On March 13, 1990, the NFL awarded Super Bowl XXVII to a state that did not recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Owners considered three host-city bids, but chose Phoenix. Local officials were “elated.” Politicians called it “fantastic,” and “a good day for Arizona,” one that would “enhance the image of Arizona not only nationally but worldwide.”
Super Bowl XXVII, however, did not happen in Arizona. Because sports leagues are not apolitical institutions.
A year later, citing the state’s continued failure to observe the federal holiday, NFL owners voted to move the game to Los Angeles.