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Now that the game is over, it’s time to play Monday morning quarterback. The Seahawks blew away the Broncos last night, but who was the real winner: New York or New Jersey?

Of course, I’m referring to New Jersey’s complaint that the media showered New York City with more than its fair share of media coverage. The Garden State’s elected officials complained that the media obscured New Jersey’s role in co-hosting the Super Bowl and deprived the state of millions in tourism revenue. Catch up on the full story on CBS News.

So who won the PR game? A quick Google search of the terms “New Jersey Super Bowl” and “New York Super Bowl” reveals New York as the clear winner, with a huge 1.38 billion hits v. 414 million search results for the Garden State.

I understand where New Jersey is coming from. MetLife Stadium is in New Jersey (and preparing for the game is likely costing millions for infrastructure, security and clean up), while the majority of tourists are spending their money in Manhattan’s hotels, restaurants and attractions. Plus, with the majority of media outlets broadcasting from their headquarters in NYC, FOX’s Terry Bradshaw insisting on calling it the “New York Super Bowl,” and the NFL hosting most of the Super Bowl week fan events (like the Super Bowl Boulevard in Times Square) and parties in NYC, New Jersey’s objections make sense. However, throwing out the red flag at this point in the game isn’t going to solve anything.  New Jersey’s clock ran out months ago.

That said, when you and the world’s favorite city agree to co-host the year’s biggest sporting event, shouldn’t you consider the possibility that the limelight might not be shared equally? If Angelina Jolie and I co-host a party, I wouldn’t be too surprised if the media forgot to mention I was even there. This leads to my point: Why didn’t New Jersey proactively step up their PR game? Someone on their side of the Hudson fumbled a great PR opportunity. Jersey City could have easily been presented as a fresh, ideal alternative to the insanity and high prices of Manhattan.

Whether you’re hosting an event like the Super Bowl or launching a new product, it pays to think through the obstacles between you and your fair share of media coverage. Identify those potential issues, and then create a strategy to get out in front of them. New Jersey is constantly overshadowed by New York City.  It’s nothing new. They’d be in a better position now if they had developed a campaign to highlight the things that are great about New Jersey. Jersey City’s evolution over the last ten years is a great example.

At this point, with time expired, not even a Hail Mary pass from Gov. Christie to The Boss himself could have won this PR game. Agree? Disagree? Need some help getting more than your fair share of media coverage? I’d love to hear from you. Oh, and if you’re wondering if hosting the Super Bowl is even worth it, check out Beth Braverman’s article in The Fiscal Times, The Super Disappointing Economics of the Super Bowl.

– BML