NEW YORK, Jan. 23 (UPI) —
The NFL has determined any decision to play the Super Bowl on a day other than Feb. 2 would have to be made 36 hours in advance, it was reported Thursday.
The Newark Star-Ledger quoted NFL Executive Vice President Eric Grubman as saying a time frame has been worked out if bad weather forces a change in the Super Bowl schedule.
Denver and Seattle are scheduled to kick off the Super Bowl in East Rutherford, N.J., at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2.
Long-range forecasts call for the possibility of snow on that date, but the NFL has decided the game could be played on any day from Friday, Jan. 31 to Monday, Feb. 3. The chief question would be whether league officials wanted to play the game ahead of a possible storm or wait until the snow moves through the area.
"We would need 24 hours to move the game time," Grubman said. "We need 36 hours to move the day."
A snowstorm that hit the region this week gave crews a chance to clear the stadium, concourses and parking lots in a "dress rehearsal."
The NFL gave itself a passing grade on the snow removal exercise.
Grubman said it would take 18 hours for a complete cleanup of snow from the stadium area.