There were around 400 fans who were left sorely disappointed at the Super Bowl XLV play off for the title match. Unfortunately some seating sections at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the Green Bay Packers faced the Pittsburgh Steelers, were still incomplete at the start of the play. While around 850 fans could be accommodated, the remaining 400 fans who had bought tickets to cheer their favorite team had to make do with watching the match on monitors or use standing room platforms.

In recognition of the emotional bond that fans have for their favorite teams, the National Football League has offered to make amends. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced a day after the match that those who could not be provided seating would be compensated with a ticket to the Super Bowl of 2012. Initially the NFL offered thrice the face value of the tickets, i.e. $2400/- to the miffed fans. Some of them pointed out that the value offered did not really cover the combined costs of booking advance tickets, travel costs, hotel reservations etc.

There are now two options available to fans as compensation. In the first instance they can take the $2400/- and a ticket to next year?s (2012) finals. This ticket can be sold on the secondary market since it is transferable if the beneficiary is not interested in witnessing next year?s Super Bowl, but the money is not forfeit. The other option is if the beneficiary chooses to wait for some other year when the favorite team qualifies for the title play off. While the chance to witness a Super Bowl in some unspecified later year is surely enticing, the catch is that then the fan concerned will not receive the $2,400. The league announced that the fans could plump for a ticket to any future Super Bowl. Logistic details like arranging plane fare to and fro as well as booking hotel arrangements would be taken care of by the NFL.

To ensure that there is no goof up this time round the NFL is coordinating with the Packers, Steelers and Cowboys to trace the affected fans and compensate them suitably. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello stressed the importance of offering adequate options to the fans. The displaced fans would be contacted individually by a senior NFL staff member and informed of the options available. Any queries that may arise can be suitably addressed at that time itself.