Travel is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and some people will fly happily across the world to attend a sporting event or gig. One event people will hop onto a plane or train, or even jump in their automobile, and make a journey for is the Super Bowl. It’s the biggest event in the US sporting calendar, and some people will also check the Super Bowl odds and place a bet on the game in a bid to boost their spending money while they’re visiting the location.
But you can’t just head to the Super Bowl from one day to the next. There’s planning to do and preparations to make to get there. Here’s a guide to traveling to the Super Bowl and everything you need to know before attending the Super Bowl.
Looking for locations
Planning ahead is a necessity when it comes to attending the Super Bowl. You’ll be pleased to know the NFL announces Super Bowl venues years in advance. You can get the date in your calendar and build the rest of your itinerary around the venue.
Buying tickets
Get your tickets early. You can check out the availability and pricing of Super Bowl Tickets online so you don’t miss out. Some travelers like to wait for a while, hoping that the price of tickets will fall, and buy their tickets just a couple of days before the game. The chances of this are slim, however, and the prices are likely to go the other way. They can especially spike if a team like the Dallas Cowboys makes it to the Super Bowl.
Booking flights
Once you know the date and the venue, you should book your flights as early as possible. Often, it’s a case of the earlier, the better. Note that flights to some neighboring cities can be cheaper and offer better flight times than to the host city.
Booking accommodation
A lot of people when traveling to see the Super Bowl try to book a hotel near the host venue. The thing is, attending the Super Bowl is a whole experience, so consider changing your focus and booking somewhere near to all the excitement, which tends to be in the downtown area of the host city. Remember, you’re going to be spending just a few hours at the game, and the rest of your trip will be exploring the location.
Things you need to know before visiting the Super Bowl
To get true enjoyment and the most out of your Super Bowl experience, there are some things you need to know.
Two major rules
Each team has four attempts to advance 10 yards up the field, which they can do by throwing the ball and catching it, or by running with the ball. At the start of possession, a team will have their first attempt, and this is known as the “1 and 10.” If a player throws the ball and a teammate five yards up the field catches it, this is a “2 and 5” situation.
If the ball is caught or a player runs beyond 10 yards with the ball, this is a “first down” and creates a fresh 1 and 10 situation. This process repeats itself until the team reaches the end zone and scores a touchdown. If the team fails to make 10 yards in four attempts, they forfeit possession to the other team.
The other important thing to know is the scoring system. Making it into the other team’s endzone and scoring a touchdown will reward the scoring team with six points. They can then choose to kick the ball between the goal for an extra point or, for two extra points, try to run the ball into the endzone again. Field goals are worth three points.
Arrive early
Traffic to the Super Bowl will be heavy, without a doubt, so you should travel early to the venue. There will be lots of crowds and you’ll need some time to find your seat. Arriving at the venue earlier will give you the opportunity to enjoy some of the matchday events and generally soak up the atmosphere. Using public transport is often a better option than driving to the venue when it comes to getting there.
Meeting NFL players
Super Bowl week creates chances to meet some of your favorite NFL players. If you have the time and the money, it’s possible to arrange meetups or even outings with NFL players past and present. Some will charge a lot, however, for even small amounts of their time during Super Bowl week.
The Super Bowl is an amazing event and traveling to see it is well worth the journey. If you’ve not been able to get to Super Bowl LVII, why not start making plans to attend Super Bowl LVIII, which will take place at the Allegiant Stadium, in Paradise, Nevada.