Either Way, Texas Stadium Roof Was Shut During The Traditional Display

At every Super Bowl, there is a flyover of military aircraft from a nearby base. It's one of those things which has become part of the fabric of the game.

F/A-18 Hornet File Photo

But Super Bowls are often played in domed stadiums. For instance, this year the game was played at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. The stadium does have a retractable roof ... which was closed due to the mostly-miserable weather experienced in Dallas during Super Bowl week.

Still, the flight of four F/A-18s overflew the stadium just after the singing of the National Anthem ... at an estimated cost to the Navy of $450,000, according to a report in the Daily Mail of London. The display was shown on the 60-yard-long scoreboard inside the stadium, and of course those outside the building got a full view of the overflight. The paper estimated the cost based on pilot time and other official data from the Navy on general operating costs.

The Navy, however, said the flyover rang up a bill of just $109,000 for fuel, and that such flyovers are good publicity and encourage military recruitment.

FMI: www.navy.mil