Super Bowl XXXIX Collection

Finding Aid

Collection Number:M10-3
Dates:2004-2007
Size:15 linear ft. (12 boxes)
Repository:Special Collections, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida
Arrangement:Arranged alphabetically by format; chronological within folder.
Language:English
Container List:View Container List

Abstract

Super Bowl XXXIX was held on Sunday, February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The championship game between the New England Patriots (American Football Conference) and the Philadelphia Eagles (National Football Conference) was won by the Patriots, 24-21. Over five years of planning and budgeting by the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee, the City of Jacksonville, and the National Football League (NFL) culminated in the successful event, hailed as one of the major highlights in the city's history. Overall, it is estimated that the Super Bowl drew approximately 130,000 visitors to the city, including 78,125 in attendance at the game, and had a financial impact of millions of dollars spent in the region. The international television audience and attendant publicity of the championship also brought immeasurable exposure of the Northeast Florida region to worldwide viewers.

In addition to the championship game, there were a variety of unique events and activities held during Super Bowl week (January 29 - February 6, 2005): a downtown, multi-block entertainment zone included stages of live entertainment, food, beverages, interactive games, and merchandise; free concerts at the baseball park; and the NFL's interactive theme park, the NFL Experience. Another novel innovation was the docking of several cruise ships at the Jacksonville Port to serve as luxury floating hotels, and thereby adding an additional 3,000 plus rooms to accommodate the overflow guests.

Acquisition

The majority of the materials were collected and donated by Eileen Brady. Several items were solicited from and donated by the Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee and Super Bowl volunteers.

Access to the Collection

The collection is open for research. For additional information and to make an appointment to view the collection, contact (904) 620-1533 or e-mail alderman@unf.edu.

Preferred Citation

Super Bowl XXXIX Collection, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.

Related Materials

Day, Chuck. Jacksonville football history: the inside saga of a city's quest for the NFL. Written by Chuck Day; edited by Rick Mehaffey & Janie Bowen. Jacksonville, Fla.: Spectrum Films, c2004.

 

Perry, Joseph M. The economic impact of a National Football League team on the northeast Florida economy. [Jacksonville, Fla.?: Dept. of Economics and Geography, University of North Florida?], 1990. Electronic version available on the World Wide Web as part of the Florida Heritage Collection.

 

Videorecording. Face to face Michael Kelly. 1 videodisc (60 min.) Recorded live at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Fla., October 13, 2004. Interviewer: Lawrence (Laurie) DuBow. Michael Kelly, President and CEO of the 2005 Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee, discusses his early career and education and some of the challenges he faces in organizing a large sporting event like a Super Bowl. He provides insight into career opportunities in the field of sports administration and makes recommendations on how students can best prepare themselves for a similar career.


Historical / Biographical Note

Super Bowl XXXIX was held in Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday, February 6, 2005. Planning for the championship game and the accompanying events and festivities had commenced five years earlier, shortly after the announcement of the Jacksonville site on November 1, 2000, by National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. The Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee, co-chaired by Tom Petway and Peter Rummell, was formed by the City as a non-profit organization to coordinate all the efforts. Jacksonville was the NFL's smallest market chosen to be the site for one of the major sporting events in the world, and the challenges facing the Host Committee were daunting, including raising approximately twelve million dollars in advance of the game.

The Championship Game. Pre-game festivities included brief musical sets played by Black Eyed Peas, Earth Wind & Fire, Charlie Daniels Band, John Fogerty, and Gretchen Wilson. Alicia Keys sang a rousing rendition of "America the Beautiful," and included a moving tribute to the late musician Ray Charles, who grew up in Jacksonville. The combined choirs of the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy sang the national anthem accompanied by the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets. During the halftime show, rock legend Paul McCartney performed a set consisting of four Beatles and Wings songs: Drive my Car, Get Back, Live and Let Die, and Hey Jude. Throughout the game, television coverage also included the broadcast of some of the most expensive and memorable commercials in television history — approximately $2.4 million dollars per 30 seconds.

On a local level, other statistics were equally impressive: 9,300 volunteers provided service, and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority coordinated over 100,000 trips on the Skyway Express and buses during the week. As for the local economy, Pat Duncan, the Super Bowl Host Committee Lodging Director, reported (Florida Times-Union, May 18, 2005) that the city's bed tax collection more than doubled in February compared to the year before, "The hospitality community... is the big winner in every large convention, and that is what the Super Bowl was, our largest convention." In addition, the financial effects of Super Bowl XXXIX were not limited to the immediate Jacksonville area but, surrounding counties (Nassau, Clay and St. Johns) also benefited from the guests and held separate festivals and celebrations which drew numerous visitors to their areas.

A novel innovation was the docking of several cruise ships to accommodate the overflow guests. The Zuiderdam and Volendam cruise ships were two of the larger floating hotels that helped the city provide enough luxury rooms for Super Bowl week. The ships were also open to visitors and diners during certain hours. It is estimated that approximately one million dollars was spent on security, landscaping and transportation for guests on the ships.

A slogan, "Building Bridges," was given to Super Bowl XXXIX by the NFL as a reflection of the Jacksonville landscape, with its many bridges that unite the community. The downtown area, which is crisscrossed by bridges, was indeed the scene of considerable activity and revelry throughout Super Bowl week. A multi-block entertainment zone, called the "Times-Union SuperFest," was created for visitors, featuring performance stages, food, beverages, interactive games, and merchandise booths. The generating station along the St. Johns River also hosted the NFL Experience, and a transportation hub and a concert stage were built at the Shipyards. As a visual accompaniment, approximately one million dollars worth of fireworks delighted guests for three straight nights. Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton said downtown was one of the biggest stars of the week, and the SuperFest street party "taught us we have huge potential for bringing people together in our downtown."

Scope and Content Note

The collection contains printed materials and ephemera, souvenirs and memorabilia, including official posters and programs, promotional brochures and fliers, guides, announcements and invitations which show the activities and events associated with Super Bowl XXXIX. The bulk of the collection are printed materials, particularly local newspapers (chiefly the Florida Times-Union) that provide extensive coverage of preliminary planning, the week's activities, and post-game analysis. The inclusion of out-of-area newspapers, e.g., Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Times, also provide a unique perspective on the event and add differing views and assessments.

Artifacts in the collection include banners and bumper stickers, buttons and pins, china, clock, lanyards, miniature footballs, tickets and a wood carving. Of particular interest are the artifacts and extensive resource guides donated by the Host Committee and individual volunteers. Overall, the materials provide visual and print documentation of the activities and events, and a wealth of historical information about details and statistics for future researchers.

Index Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection:

 

  • Super Bowl -- (39th : -- 2005 : -- Jacksonville, Fla.)
  • Football -- United States.
  • Football -- Florida -- Jacksonville -- History.
  • Kelly, Michael -- 1970- Interviews.