Minnesota, you're on the clock for Super Bowl LII

HOUSTON, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- We asked and you delivered. Hundreds of Minnesotans from across the state submitted videos to the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee to create a virtual handoff – a video representing the Super Bowl game ball traveling across Minnesota before landing at U.S. Bank Stadium, the site of Super Bowl LII.

The video was debuted this morning at the official handoff ceremony after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell delivered the game ball to Minnesota.

"The game ball belongs to our entire state, and we are excited that so many Minnesotans were part of our effort to bring it home," said Maureen Bausch, CEO of the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee. "Our Minnesota Handoff video showcases our beautiful state, our welcoming people, and our enthusiasm for hosting Super Bowl LII in the Bold North. Now that Minnesota is on the clock, we are excited to celebrate the 52 week countdown to a safe and successful Super Bowl LII!" 

The Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee received over 250 submissions from every corner of the state, from Worthington in the south to as far as the Bois Forte Reservation to the north. You can watch the game ball travel across Minnesota's landscape here – keep your eye out for some notable Minnesotans!

The release of the Handoff video kicks off "Handoff Week" in Minnesota, which will include many ways for Minnesotans to join in the excitement of hosting Super Bowl LII, for example:

• The Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee is unveiling billboard countdown clocks around the metro area that will count down the 52 days and weeks until Super Bowl LII.
• The Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee's "52 Weeks of Giving Campaign" begins on Wednesday at a press conference in North Minneapolis to unveil the first of 52 Legacy grants awarded to communities and organizations across the state that are committed to building a healthier and more active future for Minnesota's children.
• The week will culminate with a "Show Us Your Bold" rally at 5:00p.m. on Friday at the Mall of America's Rotunda featuring Minnesota Vikings players and community leaders – all Minnesotans are encouraged to attend.

Minnesotans should look out for other surprises during Handoff Week to help build excitement for Super Bowl LII in the Bold North!  View the entire schedule for Handoff Week at our website www.mnsuperbowl.com.

"This event is so much more than a game – it's an opportunity for all Minnesotans to make their own Super Bowl memories; to showcase the Bold North to the world; and to create a positive economic impact on our community for years to come," said Bausch. "We are ready to receive the game ball and start the final drive toward a safe, secure, and successful Super Bowl LII for our visitors and Minnesotans alike."

FULL LIST OF HANDOFF VIDEO PARTICIPANTS

1. Sallie Sargent, Houston TX
2. Susie Petersen, Albert Lea
3. Susie Petersen, Albert Lea
4. Brady Christianson, Alexandria
5. Carolyn Caskey, Duluth
6. Spam Museum, Austin
7. Susie Peterson, Albert Lea
8. Kyle Marti, New Ulm
9. Alex & Sophie Rofidal, Bemidji
10. Asher Seering, Duluth
11. Julian Vazquez, Northfield
12. Jill Renslow, Bonnie Carlson, Gene Winstead, Bloomington
13. The Peanuts Gang, Shakopee
14. Taylor Dale, Minneapolis
15. Alexander White, Rochester
16. Robert Chance, Itasca
17. Alex and Sophie Rofidal, Itasca
18. Patrick Noll, New Hope
19. Logan Jahnke, Blue Earth
20. Melvin Tennant, Minneapolis
21. Buck Hill Ski Club, Burnsville
22. Mayo Clinic Surgeons, Rochester
23. Jeff Locke and ACES, Minneapolis
24. Karl-Anthony Townes, Minneapolis
25. Matt Dumba, St. Paul
26. Susie Peterson, Albert Lea
27. Buck Hill Ski Club, Burnsville
28. Kranskulla Women, Mora
29. Jim Owens, St. Paul
30. Camp Ripley Command Team, Little Falls
31. Viktor the Viking, Eden Prairie
32. Atif Saeed, Minneapolis
33. Karen Olson, Minneapolis
34. Chef Andrew Zimmern, Minneapolis
35. Chris Burrell, St. Paul
36. Mayor Chris Coleman, St. Paul
37. Mayor Betsy Hodges, Minneapolis
38. David Marie as Prince Eric and Traci Allen Shannon as Cinderella, Minneapolis
39. Charanjit Rihal, M.D., Rochester
40. K102's Chris Carr and Company, Minneapolis
41. Lt. Governor Tina Smith, St. Paul
42. Governor Mark Dayton, St. Paul
43. Eric Perkins KARE 11, St. Paul
44. Lee Valsik, Minneapolis
45. Joan Vorderbruggen, Minneapolis
46. Eric Dayton, Minneapolis
47. Gavin Kaysen, Minneapolis
48. William de la Barre, Minneapolis
49. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minneapolis
50. Sid Hartman, Minneapolis
51. Skip Traffic, Minneapolis
52. HCMC EMS Staff, Minneapolis
53. SMG, Minneapolis
54. Paul Allen, Eden Prairie
55. Carl Eller, Minneapolis
56. Steve LaCroix, Lester Bagley, Kevin Warren, Steve Poppen, Don Becker of the Vikings, Minneapolis
57. Mark Wilf, Minneapolis
58. Bud Grant, Minneapolis

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Michael Howard, 612-207-7396, [email protected]
Cassie Batinich, 952-346-6073, [email protected]

SOURCE Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee

Related Links

http://www.mnsuperbowl.com