Overwhelmed by more than 27,000 passengers — a new record — the NJ Transit kept fans waiting hours after the game for shuttle trains from the stadium. Meanwhile, a security breach allowed an intruder to grab MVP Malcolm Smith's microphone to scream about a 9/11 conspiracy theory.
Football fans made their way Sunday through a bottleneck of riders at the Secaucus Junction, N.J., station to trains that took them to MetLife Stadium and the Super Bowl.
One of the biggest blowouts in Super Bowl history was capped by one of the biggest blunders in regional transit history.
Overwhelmed by a record number of riders, NJ Transit kept fans waiting after the game for hours for shuttle trains from MetLife Stadium.
Jubilation over the Seattle Seahawks’ 43-8 stomping of the Denver Broncos quickly deteriorated into transportation chaos.
“Worst train system ever,” fumed Steve Snorsky, 45, of Seattle, whose joy was drained by enormous lines of people waiting for shuttle trains to Secaucus Junction.
RELATED: UN-D-LIEVABLE! SEAHAWKS WIN SUPER BOWL XLVIII BY POUNDING PEYTON AND BRONCOS, 43-8 Seattle Seahawks fans celebrate the team's victory with a copy of the Daily News. Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News Seattle Seahawks fans celebrate the team's victory with a copy of the Daily News.
Whoa: Massive post-#SB48 crowds wait for @NJTRANSIT on platform: http://t.co/7kd2NTAgzK #SuperJersey pic.twitter.com/tsTPF5jZZC — NJ.com (@njdotcom) February 3, 2014
“I’ve been to every home Seahawks game and I never waited in such a s--t show,” Snorsky said as he endured the long delay with his two children to get back to their Manhattan hotel. “I have a 9-year-old and a 13-year-old. Waiting two hours just to get on a train is ridiculous.”
It was so bad, the stadium public address announcer pleaded with fans at the end of Super Bowl XLVIII to stay in the stadium because of congestion.
“We completely lost control,” a stadium security guard told the Daily News, explaining that NJ Transit gravely underestimated the number of riders to and from the game.
A Denver Broncos fan, right, and his Seattle Seahawks counterpart, left, have fun with their friendly rivalry before Sunday's Super Bowl game between the NFL teams. Evan Vucci/AP A Denver Broncos fan, right, and his Seattle Seahawks counterpart, left, have fun with their friendly rivalry before Sunday's Super Bowl game between the NFL teams.
While transportation officials were trying to get a grip on the commuter chaos, officials inside the stadium had to deal with a security breach.
An intruder bolted up to the stage and grabbed the microphone while the game’s MVP Malcolm Smith of the Seahawks was conducting a postgame press conference in a media room.
“Investigate 9/11!” the unidentified man yelled. “9/11 was perpetrated by people in our government!”
The man, wearing a plaid jacket, was hustled out of the room by security. It was not immediately clear how he made it past unprecedented security measures that included snipers posted throughout the stadium.
Poster Comment:
The 9/11 protester got a mention on Red Eye and C2C radio networks.
