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The Rise of Super Bowl Boulevard


January 20, 2014 | Aymann Ismail

There’s only one thing worse than Times Square during New Year’s Eve, and that’s Times Square during this year’s Super Bowl. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey — where the so-called New York Giants and Jets play — will be hosting this year’s event featuring the Denver Broncos facing off against the Seattle Seahawks. But because this sporting arena is basically in the middle of nowhere, the city is bracing for and even encouraging fan spillover into the metropolitan area, with a large swath of Times Square, dubbed “Super Bowl Boulevard,” set as ground zero for it all.

Just when you thought the touristy destination couldn’t get any more touristy, the neighborhood is being transformed into a multi-day spectacle that will feature a toboggan run and several street closures. There will also be lots of branding. Lots of Fox Sports branding. Here’s what Times Square looked like as of earlier today. Brace yourselves.