Crashing the Super Sunday Party

The Rose Bowl may be the “granddaddy of ‘em all” but sorry to tell you Pasadena, the Rose Bowl has nothing on it’s big brother celebration. There’s no bigger single sporting event in the world than the Super Bowl. In 2010, Super Bowl XLIV between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts was viewed by more than 106 million American homes, breaking the all time single event viewing record in the United States. A thirty second commercial during Super Bowl XLIV cost 2.8 million dollars, and that was a discounted rate. There’s no doubt about it; the Super Bowl is big business.

The success of the Super Bowl and professional football can be seen as a double edged sword. On one hand, the sport has grown and blossomed into America’s favorite game. Ticket sales are up year over year, fan support is at an all time high, and competition is fierce within the National Football League making it an all around enjoyable product.

But because of the popularity and feverish fandom, the Super Bowl has become more than a game. It’s become a full on spectacle, and the only way you’re getting admitted is to be a high roller, or corporate big wig.

Why? Most tickets sold for the Super Bowl are sold to corporate accounts. By some accounts, upwards of 80 percent of SuperBowl tickets go to corporate sponsors of the NFL. General public fans rarely get an opportunity to purchasing tickets to the big game. No matter how long you’ve been a member of the Browns faithful, you’re all but stuck back in the dog pound if/when the Browns crash the party. The same can said for those die hard Lions fans braving frost bite and heartbreak each Sunday through December.

If you’re holding out hope to be included in the other 20 percent, consider the following words of caution directly from the NFL. “The demand for tickets to Super Bowl XLII greatly exceeds our ability to accommodate the majority of our fans interested in attending. Most tickets are made available through the two teams competing in the game, and to a lesser extent through each of our other NFL teams. Remaining tickets for the general public are made available through a random drawing. There is no other means for the general public to purchase tickets.” Basically, your chances of buying Super Bowl tickets are about equal to your chances of winning the lottery.

If you’re still feeling lucky, you might want to grab a ticket for both because even if you are lucky enough to have your name pulled from the random drawing, Super Bowl tickets don’t come cheap. Between the cost to buy SuperBowl tickets, hotel accommodations (which sell out over a year in advance and charge premium rates during Super Bowl week), and the cost of entertainment, you can expect to spend an incredible amount of money and even more time searching for the right place to stay, transportation to the stadium, access, and more.

All of that being said, attending the Super Bowl is a once in a lifetime opportunity and is nothing short of Mecca to the diehard fan. If you’re truly looking to go cheer your team at the big stage, your best bet is to purchase tickets through a reputable online reseller. These ticket brokers use industry connections to get their hands on handfuls of Super Bowl tickets which they in turn will sell to the average joe at a profit. There are also a number of travel agents that provide Super Bowl packages including transportation and accommodations in addition to tickets to the big game. Whatever you do, do not buy tickets from a scalper. The NFL estimates that anywhere between 100 and 300 people are duped into shelling out hundreds if not thousands for counterfeit tickets. Unfortunately these people are all turned away at the gates.

The count down to the next Super Bowl is under way. It will be held on Sunday, February 6th, 2011. America will be tuned in, with a warm plate of nachos and a bowl of ranch dip at the side. Meanwhile maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be sitting somewhere near the 40 yard line, wedged between the corporate fat cats sucking down their Martinis and Champagne. If so, remember to raise your ice cold twenty dollar beer to the sky, and toast the common fan. I’ll be on my couch watching for you.

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