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Brynn Anderson / Associated Press
Super Bowl LV will be a virtual affair, even for teams.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that teams will not be allowed to arrive in Tampa more than two days before the game. In the past, teams would typically arrive a week before the game, both to acclimatize and to fulfill the huge Super Bowl week obligations.
The NFL would make the change so that teams can continue to apply the same COVID-19 protocols they have all season long in their respective cities.
All Super Bowl media activity will take place virtually, in keeping with how the NFL has handled the regular season and playoffs. The league will likely cancel several other activities, although no announcement has been made on the full schedule.
Keeping teams away from Super Bowl City also continues the NFL’s steadfast refusal to attempt a bubble environment. Despite several epidemics that have caused games to be postponed and teams are playing without entire position groups, the NFL apparently hasn’t even considered putting teams in a bubble to maintain competitive balance in the Super Bowl.
We have seen several other sports successfully use bubbles to prevent epidemics and allow games to be played without interruption. Most leagues have now ditched bubbles, although the NCAA is bubbling over for March Madness. It remains to be seen whether the NHL or the NBA will roll out playoff bubbles for their current seasons.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging in the United States, it’s surprising the NFL hasn’t seriously considered moving teams to Tampa and implementing strict protocols to ensure its biggest game not be spoiled by the virus.
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