Jones Lang LaSalle Predicts Super Bowl XLV Champion through Analysis of Commercial Real Estate Statistics

CHICAGO, Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Forget win-loss records, quarterback ratings and total yardage tallies: the winner of Sunday's Super Bowl XLV showdown can be predicted most accurately by analyzing the prevailing commercial real estate climate in the opposing teams' hometowns.

According to a historical analysis of recent Super Bowls by the Chicago-based commercial real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle, teams based in cities with a higher percentage of vacant office space have won the Lombardi Trophy nearly two-thirds of the time since 2000.

For instance, in 2006, office vacancy rates stood at 15.9 percent in Pittsburgh and only 10.5 percent in Seattle as the Steelers outscored the Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL. The same held true in 2005 when New England (18.9 percent vacancy rate in Boston) bested Philadelphia (16.1 percent) and also in 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 and 2000.

While the last four Super Bowls have been more difficult to predict, Jones Lang LaSalle's executive chairman, the two-time Super Bowl champion Roger Staubach, said he is confident that the theory will prove true once again this weekend.

"As a student of both football and commercial real estate, I can tell you that this vacancy rate hypothesis is absolutely the real deal," Staubach said. "When it comes to picking a winner, you can throw everything else out the window."

So what about this year's matchup? As of Jan. 1, the office vacancy rate in Pittsburgh held steady at 12.1 percent (one of the lowest rates in any city around the country) while Green Bay reported vacancy of 18.9 percent, pointing to the likelihood of the first Packers Super Bowl title since 1997.

"You can mark my word: the Packers will prevail," said Staubach, who led his Dallas Cowboy teams to victories in Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII.

He also denied that his endorsement of this year's prediction was at all related to the fact that he lost two Super Bowls (X and XIII) at the hands of the Steelers in the 1970s.

"I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh," he said. "But the numbers don't lie. The Lombardi Trophy is going back to TitleTown USA."

Click here to check out Jones Lang LaSalle's Super Bowl Blog.

About Jones Lang LaSalle

Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) is a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate. The firm offers integrated services delivered by expert teams worldwide to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate. With 2010 global revenue of more than $2.9 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle serves clients in 60 countries from 750 locations worldwide, including 180 corporate offices.  The firm is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 1.7 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company's investment management business, is one of the world's largest and most diverse in real estate with more than $41 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit our website, www.joneslanglasalle.com.

SOURCE Jones Lang LaSalle