Insuring the Super Bowl: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Martin Ridgers has had some of the best backstage passes to the Super Bowl you can possibly get. Well, sort of. 

Ridgers is the owner of MKR, LLC, in New York City, and has worked as an underwriter on at least 10 Super Bowls, along with multiple Olympic Games and World Cups. When you’re involved in making events of this scale run smoothly, much of your work happens behind the scenes, often long before the public ever knows what’s coming. 

Ridgers spoke with MyPath about what goes into insuring an NFL game, how the Super Bowl differs from a regular season matchup, and how he built a career in entertainment insurance. 
 

What’s involved in insuring an NFL game? 

Ridgers: When you’re putting on an event, it’s almost like starting a new business each time. You have to figure out how it will be put together, looking at things like toilets, water availability, security, vendors, maintenance, and more. 

Then you have to look at insuring the players. In some professional sports, players are considered independent contractors. In the NFL, all players are employees. That means they have workers’ compensation coverage and other insurance, but they also sign waivers and releases. 

Does insurance coverage vary from team to team? 

Ridgers: Yes. The first thing you want to look at is whether the team is responsible for the venue. Some teams aren’t responsible for the stadium where they play, so the focus is on insuring liability related to on-field events and player activity off the field when they’re acting on behalf of the team. 

Other teams oversee the venue as well. In those cases, you’re also looking at exposures involving the stadium — everything from who’s selling t-shirts or hot dogs to jet flyovers, restaurants, liquor liability, security, and maintenance contractors — in addition to what’s happening on the field. 

How is the Super Bowl different from a regular season game? 

Ridgers: A huge event like the Super Bowl involves considerably more planning and insurance, especially coverage like cancellation insurance and weather insurance. 

The halftime show is another major focus for insurers. 

What liabilities are involved with the halftime show? 

Ridgers: It depends on the specifics of the show. There are a lot of dancers and performers to keep track of. Are they using pyrotechnics? Does the stage move or change while performers are out there? 

A lot of times, risk control professionals attend early rehearsals to determine potential exposures. 

How did you get into insurance? 

Ridgers: I got into the industry because my dad was a broker. I didn’t think I’d end up in insurance wearing a suit, but I ended up in insurance wearing a suit. 

Any advice for people interested in entertainment insurance? 

Ridgers: At larger firms, you’re probably more likely to get hired into the entertainment sector from the brokerage side than underwriting, though that’s not always the case. 

It’s also important to know a little bit about a lot of different kinds of coverage. My main expertise is in casualty and marine, but I still need to understand other coverages to best serve clients. You have to be good at thinking in the third person — figuring out the concerns and needs of others. 

What do you like most about your job? 

Ridgers:  I love what I do. Insurance helps people more than most realize, even though we’re often portrayed as the bad guys. 

It’s about helping people manage the risks that concern them most — whether that’s a power outage during the Super Bowl, life insurance, or protecting their home from a fire. 

Interested in careers like this? 

Insurance careers span far beyond traditional office roles, including sports, entertainment, and major event planning. Learn more about careers in risk management and insurance at insuremypath.org/careers.