There are certain things that, arguably, have to be done at least once in a lifetime. For people in the New York City area, these things usually include seeing a show on Broadway, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade cross through Manhattan, or standing outside for hours on New Year’s Eve to see the ball drop in Times Square.
This year, Super Bowl XLVIII will be held in MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and while it’s easy to assume that this location would easily put “attend Super Bowl XLVIII” on the tri-state area bucket list, the logistics of the entire day are enough to deter even local football fanatics. Here’s why spending Super Bowl Sunday at home this year may not be the worst idea ever:
Weather
MetLife Stadium is an open-air venue. The forecast for game day puts the high at a whopping 36 degrees, meaning the temperature will be even lower at game time. Even if hand warmers are part of the ticket holder package, there’s no way around the fact that it will be cold. While temperatures may not be low enough to rival the infamous Green Bay Packers games, fans in the nosebleed seats at MetLife Stadium will need to be bundled up and covered in layers to enjoy the game.
Cost
It’s no secret that Super Bowl tickets are insanely expensive. The average ticket for the Super Bowl costs about $2,700 in the week leading up to the game, but some tickets can cost more than $10,000. Viewers at home can watch the Super Bowl in a climate-controlled environment for basically nothing, if they have a basic cable plan. The money saved by passing on a Super Bowl ticket can be spent on more important supplies for the night, like chips and hot wings.
This brings up another point: Anything fans might need to buy at Super Bowl XLVIII is going to be expensive. In the past, fans have had to pay up to $14 for nachos and beer has gone for $15 a pint. It is very possible that these prices will be even higher this year because the game is in the New York City area, a place already infamous for it’s high cost of living.
Traffic
The New York/New Jersey area already has a pretty bad rap for its insane amount of traffic—and, arguably, equally as insane drivers—and this problem is bound to worsen on game day. Fans staying in The City and commuting into New Jersey by car are likely to see huge amounts of congestion in the Lincoln and Holland tunnels and on the George Washington Bridge. Assuming drivers make it to East Rutherford in a timely fashion, parking passes are still going to leave fans another $150 short. Attendees are encouraged to take advantage of NY/NJ Transit options. Realizing the only area you’ll have to navigate is the path from your seat to the snack table is another reason watching the game in your living room might be the better option this year.
