December was just around the corner, and the late autumn chill had plunged the temperature in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to freezing.
For the past two weeks, the sunshades in the stadium's parking lot had been replaced with waterproof, insulated tents. Inside, high-powered heaters were set up, drawing in wave after wave of fans like bonfires.
Vendors had taken sunscreen and short-sleeved shirts off their shelves, replacing them with hand warmers, ponchos, winter hats, and heated seat cushions.
Even the tough-as-nails Americans, who insisted on never drinking hot water, rarely opted for ice-cold beer in this weather.
Hot cocoa, hot tea, and hot Americanos with a lethal amount of sugar were their favorites now.
For most vendors, winter sales were more than 50% better than in the summer.
