Previously held in the month of January in the Las Vegas Strip's Theatre for the Performing Arts (Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino), the Miss America Pageant returned to both its original location and September broadcast after nine years.

[5] The panel of celebrity judges for the top 15 finalists were: Deidre Downs Gunn, Carla Hall, Barbara Corcoran, Amar'e Stoudemire, Lance Bass, Joshua Bell, and Mario Cantone.

We’re making history right here, standing here as Asian-Americans.”[7][8][9][10] However, shortly after Davuluri was crowned Miss America 2014, xenophobic and racist comments[11][12][13] relating the proximity of the event date to the nine-eleven anniversary and to anti-Indian sentiment appeared in American social media.

[11][12][14][15][16] News agencies cited tweets that misidentified her as Muslim or Arab, associated her with groups such as Al-Qaeda, and questioned why she was chosen over Miss Kansas Theresa Vail.

[30][31] In addition, Vail, herself, was the first contestant to display tattoos in the swimsuit competition (the United States Army Dental Command insignia on her left shoulder and the Serenity Prayer along her right side).