The Goodyear blimp looks to be getting some kind of allowance to fly over the same areas. I wonder if that flight path has to receive approval from the company that runs the sporting event, or if it's more of a government shall grant situation.

Quite likely the TFR is actually to protect the blimp! TFRs pop up for all sorts of reasons - rocket launches, presidential motorcades, volcanoes, sporting events... They're situational and specific rather than blanket restrictions.