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Westchester Football Fans Prep For First Super Bowl Played In Region

WESTCHESTER, N.Y. -- Man caves, living rooms, sports bars and college dorms around Westchester will fill with avid and passing football fans Sunday, Feb. 2 for Super Bowl XLVIII, which will be played at MetLife Stadium in nearby East Rutherford, N.J., marking the first time the annual extravaganza will be played in the tristate region.

Football fans will be watching Super Bowl XLVIII in homes and at sports bars like the Sports Page in White Plains.

Football fans will be watching Super Bowl XLVIII in homes and at sports bars like the Sports Page in White Plains.

Photo Credit: Danny LoPriore

Those who may be braving the first "cold weather" Super Bowl in history will face possible temperatures of 30 degrees and lower for the 6:30 p.m. kickoff with the always possible chance of winter precipitation.

Accuweather.com forecasts a high of 40 degrees and a low of 25 degrees, with winds blowing 6 to 12 miles per hour. There are decent odds that some precipitation may fall, with early estimates being a 30-percent chance of rain, freezing rain, snow or snow showers.

Jake Shaps of Hastings-on-Hudson has his ticket to see the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos matchup. He will be one of the more than 82,000 fans braving the winter weather to see the game in person.

"It's my first time (at a Super Bowl) and I'm doing it solo if I can get the day off," Shaps said.

For those without that valuable ticket, staying home or joining friends at a Super Bowl party has become an American holiday with an estimated 100 million or more fans tuning in. According to the International Business Times, last year's Super Bowl drew 108 million watchers.

Robin and Rick Melen of Somers have been hosting a Super Bowl house party for 28 years with up to 50 friends in to watch the game.

"When the Giants are playing, it's a big crowd, except for the diehards who watch the game at their own homes and come for the party after the game," Robin said. "I think (the party) started because we wanted to watch the game and asked friends to come, and it just kept growing. The older I get, though, the less cooking I do and the more appetizers I buy at Trader Joe's."

U.S. Navy serviceman Brian Dunne of Hastings, who is stationed in Bahrain, is hosting a long-distance Super Bowl party for his service mates.

"Me and about 20 of the guys in my section are all getting together at my place to watch the game," Dunne said. "I purchased the NFL Sunday ticket so I can stream it from my laptop to my TV. We're gonna have a good spread of pizza, wings, potato skins and beer."

DeCicco Family Markets, which has Westchester stores in Ardsley, Armonk, Jefferson Valley, New Rochelle, Cross River, Harrison, Scarsdale and Pelham, is gearing up for one of its busiest days of the year.

"Super Bowl Sunday is even busier than New Year's Eve for us," DiCicco's Head of Catering Al Menzer said. "We have a full line of food plus specials with long wedges, Buffalo wings and salads. We'll be going non-stop from (next) Friday through Sunday."

Neighborhood bars and restaurants also offer a popular alternative to staying home or attending a Super Bowl party.

At Doubledays Restaurant in Dobbs Ferry, patrons will enjoy an open bar and buffet after the first quarter for $50 per person.

"The bar is always packed for the Super Bowl," said Doubledays bartender Vinny Vicchio, a former star football player at Dobbs Ferry High School. "It's a great event for the bar."

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