Going to the Super Bowl is a dream for many football fans. As the biggest sporting event in the United States, the Super Bowl draws millions of viewers each year. However, actually attending the Super Bowl in person requires some planning, money, and luck. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to have the full Super Bowl experience.
Get Tickets
The first and most obvious thing you’ll need are tickets to the game. Super Bowl tickets are always in extremely high demand. The majority of tickets are distributed to the teams playing in the game, with additional tickets going to NFL partners and season ticket holders of the teams. Any remaining tickets are sold to the general public through a lottery system.
Getting Super Bowl tickets through the public lottery is very difficult. In 2022, there were over 108,000 entries for only 1,000 pairs of tickets. So you’ll need a lot of luck to score tickets that way. Your best bet is to find tickets on the secondary market from resellers, at a very high premium of course. Expect to pay at minimum $4,000 per ticket just to get in the door, with prices going up into the tens of thousands of dollars closer to the 50-yard line.
| Section | Average Price |
|---|---|
| Upper Corner | $4,000 |
| Upper Sideline | $6,000 |
| Lower Corner | $8,000 |
| Lower Sideline | $10,000 |
| 50 Yard Line | $15,000+ |
As you can see, getting into the Super Bowl will cost you a pretty penny. And that’s before travel, lodging, food, and everything else. Attending the Super Bowl is definitely not cheap.
Book Travel and Lodging
Once you secure your tickets, the next thing you’ll have to book is travel and lodging. The location of the Super Bowl changes every year, moving between warm weather sites and domed stadiums in northern cities. In 2023, Super Bowl LVII will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
You’ll want to book your flights and hotel as soon as possible after getting tickets. Prices skyrocket as it gets closer to the game. Even still, expect to pay a premium. Hotel rates for Super Bowl weekend start around $500/night for budget hotels farther away and go up to $1,000+ per night for hotels nearer the stadium.
It’s a good idea to stay near the stadium so you can easily access all the Super Bowl festivities leading up to game day. Downtown Phoenix and Scottsdale will be the hot spots for parties and events. But lodging anywhere in the metro Phoenix area will work.
Transportation
Once in the Super Bowl city, you’ll need transportation to get to the stadium and other events. Public transportation and ride shares will be crowded and surging on game day, so it’s best to have your own rental car. Make your reservation well in advance, as cars sell out fast for the Super Bowl. Parking at the stadium will also go for hundreds of dollars, so be prepared for that cost.
Enjoy the Experience
The Super Bowl is about more than just the game itself. The week before the game features tons of fun events, parties, and celebrations throughout the host city. There are free concerts, NFL sponsored events like the Super Bowl Experience, and of course exclusive parties that only ticket holders can access.
You’ll also want to check out the food scene and enjoy some local cuisine. Phoenix has great Mexican food, BBQ, and Southwest comfort dishes to try out. Top restaurants book up months in advance for Super Bowl week though, so plan ahead and make reservations.
And don’t forget about the gift shops! The Super Bowl host city will be filled with pop-up stores selling all kinds of NFL and Super Bowl LVII merchandise. Get your programs, jerseys, hats, pins and more to commemorate the experience.
Game Day!
After all the planning, travel, and spending, it will finally be time for Super Bowl Sunday. Arrive early to fully take in the experience. Check out the parking lot scene, grab food from the stadium vendors, and watch the players warm up from your seats. Sing along with the national anthem, anxiously await the coin toss, then sit back and soak it all in.
Yelling and cheering with 70,000 other fans as your team hopefully wins the Lombardi Trophy is an experience like no other. It will undoubtedly be an amazing bucket list event. As long as you have the essential tickets, booked your travel, and budgeted properly, you are all set for an incredible Super Bowl weekend.
Conclusion
Attending the Super Bowl requires some forethought, flexibility, and deep pockets. But for hardcore NFL fans, it is a lifelong dream and an unforgettable experience. From securing scarce tickets to traveling to the host city, booking accommodations, and enjoying all the pageantry, there are many steps involved in attending the big game. With strategic planning and preparation, you’ll be outfitted for an amazing Super Bowl adventure. Just being in the stadium for a championship battle between the NFL’s top teams is worth all the effort and expense.