Fans brave bone-chilling weather
Pregame wind chill bottoms out at -20
MINNEAPOLIS – A New England Patriots fan who could see her breath as she talked outside U.S. Bank Stadium before Super Bowl LII noted she would be in select company.
“We’re going to be able to say that we went to the coldest Super Bowl ever,” Lisa Brown of Canton, Mass., told USA TODAY.
It was a unique and bone-chilling experience — inside U.S. Bank Stadium, about 70 degrees. Outside, as Lisa Brown and her husband, Bob, could attest, it was, well … FREEZING!
The temperature hovered just above zero and wind chill made it feel about
-20 degrees.
Yet Bob Brown willingly removed his winter gloves so he could take a photo of the scene outside U.S. Bank Stadium that included: a 10-person marching band, complete with tuba player and accordionist; acrobats being catapulted off blankets up to 30 feet in the air; and
10 skaters on a small rink outside the entrance of the stadium.
“I was pretty surprised to actually get something this monumental in such cold weather,” Bob Brown said. “I’m really shocked.
“This is an awesome experience. The atmosphere is just incredible.
“Definitely not a standard Super Bowl like you’d get in cities like Houston and Atlanta and Los Angeles. It’s a unique experience. Once in a lifetime.”
The previous coldest game, which was also played indoors, was 16 degrees as Detroit hosted Super Bowl XVI on Jan. 24, 1982.
But the trick Sunday, like in 1982, was getting into the stadium without losing permanent sensation of any body parts.
Some fans braved the elements with less clothing than others. Jacob Daniel, who said he flew in from Mexico City, headed for the stadium entrance wearing jeans, an Eagles jersey and limegreen colored wig.
“Oh, it’s really cold,” he said. “But I can stand it with the game going on.”
It was a festive atmosphere as gameday volunteers passed out rally towels to the arriving fans.
“We’ll need these because the toilet paper inside the stadium is only oneply,” an Eagles fan joked.
The would be-comedian was part of a 12-fan contingent from Pennsylvania and doing its best to get inside the stadium before permanently losing sensation of any body parts.
“It’s cold as (expletive),” Betsy Ciano said.
Her husband, Joe, grinned. “We’re used to the cold,” he said. “We honestly are. We had a threeweek period of cold back home right after Christmas. …”
Uh, Joe …
“This is a little colder,” his wife interrupted, “but it doesn’t matter. Doesn’t at all matter.”
With that, Joe Ciano placed his right hand over his heart, smiled and said, “As long as you’re warm inside, it’s good.”