Super Bowl XL meetings held in Atlanta, two years before the stadium opened in 2002; the only previous Super Bowl held in the Detroit area, Super Bowl XVI, had been played at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1982 (also between teams from the AFC North and NFC West divisions [the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers, respectively], though the AFC North was called the Central at that time). The NFL promoted this Super Bowl under the slogan "The Road to Forty." The slogan not only honored the 40-year history of the game, but was a nod to Detroit's traditional role as the center of
Super Bowl XLVIII headquarters, Quest Diagnostics Training Center adjacent to MetLife Stadium. Since New York and New Jersey co-hosted the Super Bowl, pregame events took place in both states. The "Super Bowl Kickoff Spectacular" concert was held on January 27 at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, headlined by Daughtry and featuring a fireworks show. Media Day took place on January 28 at the Prudential Center in Newark. Unlike previous Super Bowl games, the league did not organize its NFL Experience fan convention. Instead, an outdoor festival known as Super Bowl Boulevard was held along Broadway and Times Square in Manhattan from January