The NFL is engaged in it's annual owner's meetings right now, a time when the owners typically vote on who will be awarded the hosting opportunity for future Super Bowls. Last year, the committee voted to award the 2014 Super Bowl to New York/New Jersey, straying from the trend of warm weather locales. The Tampa area finished a close second in the running and looked to in the mix for the oft-used Super Bowl rotation.
↵Reports have now come out that the owners will wait until October to award any city with the Super Bowl. The reason for the delay is, of course, the lockout. The league wants to ensure there will be a typical schedule moving forward, so the delay is necessary from their vantage point.
↵The encouraging news is that Tampa, the second place finisher in 2014, appears to be the frontrunner for the 2015 Super Bowl. The area has always gotten high marks for its hosting efforts and Raymond James Stadium is still seen as one of the crown jewels of the NFL. We'll keep the fingers crossed that the Super Bowl comes to Tampa in 2015, because based on rough projections and typical career arcs, Josh Freeman and the rest of the young offense should be in their peak years at that point. Hopefully some home cooking is in the mix for the Tampa area.