(KRON) — As New Orleans gears up for the Super Bowl, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is there too taking notes. With Levi’s Stadium set to host Super Bowl 60 in 2026, along with multiple FIFA World Cup matches, Mayor Mahan is studying how the South Bay can maximize the massive events.
“We’re looking at security, fan activations, wayfinding, how people experience the event,” Mayor Mahan told KRON4 News.
Representing the Bay Area Host Committee, Mahan is preparing for the transition as the region takes the reins after this year’s big game. He emphasized that these events are more than just a few hours of sports — they’re multi-day spectacles that require careful planning.
“The game itself is three hours, but the event is more like three or four days and we’re looking at how people experience the Super Bowl,” he said.
San Jose businesses are already buzzing about the potential impact. Bob Cina, head chef at District in San Pedro Square, hopes the events will bring more foot traffic but says the city needs infrastructure improvements.
“I would say more special events and since the street is closed down just more things going on. Farmers market would be great, more events like bands,” Cina said.
San Pedro Social General Manager Ja’Vonn Williams echoed the excitement, calling sports gatherings “a communal thing for San Jose itself is to get together.”
Mahan sees the Super Bowl and World Cup as a chance to showcase Silicon Valley’s innovation.
“The thing we should leverage is our innovation,” said Mahan. “We should be showing off our successful companies: Google, we are a stone’s throw from Nvidia, Apple, Waymo. These are the kinds of things we should be showing off and I think we will be as we’re showing off San Jose and the Bay Area to the world next year.”
With just a year until kickoff, Mahan said the focus will be on boosting live entertainment and outdoor events in 2025 to ensure the South Bay is ready for the world stage.
“Next year is def on my mind,” Mahan said. “It’s going to be huge for this area. I’m hoping the Niners are involved. Super Bowl at Levi’s is going to be huge for this community for sure.”
(KRON) — As New Orleans gears up for the Super Bowl, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is there too taking notes. With Levi’s Stadium set to host Super Bowl 60 in 2026, along with multiple FIFA World Cup matches, Mayor Mahan is studying how the South Bay can maximize the massive events. “We’re looking at […]