FLOP No. 9 – Super Bowl XLVII Blackout (2013)
Gatheringpoint.news: The 50 Biggest Flops in Events History
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The Promise: The NFL’s marquee event—sports, pageantry, and Beyonce. Broadcast live to over 100 million viewers.
What Happened: Shortly after halftime, the stadium went dark. A partial power outage suspended the game for over 30 minutes. Confusion spread among fans, commentators, and organizers.
What Failed: No clear backup plan for live production continuity. The league was slow to provide information. Energy infrastructure was unprepared.
What We Learned: Power failure is brand failure when the world is watching. Live means never powerless.
What an Event Pro Would’ve Advised: Test backup systems. Create in-broadcast fill plans. Manage real-time audience reassurance.
