Super Bowl collaboration nears fourth decade & iconic arena hosts Six Nations rugby

It’s been a celebratory week for Tenderstream member Populous, as the Super Bowl LVIII on 11th February in Las Vegas, NV, marked nearly four decades of the firm’s successful collaboration with the NFL to plan and execute the event. On the same day, the Populous-designed Aviva Stadium hosted its first Six Nations Championship rugby match of 2024, as Ireland took on Italy, before an upcoming match at the same arena between Ireland and Wales on 24th February.

Half a century ago, the first Super Bowl unfolded in Los Angeles to a less than capacity crowd. The event's extraordinary growth since is demonstrated by estimated viewing figures reaching approximately 200 million this year. Since 1985, the NFL has entrusted its biggest showcase to a diverse team of Populous event specialists. As the NFL’s coordinating firm, Populous is responsible for the host stadium facilities, operations planning and management, as well as overseeing all aspects of procurement and construction for game day operations facilities. More recently, the company began working with Super Bowl host cities designing downtown masterplans and spectator areas for festivals, concerts and other events.

Over in Ireland - one of the six nations competing in the eponymous rugby championship - the 51,700 capacity Populous-designed Aviva Stadium is home to both the Irish rugby union team and the Republic of Ireland football team.  Its completion in 2010 heralded a new era of stadium design, in which complex curved forms can be developed using parametric design software. Transparent ‘shingles’ reflect the colour of the sky and the light conditions, so that the stadium’s form is ever-changing. The building’s curved facade is an ephemeral addition to the skyline of Dublin, acting as an iconic national symbol of modern Ireland.

Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research

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