The Patriots and the Seahawks meet in California this Sunday for Super Bowl LX. But for supply chain, trucking, and logistics professionals, the big game isn’t just a sporting event — it’s a freight event.
Hosting the Super Bowl requires a massive surge of inbound freight.
Beyond food and beverages, the week leading up to the game drives demand for tailgating supplies, equipment, temporary infrastructure, and last-minute expedited shipments.
Inbound load volumes for this year’s Super Bowl in San Jose, California, compared to last year’s event in New Orleans over a three-week period leading up to the week of the event.
What the Data Shows About Super Bowl Freight Patterns
According to Truckstop.com, inbound load volumes to the San Jose market jumped significantly during the week of January 25–31, both week over week and year over year.
Flatbed and reefer were the big winners looking at load volumes, week over week, for the three main equipment types for this year’s Super Bowl. (The last week recorded was the week ending Jan. 31, so the change is compared to the week ending Jan. 24.)
Inbound Load Volume Increases
- Flatbed: +30% WoW | +200% YoY
- Reefer: +18% WoW | +3% YoY
- Van: +10% WoW | +29% YoY
Higher volumes also drove rate increases for several equipment types:
Inbound Spot Rates
- Reefer: $2.72 avg | +12.4% WoW | +22% YoY
- Flatbed: $3.02 avg | +3.4% WoW | +0.3% YoY
- Van: $2.18 avg | -5.6% WoW | -0.46% YoY
Early indications suggest reefer and flatbed carriers are the clear winners in this year’s “freight Super Bowl,” according to Truckstop.com, though van may be positioning itself for a stronger run in Super Bowl LXI.
How does this year’s Super Bowl compare to other big events?
