The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has led to the NFL considering venues other than Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium for Super Bowl 56.
“We plan on playing Super Bowl 56 as scheduled at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 13,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Wednesday. “As part of our standard contingency planning process that we conduct for all regular and postseason games, we have contacted several clubs to inquire about stadium availability in the event we cannot play the Super Bowl as scheduled due to weather-related issues or unforeseen circumstances.
“Our planning process for the Super Bowl in Los Angeles is ahead of schedule and we look forward to hosting the Super Bowl there to culminate another fantastic NFL season for our fans and clubs.”
One of the venues the NFL has reached out to is AT&T Stadium, which is the home of the Dallas Cowboys. WFAA confirmed the league’s interest.
A Dallas Cowboys front office source tells WFAA that the team and league have engaged in preliminary discussions about AT&T Stadium serving as an emergency site for the 2022 Super Bowl should possible COVID restrictions in California create problems with playing the game in Southern California.
The Cowboys source told us “the league did inquire about a date if [the] stadium is available. But that’s all I’ve ever heard. They could be just covering all options just in case.”
#BREAKING: The NFL has inquired about the availability of @ATTStadium as a potential backup site for the @SuperBowl — if #Covid_19 and #Omicron variant alter current plans in California next month.https://t.co/xeg3YzWHlZ
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) January 5, 2022
WFAA also mentioned there is precedent for a major event being shifted from California to Texas due to COVID-19 issues and protocols.
The 2021 Rose Bowl was played at AT&T Stadium after it had to be moved from its traditional site in Pasadena, California, due to COVID restrictions. A total of 18,373 people attended that New Year’s Day game in Arlington between Alabama and Notre Dame. Had it been held at the Rose Bowl, no fans or family members would have been able to watch from the stands, given California mandates at the time.