The NFL came out of Super Bowl XLVI with positive reactions to host city Indianapolis and host venue Lucas Oil Stadium, so much so that Commissioner Roger Goodell strongly implied that the league would return. But as the NFL sets its sites on an historic Super Bowl L in 2016 and Big Games beyond, which cities may or may not have the upper hand?

Upcoming games include Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in February 2014 and Super Bowl XLIX in the University of Phoenix Stadium in February 2015.

Goodell talked about future Super Bowl sites during a Super Bowl media conference, but did not specifically mention Super Bowl L in 2016. Some analysts include Los Angeles in the discussion, which has hosted seven Super Bowls, including what later became rebranded as Super Bowl I.

As a rookie Super Bowl host, Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium were given potentially good news by Goodell regarding hosting future Super Bowls.

“They are doing a fantastic job [in Indianapolis]. I have said it repeatedly this week,” offered Goodell. “I know everybody in Indianapolis is focused on the future, but we want to make sure that this week turns out to be what everyone has worked so hard for. . . I think that it is great that Indianapolis is on the global stage.”

According to Goodell, South Florida has been a “great setting” for ten Super Bowls, most recently Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. That currently is the most of any locations, but will be tied next year when New Orleans hosts its tenth Super Bowl.

However, according to Goodell, officials in South Florida should not assume that the league would return soon.

“Miami has hosted more Super Bowls than any other community . . .  there’s a reason for that. It’s a great place to have a Super Bowl,” said Goodell. “[But now]clearly they’re competing against better and better Super Bowl venues across the country . . .the competition that Miami is facing is greater and greater, and that’s a good thing for the NFL. But I do believe that Miami will have future Super Bowls.”

When the NFL selected MetLife Stadium to host Super Bowl XLVIII, it opened up the potential for other colder weather cities to join the list of future venues. The Big Game was played in Minneapolis in 1992 (Super Bowl XXVI) and Detroit in 1982 (Super Bowl XVI) 2006 (Super Bowl XL), but they all were in domed stadiums.

“I’m a big believer that the game of football is played in all elements. We see it, and some of them are our classic games, were played in snow or ice or cold,” said Goodell. “I think that’s a great part of our history and tradition and the game itself. We do have another side, which is they believe that when you get to the Super Bowl, it should be played in conditions that are not impacted by weather. That’s a balancing act.”

According to Goodell, Super Bowl XLVIII in MetLife Stadium “[is] going to be a great success for the league, for the community, and there’s a really strong reason for it. It’s the No. 1 market in the world.  It’s got two teams and a brand-new stadium. Let’s see how that event comes off. We think it’s going to be very positive and let’s go from there.”

Would that open up the avenue for Chicago, Philadelphia and other open-air stadiums in cold weather climates to vie for a Super Bowl?

“Chicago is a great community,” said the Commissioner. “As far as football fans are concerned, there is no greater passion in Chicago. There are a number of issues that go into playing a Super Bowl. It’s not just the stadium. It’s clearly the number of hotel rooms, the other infrastructure, all of which I presume that Chicago would meet. If they’re interested, we certainly will meet with them and discuss the ability to do that.”

Although Los Angeles has been mentioned as being on the list of potential hosts for Super Bowl L, the current status of the stadiums in the area would almost preclude such a move by the NFL. Two new stadiums are being moved through the intricate red tape of politics, finances and logistics; one proposal already has a naming rights deal with Farmers Insurance. But the earliest that either could be built would be 2016, which is when the game will be played. And the city has not had an NFL franchise since the Raiders and Rams departed after the 1994 season.

How about an international Super Bowl, with the NFL seeking to expand its footprint worldwide? According to Goodell, first things first.

“We’re going to play the London games. We hope it will be with the Rams and the New England Patriots [this] year,” said Goodell. “There is a great deal of interest in Latin America to play a game. We obviously, most importantly, would like to get back to Mexico with another regular season game. We’ve discussed it with our partners in Mexico, and it is something we would like to get done sooner rather than later.

“We want to do this strategically though,” the Commissioner continued. “We don’t want to say that we are playing games in Brazil or Spain for the sake of doing that. This is all about a collective strategy to make our game more successful on a global basis, and the effort that we are putting in in the U.K,. and London as an example, are all designed to build a model that is going to grow our game and its popularity in the U.K. If that’s successful we will expand throughout Europe. The same thing is true in Mexico, and what we can do in Latin America if we’re successful there.”

“The reality is, that’s our stage. The Super Bowl has become a national holiday. People are watching all over the world on Sunday,” said Goodell. “Everyone is going to raise their game. Everyone. The players, this community, the NFL, the two teams. So what we have to do is make sure we keep raising the game of the Super Bowl. How do we make it bigger? How do we make it better? How do we make it more impactful? We’ll continue to do that.”

PHOTOS: Matthew Emmons/US Presswire