Attending the Super Bowl: Tips for Tickets, Travel and More

The Super Bowl is a landmark event. Besides being a championship football game, it's also a barometer of American zeitgeist and an enormous commercial opportunity for everyone from cola companies to airline carriers to hot dog vendors. While the vast majority of fans watch the spectacle on television, thousands of others pay a good deal of money to attend the game in person. Besides tickets, costs include travel, lodging, food, merchandise and more. Still, there are several ways to attend the big game without going bankrupt in the process.

Tickets are obviously the most essential pieces of equipment when planning on attending the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they're also the toughest to get for a reasonable price. Most tickets are earmarked for corporate sponsors, members of team fan clubs, the host city and other groups. If you are unable to obtain tickets through official channels, there is also a healthy secondary market. These are tickets that are being resold, which means that the face value is meaningless. Instead, the seller sets the price according to demand for the ticket. Therefore, your best bet for cheap tickets is to get them before the teams are decided or to attend a Super Bowl played by two relatively unpopular teams.

Your tickets should be the most expensive item on your trip to the Super Bowl, particularly if you live in the continental United States. Plane fares across the country can be had for less than $300 and rental cars can be as cheap as $20 per day. Since the teams that will be playing the Super Bowl are decided only two weeks before the game, you'll be able to get better travel deals if you don't care which teams those are. If possible, a fun and cheap way to get to the game is a road trip. While this consumes time and gas money, the trip itself is enjoyable and your travel plans are entirely in your control. Plus, having your own car allows you to tailgate on the days leading up to the game, as well as on game day itself.

Tailgating is the highlight of the Super Bowl for many fans. At its best, it provides an atmosphere that rivals the game itself. Always, it's a fun time for fans to gather and enjoy the comraderie and celebratory atmosphere, as well as some food and drink. In that capacity, it is an excellent cost-saving alternative to eating out, since groceries are always much cheaper than restaurant fare. If you do decide to eat out, prices may well be inflated near the venue, so try to get at least a few miles away to find better deals.

Depending on how much you want to rough it, renting or road-tripping in a large vehicle may offer a solution for lodging as well. If the weather is poor and you are willing to sleep in your van or truck, you will spend far less than if you stay in a hotel room, which are often scarce near the venue. If the weather is good, camping is an excellent option that allows you to combine the fun of tailgating with cheap accommodation. If you do decide on a hotel, anything near the venue will be full or extortionately expensive. The difference in price is worth driving an hour or more to find a place to stay.

In order to enjoy the tailgating, camping and anticipatory atmosphere, it can be necessary to bring along items like grills, clothes, tents, sleeping bags, coolers and more. This is impossible when flying. Driving, on the other hand, will allow you to bring such items, leaving you with less to buy once you're there. Staples like toothpaste, deodorant and clothes should certainly be packed no matter how you travel, since every store near the venue will be looking to cash in on the Super Bowl crowds.

Attending the Super Bowl is a unique experience that is getting less affordable all the time. However, if you use these tips and establish a reasonable budget, you can enjoy football's biggest game without going broke.

About the Author: J.B. Hooper is a consultant for TicketLiquidator.com. He has been an authority on football and sports for more than twenty years.