pitched: landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Transamerica Pyramid. San Francisco\u2019s massive hotel capacity, Michelin-rated restaurants and sprawling Moscone Center aren\u2019t exactly secrets, either.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a hard pill to swallow for a city like San Jose \u2014 or Santa Clara, which is actually hosting the game \u2014 but Zaileen Janmohamed, CEO of the Bay Area Host Committee, said each city has to work with and around the NFL\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of learning in Super Bowl 50,\u201d she told the Rotary Club of San Jose in December. \u201cI think what has happened this time around is that the city of San Jose has understood what and where the NFL will be and what they\u2019ll do based on infrastructure, capacity, hotel rooms, convention center space \u2014 things that maybe are hard requirements that they have.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PeoplePeople gather for the Big Game Block Party on East Santa Clara Street near City Hall in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 7, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

The cities can push for events, but with many of those decisions made early by the NFL, the game becomes what you can layer on top of the official events. \u201cI would argue San Jose has done that very well this time around,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

And San Jose wasn\u2019t going to sit idly by on the sidelines this time.<\/p>\n

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the city was prepared for San Francisco again to be the NFL\u2019s focus. Two years ago, it began concentrating its efforts \u2014 raising $5 million from San Jose-based companies like Devcon, eBay, Adobe and Casino M8trix \u2014 on creating experiences aimed at locals.<\/p>\n

\"Mikeey<\/p>\n

Mikeey Scott, 4, of San Jose, has fun with the inflatable football player toss game set up on a 100-yard stretch of artificial turf during the San Pedro Superfest, a block party-style celebration at San Pedro Square in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People walk past a \u201cSuper Row\u201d balloon arch at Santana Row in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"Seattle<\/p>\n

Seattle Seahawks fans Annie Brunner, left, and her parents, Todd and Nancy Brunner of New Jersey, strike poses in a photo booth on a 100-yard stretch of artificial turf during the San Pedro Superfest, a block-party-style celebration at San Pedro Square in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. The family will be at the Super Bowl, hoping to see their team hoist the Lombardi Trophy at Levi\u2019s Stadium. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People gather for the Big Game Block Party on East Santa Clara Street near City Hall in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 7, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People record on their phones while Kehlani performs during the Big Game Block Party on East Santa Clara Street near City Hall in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 7, 2026. (Shae Hammond\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 5<\/p>\n

Mikeey Scott, 4, of San Jose, has fun with the inflatable football player toss game set up on a 100-yard stretch of artificial turf during the San Pedro Superfest, a block party-style celebration at San Pedro Square in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Ray Chavez\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to control our own destiny,\u201d Mahan said. \u201cWhat matters more is that we put on a fun, memorable and accessible fan experience for both visitors and residents alike, and especially focus on the residents of San Jose and neighboring cities who can\u2019t afford a ticket to the big game.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why thousands of people filled Discovery Meadow Park on Monday for a San Jose-centric \u2014 and free \u2014 drone show after the Opening Night festivities at the convention center. Thousands more packed the streets around San Jose City Hall for concerts by Kehlani and Dom Dolla, and local bar and restaurant employees said early in the week that they were bracing for those crowds.<\/p>\n

\"PeoplePeople watch a drone show which depicts the Super Bowl LX logo on Super Bowl Opening Night in Discovery Meadow in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

While the NFL\u2019s official Super Bowl watch party is in Oakland on Sunday, full weekend festivities were planned in San Jose at Santana Row and San Pedro Square.<\/p>\n

San Jose, of course, is hampered by a lack of five-star hotel rooms and a convention center dwarfed by San Francisco\u2019s Moscone Center.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not as if San Jose was entirely shut out for Super Bowl LX. Both teams arrived at San Jose Mineta International Airport last Sunday. The Seattle Seahawks are staying at the San Jose Marriott and training at San Jose State University\u2019s CEFCU Stadium. New England is at the Santa Clara Marriott and practicing at Stanford. City officials are tight-lipped about celebrities in town, but the game\u2019s entertainment \u2014 including Bad Bunny, Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile and Coco Jones \u2014 is likely staying in San Jose hotels, as they did for Super Bowl 50, because of the city\u2019s proximity to Levi\u2019s Stadium.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Seattle Seahawks, including Byron Murphy II (91) takes a selfie as they are introduced for Super Bowl Opening Night at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"Seattle<\/p>\n

Seattle Seahawks mascot Blitz dances during Super Bowl Opening Night at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"Seattle<\/p>\n

Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Sam Darnold, left, and New England Patriots starting quarter back Drake Maye fist bump during Super Bowl Opening Night at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The New England Patriots are introduced during Super Bowl Opening Night at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 4<\/p>\n

The Seattle Seahawks, including Byron Murphy II (91) takes a selfie as they are introduced for Super Bowl Opening Night at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you look at the gap from 10 years ago to today, you will see that we have closed it significantly,\u201d Mahan said. \u201cYou\u2019re going to see that in the visitation numbers, the economic impact numbers and the amount of fun and memorable things there are to do in downtown San Jose this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former Mercury News columnist Mark Purdy, who covered 32 Super Bowls including Super Bowl 50, thinks it\u2019s a smart strategy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where this myth came from that a million people come into town for a Super Bowl, but it isn\u2019t true,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019d say 75% of the Super Bowl events are attended and supported financially by locals.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the Bay Area Host Committee made it a mission to spread events among every county in the region, Purdy said San Jose and the South Bay would benefit from having a bigger voice on the committee for future mega-events, including another Super Bowl.<\/p>\n

\"SeattleSeattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen takes a picture during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif., ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. (AP Photo\/Charlie Riedel)\u00a0<\/p>\n

San Jose is taking the long view, too. The city hired former Olympic speedskater Tommy O\u2019Hare as its sports and special events director and launched a \u201cSan Jose 2026\u201d campaign with the San Jose Sports Authority to capitalize on NCAA March Madness games and FIFA World Cup matches coming later this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s like six Super Bowls, and it\u2019s all happening down here,\u201d Mahan said.<\/p>\n

The South Bay will be the center of action for both events, with teams and VIPs based here rather than in San Francisco, particularly for the six World Cup matches at Levi\u2019s Stadium in June and July.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe FIFA concentric circle starts in the South Bay and goes out,\u201d Janmohamed said. \u201cSuper Bowl probably starts in San Francisco and goes out.\u201d<\/p>\n

For San Francisco, the Super Bowl may be the whole game. But for San Jose, it\u2019s just the first quarter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For many fans in the South Bay, the Super Bowl\u2019s return to Levi\u2019s Stadium feels like a sequel…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":169234,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[417,184,7,8,967,181,23,100,419,752,2944,88,90,89,198,200,127,11191,420],"class_list":{"0":"post-169233","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-jose","8":"tag-around-town","9":"tag-bay-area","10":"tag-california","11":"tag-california-news","12":"tag-entertainment","13":"tag-latest-headlines","14":"tag-local-news","15":"tag-news","16":"tag-news-columnists","17":"tag-nfl","18":"tag-photos-and-videos","19":"tag-san-jose","20":"tag-san-jose-headlines","21":"tag-san-jose-news","22":"tag-santa-clara-county","23":"tag-south-bay","24":"tag-sports","25":"tag-super-bowl-lx","26":"tag-things-to-do"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169233"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169233\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/169234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}