The biggest sporting event of the year is almost here. Super Bowl LVII will see the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles face off in the latest edition of football’s biggest event. In 2022, 99.18 million people tuned in to watch the game — which is undoubtedly why 30-second commercial spots for this year’s Super Bowl will cost companies as much as $7 million.

Depending on how passionate of a professional football fan you are, enjoying the Super Bowl entails a lot more than sitting down in front of the TV with a bag of chips. From going to the game itself to hosting a party at home with all your friends, making the most of your Super Bowl experience can add up faster than you might expect.

This is especially true with inflation causing price increases for food, gas, plane tickets and other commodities related to the Big Game. Advertising costs are just one example — while this year’s event will cost advertisers $7 million, last year “only” cost $6.5 million. And in 2013, the cost was $3.8 million. One could easily expect advertising costs to exceed $10 million per spot within ten years.

By understanding just how much it will cost to enjoy the Super Bowl, you can make appropriate planning and budgeting decisions so the experience of a lifetime doesn’t leave you in financial turmoil.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend the Super Bowl?

Let’s get the big one out of the way first: how much would it cost to attend the Super Bowl in person? There’s more to attending the game than just buying tickets — though those tickets are certainly going to be the most expensive item on the docket. In fact, your total expenses per person can easily exceed $10,000. Here’s a closer look at how much it will cost to attend the Super Bowl.

Tickets

As of January 31, 2023 (the Tuesday after the Super Bowl matchup between the Chiefs and Eagles was set in stone) — it was reported that the average price per ticket to the game was $8,761. After accounting for fees, even the cheapest available tickets (located at the highest level of State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona), cost over $6,000. And for sideline-level seats or VIP suites, buyers could expect to pay as much as $46,365 on the secondary market.

While the average ticket price is down from the $9,500 it cost to attend the Super Bowl in 2022, these high ticket prices are indicative of the general increase in prices that have affected Super Bowl tickets and other live events, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The desire to participate in live events that create lasting memories has helped fuel demand — and ticket prices have gone up as a result.

Those prices are a far cry from when tickets to Super Bowl I cost a mere $10 ($79.17 when adjusted for inflation). Even 10 years ago, for Super Bowl XLVII, the average ticket cost around $1,200 (or $1346.32 when adjusted for inflation). Ticket prices have skyrocketed the last few years, and will likely remain high for quite some time.

Travel and Accommodations

Of course, to attend the game, you also need to get to the game in the first place. Naturally, the cost of your flight will depend on where you are traveling from. If you’re coming from the home city of one of the teams playing in the Super Bowl, you can expect to pay higher prices than if you were coming from another part of the country.

Many airlines have actually added flights to account for Super Bowl demand, but the cost of a one-way ticket can range from $700-$900 — or roughly $1,400-$1,800 for round-trip travels.

It should be no surprise that with so many people flying into town for the game, area hotels tend to raise their prices in anticipation of higher demand. As Bloomberg reports, even a Super 8 Motel in Phoenix will cost $450 a night for fans coming to attend the Super Bowl. Proximity to the stadium and the rating of the hotel can result in even higher prices, particularly for those who wait to make their reservations.

At the Game

Attending the Super Bowl is an event — and as such, many fans are apt to spend a good amount of money on merchandise, as well as food and drinks while at the stadium.

In 2021, fans at the Super Bowl spent an average of $212 at the game, with roughly $80 spent on merchandise and $132 on food and drinks. However, the recent impact of inflation means that the average cost for items such as hot dogs or drinks will likely be even higher than it was during previous years.

Of course, your total spending can vary significantly based on the specific items you buy. At Super Bowl LI in 2017, for example, a regular hot dog only cost $8 — but a pulled pork sandwich and beer combo would cost $31. Similarly, apparel pricing varied quite a bit, with t-shirts starting at $35, while sweatshirts started at $80. With inflation, today’s fans can expect to spend even more for these basic items.

Throwing a Super Bowl Party at Home

While attending the Super Bowl in person would certainly be an unforgettable experience, many people prefer to host a party in the comfort of their own home. With a big-screen TV and plenty of food to go around, hosting a Super Bowl party can be a great way to spend time with friends or family.

While the cost of hosting your own Super Bowl party can’t compare to the cost of attending the game in-person, it can still get fairly pricy. In 2018, it was reported that the average Super Bowl watch party would cost the host $207.16, with the majority of the expenses going toward food, non-alcoholic drinks and alcoholic drinks. Accounting for post-pandemic inflation trends, that would be equivalent to roughly $244.73 today.

Prices for food and drinks saw some of the largest increases during the record-breaking inflation that occurred in 2022. That being said, improvements in the supply chain have actually helped some popular Super Bowl party foods to come down in price.

By the end of January 2023, steak, chicken wings and avocados had dropped in price from the year before. On the other hand, other popular watch party items, such as beer, soft drinks, hot dogs and chips had seen significant price increases. The food you decide to serve will play a major factor in whether your party-hosting costs end up over or under that nearly $250 average.

Of course, food and drinks aren’t the only costs to consider. Miscellaneous expenses such as paper plates, serving supplies and decorations can also add to your total bill for hosting a party.

If you’re looking to save some time in the kitchen, ordering a catered meal for you and your guests could be a convenient solution — though it will likely be more expensive than if you bought your food at the grocery store.

Finally, the number of guests who will be attending your party will have a direct impact on how much you need to spend. More guests means more food that you need to buy — unless you opt for a potluck-style event where everyone brings something to share.

Still, while hosting a Super Bowl party at your home can feel relatively expensive for a one-time event, the total costs won’t compare to the cost of attending the Super Bowl on your own.

Watching the Game at a Sports Bar

If you’re not interested in hosting a party but still want to enjoy the Super Bowl with others, you’d hardly be alone if you went to watch the game at a sports bar. In fact, the National Retail Federation reports that 17.8 million Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl at a restaurant or bar, with average spending reaching $85.36 per person. By comparison, in 2011, the average spending was $71.51.

Of course, this year’s trip to a bar or restaurant will be more expensive than in years past. According to the National Restaurant Association, menu prices increased by 8.3 percent from December 2021 to December 2022. That means a nacho plate that cost $15 last year would be around $16.23 this year.

As with hosting a watch party at your own home, what you order when you go out to a sports bar or restaurant will make all the difference in whether you spend more or less than the $85 average. However, you can expect to spend more than you would during a typical visit, just from the fact that the Super Bowl usually lasts nearly four hours from start to finish.

That extra time can make it easy to spend more than you normally would on appetizers, drinks, desserts and more. If you’re worried about overspending, consider setting some boundaries for yourself before you go — like no additional food purchases after halftime.

No Matter How You Watch the Game, Be Financially Smart

For some people, attending the Super Bowl is a dream come true — an event that they may even plan for with their financial advisor so they can go all-out without having to worry about the expenses. For others, looking for ways to cut expenses to make watching the Super Bowl more affordable is the focus instead.

No matter what your Super Bowl plans or financial goals might look like, a quality financial advisor can help make them a reality. With a free AdvisorCheck account, you can search for advisors with an easy-to-use dashboard that helps you evaluate disclosures, experience level and other important factors.

When you become a member, you’ll also gain access to resources to improve your financial literacy and health — so get started today. With AdvisorCheck on your side, it’s never been easier to find the right financial planner to help you meet your goals.

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Written by Lucas Miller, Entrepreneur Contributor

Fact checked by Billy Quirk

Reviewed by Leonard Kim

The information provided in this article was written by the research and analysis team at AdvisorCheck.com to help all consumers in their financial journeys, by providing the resources and the insights to help improve one’s financial health, make it through recessionary and inflationary periods of time, and save their earnings to use them towards building a secure financial future. 

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