2009 Super Bowl Awarded to Tampa
In May 2005, the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Task Force and the 32 National Football League team owners cast their votes in favor of holding Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Tampa’s bid prevailed over other desirable locations inluding Atlanta, Houston and Miami.
The game took place on February 1, 2009. The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27 to 23 in a thrilling finish.
Raymond James Stadium, the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, last played host to Super Bowl XXXV in January 2001, in which the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants 34 to 7. The stadium is revered by league insiders as the “crown jewel” of the NFL, and members of the NFL Players Association have consistently rated Raymond James Stadium’s field as the best in the league.
Sporting a New Logo in 2009
The NFL debuted the official Super Bowl XLIII game logo promptly following the conclusion of Super Bowl XLII on a billboard near Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport, which said, “See You in Tampa Bay.” NBC also featured the new logo during its Monday night primetime sports coverage as part of a promotion to highlight the network’s plan to broadcast coverage of the big game. This was NBC Sports’ first Super Bowl in 11 years.
At the time, with the game still a year away, the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee indicated NBC’s announcement marked the earliest a network has ever begun Super Bowl promotions.
