Patriots fans know the stakes for Sunday. They know the roster, the storylines and everything else that got the team to this point.Â
Now, they're in Houston with the hours ticking away to kickoff. Some lucky fans will be in Texas for the Super Bowl, but most will be watching from home. Either way, we wanted to set the scene with quick facts about NRG Stadium and the Super Bowl host city.
The stadium is part of a larger group of facilities known as NRG Park, and it includes the iconic Astrodome and outdoor parks. Though common in the MLB, NRG Stadium was the first NFL stadium to implement a retractable roof. It takes seven minutes to open fully.Â
NRG may sound familiar to Patriots fans. The space outside of Gillette Stadium near the ProShop and The Hall is known as the NRG Plaza. The company has helped Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place go green with solar panels and other initiatives. NRG is the leading integrated energy company in the U.S. NRG powers everything from homes to businesses – and yes, even this year's Big Game at NRG Stadium. Check out nrg.com/adfromhale for some more information.Â
The city of Houston and the NFL have also set up a number of unique experiences for fans in town. NFL Experience and Super Bowl Live have fun and interactive exhibits, concerts and stations where fans can delve deeper into the sport they love.Â
Exhibits include a look into the lockers of NFL players, Super Bowl tickets of the past and Super Bowl rings. There are also plenty of photo opportunities, giant helmets of all 32 NFL teams and much more.Â
Houston has welcomed fans of both the Patriots and the Falcons, and even those without a team in the big game can find something to latch onto downtown.Â
