NFL to charge people $200 to stand outside Super Bowl stadium

[RandySF]

For one-third the price of a regular ticket, NFL fans will be able to stand outside Cowboys Stadium and act like they are attending the Super Bowl XLV. The league announced on Wednesday that tickets to watch the game on large HD video screens on the east side of the stadium will cost $200.

They're calling it the "party plaza," because what's more of a party than spending two bills to go through a security line for the right to sit on a grassy knoll, pay $9 for a beer and watch a game that's freely available on television?

Tickets will first be offered to Cowboys season ticket holders who will have to buy in blocks of four. The $800 will cover four tickets to watch the game, four programs, four scarves and a parking pass. Scarves? For that price, they better be Burberry.


http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/NFL-to-charge-people-200-to-stand-outside-Super?urn=nfl-309783

[itsrobert]

1. What did P.T. Barnum say?

n/t

[villager]

9. Heh. They can post "this way to the egress" signs, get 'em to leave...

...and charge 'em again!

[Monsoon]

11. They'll sell out too, 41 million watched the Pats Jets game on

one network. 31 million watched the President in Tucson on 11.

Says something about priorities doesn't it.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

15. That's what i thought of when i saw the thread.

[zbdent]

28. these days ...

"Vote Republican!"

"Obama's a Muslim"

"Sarah Palin's a viable candidate for President"

Oh, wait ... that isn't Barnum, that's Rupert Murdoch's check-writing pen ...

[jkirch]

58. "Every crowd has a silver lining." --PT Barnum

[hlthe2b]

2. No end to the exploitation...

Pro Sports is just out of control....

[former9thward]

19. Exploitation? Who is forcing anyone to buy tickets?

Anyone can watch this game for free on tv.

[hlthe2b]

30. Tell that to the taxpayers that bought their stadiums....

:eyes:

[former9thward]

31. I would be happy to since they voted for the stadium.

They apparently thought it would bring jobs and business to the area. And it has.

[hlthe2b]

38. Bull shit. See the post below ...

They are almost always built as a result of lying exploitative, conniving, crooks that exploit the greed of their local politicians to manipulate the public into paying for their lavish new stadiums, even where a perfectly functional one already exists. Gotta have a new one with bigger, more lavish and LUCRATIVE sky boxes, after all. Ticket prices are so damned high, that most of those same taxpayers will never get in to see what it is they paid for.

[former9thward]

41. You can call BS all you want but the voters approved the stadium

in Nov. 2004. I don't believe in public financing of stadiums, just as I don't believe in ANY corporate welfare whether it is for defense companies or ethanol or subsidies for "green" energy or electric cars. It is all welfare and should be ended. However the voters do have a right to vote how they vote and they have a right to attend or sit at home or a bar and watch for free.

[hlthe2b]

43. And, they have been and continue to be exploited. End of story.

[LanternWaste]

54. Being a resident of Arlington, you can of course tell me

Being a resident of Arlington, you can of course tell me with both relevance and precision how I'm being exploited, yes?

[niyad]

35. there is a book about exactly what money pits the stadiums are, just cannot remember the name.

just googled "sports stadiums screwing taxpayers" and got quite a few links.

not sure if this is the book I was thinking about, but it sure covers the issue:

"Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profit"

Product Description
"Are you a sports fan distraught over your home team's move to another city? Or someone whose city has just lured a team to your home turf with a brand new stadium? Or maybe you don't follow sports, but as a taxpayer are outraged over cutbacks in school funding and other services."--BOOK JACKET. "Forget about the false tales of "welfare queens" who supposedly rode around in Cadillacs. Field of Schemes introduces you to some real welfare kings."--BOOK JACKET. "A used-car salesman turned baseball owner promises to pay for a new stadium out of his own pocket, if the state government just agrees to move a highway to clear the land. Several backroom deals later, the state is raising a quarter-billion dollars towards the stadium costs - and the team owner is getting his stadium scot-free."--BOOK JACKET. "The billionaire co-founder of Microsoft wants to buy a football team, but only if the state will build him a new stadium first. So he pays the $4 million cost of a referendum - even as his camp spends millions more in advertising to make sure he wins. In exchange, he gets at least $300 million in public money to build his team's new home."--BOOK JACKET. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.. . . .

http://www.amazon.com/Field-Schemes-Stadium-Swindle-Private/dp/1567511392

[hlthe2b]

40. exactly...

The scams perpetrated on a susceptible (or bamboozled) public are incredible by these sports team owners and their "bought and paid for" politicians.

[slackmaster]

3. I'll let them stand outside of my house for $150.

:hi:

[virgogal]

8. And of course you'll include hot chocolate. :-)

[slackmaster]

27. Sure. I'd even hand out a free beer to everyone who is over 21.

:nuke:

[Cali_Democrat]

4. Lame. n/t

[somone]

5. How much does it cost to sit or lie down?

[virgogal]

6. OMG---this has GOT to be a joke.

[RandySF]

10. Nope

Jerry Jones (owner of the Dallas Cowboys) cooked this up so that he can break the record for an NFL crowd. And yes, he wants to count the people standing outside.

[virgogal]

17. Remember when football was a great game and not a money grubbing business?

[Fumesucker]

22. Umm.. No?

:hi:

[niyad]

33. no

[Missy Vixen]

59. It was reported yesterday that those standing outside

will not be included in the crowd estimate.

If you got the four friends together at $200 apiece, you could BUY a nice flat-screen TV and at least one case of beer on game day...

[lpbk2713]

7. RayGun would be so proud.

I heard part of the game will be a cluster suck-up to Saint Runny of RayGun.

[underpants]

32. Yyyyep-----Reagan tribute scheduled for Super Bowl

Several pop-ups on this site. Summary is below.
http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-atlanta/reagan-tribute-scheduled-for-super-bowl

On Sunday, February 6, 2011, the world will turn its eyes to Arlington, TX for Super Bowl XLV, to be held at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium.

February 6 is also notable for another "cowboy" - this one, an actor-turned-President. February 6, 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of this nation's 40th President, Ronald Reagan.

Tributes are being planned across the country as well as around the world, even in countries of the former Soviet bloc described famously by Reagan as an "Evil Empire" in 1983, at the height of the Cold War. The fall of the Soviet regime is largely credited to the actions Reagan took, both foreign and domestic, to spur the American economy while forcing the U.S.S.R. and Soviet bloc to destabilize and eventually fall, being rebuilt for the most part into Western-inspired republics.

A tribute is being planned as part of the Super Bowl festivities in Texas, though specific details are largely being kept under wraps at the moment.


Obama says he's going to Super Bowl – if the Chicago Bears are there
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/sc-dc-obama-super-bowl-20110119,0,3443619.story

President Obama tells reporters that If the Chicago Bears defeat the Green Bay Packers and advance to Super Bowl XLV, 'I'm going, no doubt.' It would be the first time a sitting president attends the game.


In 1985, President Reagan did the coin toss for Super Bowl XIX, but from the Oval Office, not Stanford Stadium in California.

Three sitting vice presidents have attended the Super Bowl: Al Gore in 1994, George H.W. Bush in 1982, and Spiro Agnew in 1971.

Before Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005, former presidents Bush and Bill Clinton participated in on-field events to promote tsunami relief efforts. Before Super Bowl XXXVIII a year earlier, Bush handled the coin-toss honors before the game in his hometown of Houston.

[derby378]

12. Is the NFL charging this - or is Jerry Jones charging this?

There's a reason that stadium is known as Jerryworld or the Temple of Jones.

[jimmie]

13. Pffft....I got one better

Stubhub has now all the good seats for the PRE-SEASON baseball games and they are going for 2 to 3 times cost.

For PRE-SEASON games. Rediculous.

[AsahinaKimi]

14. I guess this allows people to say

"HEY! I went to the SUPERBOWL!" without mentioning they stood the whole time in the "Party Plaza".
Of course, when it comes to producing the TICKET as proof...oopsie!

[npk]

16. I'm surprised the NFL isn't charging people to watch the game at home

What's next a $40 surcharge to watch the game in HD.

[Bunny]

18. I thought this was from The Onion.

Unbelievable.

[former9thward]

20. In Chicago seats for the Green Bay game this weekend

are going for about $1000 a seat on Craigslist. And that is for the privilege of sitting in bitterly cold weather.

[HuckleB]

26. Those are real fans, however.

They won't feel any pain, and they'll enjoy the game as a fan enjoys the game, not like the majority of onlookers who attend the Super Bowl.

[Matariki]

21. $200 is ONE THIRD the price of a regular ticket?

Jeez - I thought we were in a recession. People paying $600 to sit in the cold and watch a bunch of guys run into each other?

[ScreamingMeemie]

25. No...not in the cold. Super Bowl is in Dallas this year.

Mostly covered, with a retractable roof for bad weather. But, still too much for a ticket.

[Matariki]

36. But really - $600?

That's crazy.

[tritsofme]

39. And that's just the face value.

In the secondary market these tickets go for thousands.

[ScreamingMeemie]

42. You missed the last part of my post.

:)

[Matariki]

44. No - I'm just so shocked I had to repeat it twice!

:o

[PBS Poll-435]

23. LOL

Figures


They paid for a 3 mile renovation of Interstate 30...


Gotta make it up somewhere.


(Actually the taxpayers paid for mostly all of it)

[spanone]

24. a fool and his money....some people just like to be close

[Lint Head]

29. Football business is ridicules.

[TroglodyteScholar]

34. LOL

The NFL is shameless, and if you'll pay $200 to stand outside the stadium, you deserve the fleecing you're getting.

[Initech]

37. For that price? Fuck that shit.

[marmar]

45. A fool and his/her money are soon parted.

nt

[tammywammy]

46. And I won't be able to leave my house that day

Woo...the life of living near the Stadium....

[joe_sixpack]

56. If you live that close...

maybe you should try and sell tickets to stand in your driveway. :)

[tammywammy]

61. Heh

I told my boss that stand in my front yard for $100 and I'll push my tv up to the window. :)

I live close enough that the main street outside my subdivision will be backed up with traffic for it. There are still ways to get around. I won't be able to go north of the stadium very easily for a few days, but it can usually be avoided.

[HEyHEY]

47. Stop supoprting these dicks.

[Motown_Johnny]

48. How else do you pay for a billion dollar stadium when your team sucks?

[Dappleganger]

49. What, the sports bars will be completely full?

I'll bet some small business owners are pissed if this takes away from their earnings.

[Blue Owl]

50. Can I pay for a spot outside the parking lot, too?

Just tell me where to send my disposable money.

[Shandris]

51. They're targetting tailgaters who would have had access to the game...

...on their iPhones and other internet accessories. There's a mystique, a following, a feeling to being at the celebration for a game that is only played once per year. Say what you like about Pro Sports, this is something you can date back to the Mayans (the celebration, not football, obviously). Now they're forcing people to pay just for participating in the celebration, LET ALONE ATTENDING THE GAME.

This is disgusting, and I truly hope we don't do that in Indianapolis next year.

[ZombieHorde]

52. Hahahahaha! nt

[LanternWaste]

53. Friend of mine lives in the Enclaves across the street...

Friend of mine lives in the Enclave Apts. across the street (Randoll Mill) from the stadium. We're watching the big screen from his balcony, in direct line of sight of the projector board. He told me he's making a banner to hang which reads, "All this, and no asshole, redneck drunks to deal with!!!!"

The stadium is directly on the commute to my office, and will be closed for a week for "traffic realignment purposes". Other than that (and the fact that I'll be on the computer rather than watching the game as I'm boycotting the NFL until the animal torturer is gone from the league), it's kinda cool to have it less than a mile from my place.

[tammywammy]

55. Hello!

I live off of Abram near Meadowbrook park. :hi:

[LanternWaste]

57. Hi! Back atcha!

Hi! Back atcha! I live off Bowen and Abrams.

Weird thing... I've had the same group of friends since high school (1984), and we all moved, done the career thing, gotten families, etc., and yet... we're ALL of us back in the Metroplex again,

[tammywammy]

60. I graduated high school in Arlington

I made my move around the Metroplex (Denton, Flower Mound, Lewisville, etc) and ended up back in Arlington.

I was talking about this article with my boss today. I told him, "hey for $100, you can sit in my lawn and I'll push the tv close to the window." :)

[Yavin4]

62. Can I Use Your Bathroom

Or will you be providing a bucket?

[tammywammy]

63. Bucket, I don't actually want other people inside my house

Or you can use the yard next door...the house without a dog. I won't tell.