New York Times (01/28/14) Tom Pedulla

The National Football League has decided to hire paid temporary employees instead of volunteers to work at this year’s Super Bowl. The move likely was in response to a class-action lawsuit brought against Major League Baseball, which did not pay volunteers at a fan festival in July.

“We are aware of the ongoing litigation against Major League Baseball,” says Brian McCarthy, an NFL spokesperson. “Due in part to the size and complexity of the Super Bowl, we determined that it was advisable to use paid staff in certain roles this year. We have hired 1,500 temporary paid staffers who will perform specific functions at NFL events.”