By Amy Kuperinsky, The Star Ledger -- New Jerseyans learned that MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford would be hosting Super Bowl XLVIII more than three years ago, in May of 2010.
But the borough of East Rutherford only just solidified plans for a game celebration this month.
The march to the Super Bowl has played out similarly in other state towns and cities, where local authorities have had to shore up resources and look for sponsors in order to throw their own parties, without assistance from the NFL.
As the Feb. 2 game approaches, it’s become clear that while New York will play host to a cavalcade of celebrity acts and special events, New Jersey towns have had to shine a spotlight on themselves.
Sure, Super Bowl Media Day comes to the Prudential Center in Newark on Jan. 28 and the game’s two teams will stay in Jersey City hotels.
But elsewhere in New Jersey, there’s not much of a Super Bowl presence.
“There certainly appeared to be a vacuum of activity in New Jersey,” said Ron Simoncini, president of Axiom Communications, who helped announce an East Rutherford event called Meadowlands Tailgate Party 2014 on Monday with borough officials.