MEXICO CITY -– For NFL fans in Mexico, Houston was in many ways an ideal host for Super Bowl LI.
Given the city's relative proximity to the border and its popularity as a tourist destination for Mexico City citizens looking for quick getaways for weekend shopping, a trip to Houston usually ranges from two to three hours by air from Mexico City. And just above five hours on the ground from Matamoros, the border town closest to it.
Indeed, when it was announced in 2016 that the Oakland Raiders would face off against the Houston Texans at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the event was also used as an opportunity to market the Super Bowl to fans south of the border.