San Francisco -
Just arrived to cover Super Bowl 50. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities. I love the food, the hills, the waterfront, the weather, the walkability, Coit Tower - everything but the traffic.
But it doesn't replace New Orleans. Not for me, not as the ideal Super Bowl host city.
San Francisco is hosting many of the Super Bowl events, and Santa Clara is hosting the game. That's not a bad way to do this. Fans can choose to enjoy the city or stay close to their teams.
But almost every Super Bowl site makes me yearn for New Orleans, with its wealth of restaurants and nightspots and its spirit of hospitality.
New Orleans is an event city. It is built for Super Bowls, concerts, Final Fours. All it lacks is a state-of-the-art stadium. (Remember the blackout during the Ravens-49ers game?)
So I'll make the 9,000th suggestion that the NFL will ignore: Spend a small portion of the league's billions, fix up the Superdome and play the Super Bowl there every year. You'll be guaranteed warm weather, great parties, walking access to everything that matters and Bourbon Street as a lure for the mindless tourist, which leaves the rest of the city for those of us who love the backstreets and Garden District.
I love San Francisco, but it's better for a romantic or foodie getaway than the big game.
