Dear America: New Jersey Is Paying For The 'New York' Super Bowl

The New York-New Jersey Super Bowl will be played in East Rutherford, N.J., not New York.

It will cost New Jersey taxpayers at least $17.7 million to host the big game (not including more than $250 million in stadium infrastructure over the years and the ridiculously low rent charged to the teams who own it). On the other hand, New York has only spent around $7 million for what is now popularly known as the New York Super Bowl.

Most might think that $17 million is a small price to pay for the $500 to 600 million economic boon to the region that the NFL has promised, but that just isn't the case.

First, let's adjust the numbers, as the NFL has a reputation for inflating them. It's estimated that the game will bring closer to $20 to 100 million for the region.

Second, much of this economic boon will go directly to New York, where most of the fans are staying and where the epicenter of Super Bowl festivities is. And as this Forbes article, aptly titled "New York’s Super Bowl…" reports, it looks like a lot of the big spenders are planning their big spending in the Big Apple.

This isn't just another example of the quaint New Jersey-New York tension, this is New Jersey once again being taken advantage of by the NFL. 

Sen. Cory Booker said, "I passed 'miffed' a while ago. I mean this is ridiculous" while East Rutherford mayor James Cassella said that the media is covering the Super Bowl like "a New York event."

It makes sense that residents from New Jersey are pissed that we aren't getting our due and a return on our investment. Let's at least call it the New Jersey-New York Super Bowl and have the teams remember and appreciate that they are in fact playing in New Jersey.

And if you are coming to the big game, try to spend a little time and money in New Jersey. You might even like the place.