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

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.

"We've never done this before," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN Dallas of the league's plan to price-gouge folks who want to attend the Super Bowl without actually attending the Super Bowl.

Besides additional revenue, the biggest upside for the Cowboys is that those buying tickets to the party plaza will count toward the game's official attendance. Jerry Jones has expressed a desire to break the Super Bowl record for biggest crowd, which was set in 1980 when 103,985 attended the game at the Rose Bowl.

How people standing outside a stadium counts as attendance is beyond me. If you're standing next to an unplugged TV, does that mean you'll be tallied in the Nielsen ratings?

[Edited 1/19/11 20:50pm]

So who's planning to come for the Superbowl?

According to a Wednesday story on the USA TODAY website , if Barack Obama's hometown Chicago Bears beat their arch-rivals, the Green Bay Packers , this Sunday and earn the right to play in the Super Bowl at Cowboys Stadium , he will be making a February trip to Arlington.

If that was to occur, Obama would be the first president ever to attend a Super Bowl.

If the Bears win this Sunday's match, they will face either the New York Jets or the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those teams also face off this Sunday.

Word that the president would attend the game came at the end of a photo op this morning with Chinese President Hu Jintao. According to CBS' Mark Knoller, a camerman asked Obama whether he would go and the president said yes.

[Edited 1/19/11 20:38pm]

SCNDLS said:

So who's planning to come for the Superbowl?

Not without the Raiders!

But no. I've been to a game at the stadium. I'd come back for a regular season game.

Obama!

I have money on Chi so . .

But that's just more madness.

I hope he goes though. It'd be great to see a President attend in person.

If Lovie wins the SuperBowl he'll become a legend in Chicago.

They'll name schools after him. lol

SUPRMAN said:

If Lovie wins the SuperBowl he'll become a legend in Chicago.

They'll name schools after him. lol

Don't let Graycap hear you.

And while I'm at it, lemme shout out my region and state . . . if you don't know, now you DO!

Best Cities to Move to in America

©Getty Images

4. Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas

"Fort Worth is like the Rodney Dangerfield of the Dallas-Fort Worth area -- it gets no respect!" Sperling quipped.

But those who live in Fort Worth know the secret: It's close enough to Dallas that you get all of the amenities of a world-class city, from shopping to cultural events, but it's cheaper. The average home price is about $119,300, well below the national average of $171,700. Plus, the cost of living is nearly 14 percent cheaper than the national average.

It has a growing arts & culture scene, including an orchestra, ballet, opera, botanical garden and one of the best zoos in the country. In fact, the city has started billing itself as the "City of Cowboys and Culture."

Arlington is home to the Dallas Cowboys football team, the Texas Rangers baseball team, as well as American Mensa, the U.S. chapter of the high-IQ society, and the International Bowling Museum.

The unemployment rate in the area is 8.3 percent, below the national average of 10.2 percent.

Companies that are hiring now: Texas Health Resources, JPS Health Network and Bank of America, according to Indeed.com.

©Getty Images

5. Austin-Round Rock, Texas

Austin-Round Rock ranks high on quality of life and affordability: It has at least a dozen colleges and was voted the No. 1 college town by the Travel Channel. The cost of living is 2.4 percent below the national average.

But what sets it apart is its quirk. The city has been described as a "crazy quilt," stitching together everything from art, improv and country music to environmentalism and high tech. It's home to the South by Southwest festival, featuring independent musicians and filmmakers and emerging technologies. Though, its quirky rep has been around awhile, spawning a new slogan, "Keep Austin Weird."

Round Rock is its conservative counterpart, known for its outstanding education system and as the headquarters of Dell Computers.

The unemployment rate in the area is 6.5 percent, well below the U.S. average of 10.2 percent. It's the No. 10 job market, according to Indeed.com, with two applicants for every job opening.

Companies that are hiring now: Dell, Seton Family of Hospitals, Soliant Health and AT&T, according to Indeed.com.

Best Places to Live Money's list of America's best small cities

5. McKinney, TX

WINNER

Top 100 rank: 5
Population: 125,000
Unemployment: 7.8%

Lots of towns near Dallas have low crime, affordable homes, and good jobs; McKinney is no exception. What makes it stand out is its gem of a downtown. Lovingly restored 19th-century buildings house restaurants, boutiques, and

Lots of towns near Dallas have low crime, affordable homes, and good jobs; McKinney is no exception. What makes it stand out is its gem of a downtown. Lovingly restored 19th-century buildings house restaurants, boutiques, and galleries; the 1875 courthouse contains a new performing-arts center.

LMAO at the first yahoo comment If you're dumb enough to pay $200

dollars to stand outside a stadium you're probably a Cowboys fan.

phunkdaddy said:

LMAO at the first yahoo comment If you're dumb enough to pay $200

dollars to stand outside a stadium you're probably a Cowboys fan.

I guarantee you it will be out of towners paying for that shit just to be CLOSE to the game. Most locals are avoiding that area like the plague due to the closed streets. They will be shutting down the main streets for a week or two BEFORE the game. By SB Sunday, I'm sure folks will be ready for the shit to be over.

Besides, the locals know you can get a full tour of the stadium for $20

[Edited 1/19/11 21:20pm]

SCNDLS said:

phunkdaddy said:

LMAO at the first yahoo comment If you're dumb enough to pay $200

dollars to stand outside a stadium you're probably a Cowboys fan.

I guarantee you it will be out of towners paying for that shit just to be CLOSE to the game. Most locals are avoiding that area like the plague due to the closed streets. They will be shutting down the main streets for a week or two BEFORE the game. By SB Sunday, I'm sure folks will be ready for the shit to be over.

Besides, the locals know you can get a full tour of the stadium for $20

[Edited 1/19/11 21:20pm]

I know of a certain fan base who are probably already transplanted in the area that

will buy those tickets if they get to the big game.

Lombardi Trophy Guard Hails From Arlington

Ben Nix is a local guy with a very unique job. For the last 12 years, he's been in charge of protecting the Lombardi Trophy leading up to the Super Bowl, MyFoxDFW reports.

In the week leading up to the big game, Nix, who is from Arlington, receives the trophy and accompanies it to a slew of NFL events, where gawkers most definitely want to touch and be photographed with the trophy. It's the former that causes such a problem for Nix, as keeping fingerprints off of the easily smudged silver is more of a challenge than simply keeping it safe.

“The most difficult part is to keep the hands off it until the team gets it,” Nix told MyFoxDFW.com. “It smudges up pretty easily and so we try to keep that from happening.”

The Vince Lombardi Trophy, named for the former Green Bay Packers coach who won the first two Super Bowls, is made by Tiffany's and is comprised of seven pounds of sterling silver worth about $50,000. The trophy depicts a regulation size football at a slightly tilted angle that resembles the kicking position. The trophy is in no small way a sports icon in and of itself, easily on par with the yellow jersey, green jacket or Lord Stanley's cup.

Nix has provided security to the NFL since 1981 and is a former FBI agent and TCU football player. Nix told Fox that it's pretty special to have the game at home this year and is looking forward to the moment when he can hand the trophy over to the presenter and the winning team.

Unlike the Stanley Cup, the Lombardi Trophy is made anew every year with the winning team maintaining possession forever. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who are still in the playoffs, lead the league with six Lombardi trophies. They are followed by the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, who each have five.

[Edited 1/19/11 21:40pm]

And in Cowboys news . . .

Former Cowboys’ receiver Patrick Crayton isn’t happy with his old team.

In a recent appearance on ESPN Radio’s Ben & Skin Show, as detailed in a post earlier today, Crayton took aim at the team’s decision to hire Jason Garrett as the full-time head coach. Nor is he pleased with the team’s treatment of receivers coach Ray Sherman, who was let go after interviewing for the head coaching vacancy prior to the announcement of Garrett.

"He was a hell of a coach, hell of a guy, and I really appreciate what he did to my career--both on and off the field,” Crayton said, per the Dallas Morning News. “Just the way ... to see him let go, it was almost an insult. It truly is.”

Crayton, who revered Sherman in his time in Dallas as something of a father figure, believes that the team’s interview with Sherman was little more than a nicety, conducted simply to satisfy the Rooney Rule--which stipulates that any team with a head coaching vacancy must interview at least one minority candidate.

"[The Cowboys] interviewed Ray Sherman to satisfy the Rooney Rule,” Crayton said. “They had some knowledge in knowing that they were going to go in some other direction. ...

“I think you go into a situation like that where you think 'OK, if I don't get this job, I'll probably be considered for the offensive coordinator job. At worst, I end up being the receivers coach again next season.' To just get let go, after interviewing for the head coaching job, it's a little disrespecting.”

Patrick Crayton, who left Dallas unceremoniously last off-season for San Diego--and had a few well-documented run-ins with Garrett during his tenure in Dallas--was asked in a recent appearance on 103.3 ESPN Radio’s “the Ben & Skin Show” what could prevent Garrett from thriving as the Cowboys’ head coach.

“What words am I allowed to say on the radio? Karma is a...” Crayton said. “That would be one side of it. The other would be players not responding to him in a positive way.”

But then, didn’t the players’ respond to Garrett in a positive way after he took over for Wade Phillips in 2010? Not according to Crayton.

“They responded, I believe, this past season because of the guy who signs the checks, Jerry Jones,” Crayton said. “He's a true players owner. But when he comes in in an authoritative way, you tend to listen.”

Lawd, have mercy this has got to be one of THE craziest muhhfuckas EVER to play in the NFL

Charles Haley Hoping For HOF Breakthrough

Getty Images

Former Cowboy, five-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame candidate Charles Haley, in a recent interview with Galloway and Company on ESPN Radio, made his case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an honor for which, despite his impressive body of work, he’s been passed over twice in the past two years.

Haley was asked by Galloway what he would say to the Hall of Fame voters.

“I’d tell them, the five diamonds I’ve got, take it away,” Haley said, per ESPN Dallas. “Take them away as though I’d never won them. Look at my body of work.”

A five-time Pro Bowler and twice a first team All-Pro, Haley isn’t without his supporters. Former 49ers head coach Bill Walsh has been vocal in his belief that Haley belongs in the Hall of Fame. But it’s generally thought that Haley’s sometimes-contentious relationship with the media--read: the folks who vote on this--has served as a detriment for his chances.

All the same, Haley believes his career, even without the five Super Bowls, stands up to critique, and to this end, we’d have to agree with him.

“Look what I’ve accomplished individually, look what I’ve done with my teams, the commitment that I made and go from there,” Haley continued. “Just go from there, and you know, everyone wants to say, ‘you’re the only guy with five Super Bowl rings’--well damn, you act like I didn’t do anything else but be on a team and win five Super Bowls. I sacrificed, I put myself in harm’s [way], I played when I shouldn’t have played, I did things so my team could be the best.”

[Edited 1/19/11 21:51pm]

Keith Urban to Play Super Bowl Pre-Game Show

While the Super Bowl half-time show will have a distinctively hip-hop flair due to the presence of the Black Eyed Peas, the pre-game show just landed an act more in keeping with the down home roots of Cowboys Stadium.

Three-time Grammy winning country musician Keith Urban will kick off the festivities before the NFL's biggest game in Arlington, Texas, next month, reports the USA Today.

Urban's no stranger to entertaining NFL fans. He played at halftime of the Dallas Cowboys - New Orleans Saints game last Thanksgiving in Arlington, so he's headed back to familiar ground.

The crooner - who has 11 No.1 hits to his name - plans to play songs from his most recent album, "Get Closer." He and his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, recently welcomed their second child last month.

Anybody paying for any of this shit is an idiot. But I'll be at the Leather and Laces party.

For those of you who don't mind forking over thousands of dollars for the slight chance of a star sighting, the following list is for you.

We're breaking down the hottest Super Bowl parties in town leading up to the big game. We recommend calling ahead, as in yesterday, to make reservations. And if all else fails, there's always the Loon in Uptown.

It's dark, the drinks are cheap and strong, and stars trying to avoid the techno 'boom boom' and glaring LED lights are often seen inside.

Aura (various parties)
Feb. 2-6
Aura Night Club
General Admission starting at $100
VIP (Lamborghini lounge) $275
Table Packages $1,700-$10,000
aurasuperbowlparties.com

Super Bowl's Hottest Parties

Bud Light Hotel Parties (feat. Nelly, Ke$ha, Jack Ingram, Dierks Bentley, The Fray)
Feb. 3-6
Aloft Hotel/Bud Light Hotel
1033 Young Street
budlighthotel.com

Diddy's Fantasy
Feb. 5
Tower Building at Fair Park
General Admission $500
Private Cabana $25,000
wantickets.com

Prince - The Event
Feb. 4
Reunion Arena
General admission $1,500
VIP Nest $2,000 (must purchase 6 tickets to have the whole nest)
VIP Table $2,500 (must purchase 10 tickets to have the whole table)
princedallas.com

T.O. Welcome to Dallas Party
Feb. 4
Skye Bar
General Admission $60
VIP $100
Reserved $1,500

Leather & Laces
Feb. 4-5
Hotel ZaZa
General Admission $450
VIP $850
leatherandlaces.com

XLV Party
Feb. 3-5
The Cotton Bowl
General Admission $99-$225
VIP $220-$300
xlvparty.com

Zouk (various parties)
Feb. 1-6
Zouk Night Club
General Admission $50-$100
VIP $100-$300
zoukdallas.com

I was thinking about this last night. "This" being the concept of "VIP".

Screw that. I have never and will never, ever pay to be a "VIP". I won't even go to places that HAVE "VIP" areas. What makes people think they're better than others?

Give me the crowd, man. Give me the masses. Give me the people that live paycheck-to-paycheck. To Hades with "VIP"s.

However, I might pay some money to go to the Superbowl this year so I can run into those four geezers that have been to every Superbowl and tell them that I am sick of them.

for the sake of anyone going and the workers there... i hope obama doesn't go.

RodeoSchro said:

I was thinking about this last night. "This" being the concept of "VIP".

Screw that. I have never and will never, ever pay to be a "VIP". I won't even go to places that HAVE "VIP" areas. What makes people think they're better than others?

Give me the crowd, man. Give me the masses. Give me the people that live paycheck-to-paycheck. To Hades with "VIP"s.

However, I might pay some money to go to the Superbowl this year so I can run into those four geezers that have been to every Superbowl and tell them that I am sick of them.

Everytime those commercials come on I think, "These fuckas need to die already."

As for VIP, the concept has really changed in the last 10 years IMO. Now being a VIP just means you have a place to sit in the club. Fuck the masses. I wanna sit my old ass down somewhere and get a drink when I want it without fighting at the bar. It's now more about comfort, convenience, and access rather than status. Just another way for clubs to gouge patrons, they could give a hoot about status as long as that money's green.

SCNDLS said:

So who's planning to come for the Superbowl?

I was going 2 come but if the Prez shows up, it is going 2 JACK security 2 all hell and squeeze the "fun" out of being anywhere near Secret Service. I've changed my mind, I'm not coming now.

Graycap23 said:

SCNDLS said:

So who's planning to come for the Superbowl?

I was going 2 come but if the Prez shows up, it is going 2 JACK security 2 all hell and squeeze the "fun" out of being anywhere near Secret Service. I've changed my mind, I'm not coming now.

But I hear ya. I'm not going anywhere near Arlington or to the game. I've been to a few SB games in my time and it's such a fucking hassle. I just wanna party and have a good time.

I really hope my Prez doesn't come here I would rather he stay away from Texas just to be safe-it's got a bad track record with Presidents and I live 20 min from Arlington and there is no way n hell I'd pay 200 just to stand outside since I cant get in I'd love to see that NFL Experience though

nursev said:

I really hope my Prez doesn't come here I would rather he stay away from Texas just to be safe-it's got a bad track record with Presidents and I live 20 min from Arlington and there is no way n hell I'd pay 200 just to stand outside since I cant get in I'd love to see that NFL Experience though

You ain't right. I think he shoulda just popped up and never made a public statement about it. That way he coulda done a drive by.

Me and my peeps are gonna do the NFL Experience the week before during the day to miss as much of the rugrats as possible. My other fave Superbowl event is the Taste of the NFL. Talk about some good eatin'!

But the Taste is in Ft Worth and I'm in Allen so I don't know if I'ma make that. I'm keeping it in Dallas city limits.

SCNDLS said:

nursev said:

I really hope my Prez doesn't come here I would rather he stay away from Texas just to be safe-it's got a bad track record with Presidents and I live 20 min from Arlington and there is no way n hell I'd pay 200 just to stand outside since I cant get in I'd love to see that NFL Experience though

You ain't right. I think he shoulda just popped up and never made a public statement about it. That way he coulda done a drive by.

Me and my peeps are gonna do the NFL Experience the week before during the day to miss as much of the rugrats as possible. My other fave Superbowl event is the Taste of the NFL. Talk about some good eatin'!

But the Taste is in Ft Worth and I'm in Allen so I don't know if I'ma make that. I'm keeping it in Dallas city limits.

Well, it's true and whoever the genius was that put it out in the media well just damn him or her to hell messing with my Prez's safety The Taste is in Fort Worth? Where? Might have to check it out and we won't hurt u over here in Cowtown SCNDLS come see us

OnlyNDaUsa said:

for the sake of anyone going and the workers there... i hope obama doesn't go.

agreed

nursev said:

SCNDLS said:

You ain't right. I think he shoulda just popped up and never made a public statement about it. That way he coulda done a drive by.

Me and my peeps are gonna do the NFL Experience the week before during the day to miss as much of the rugrats as possible. My other fave Superbowl event is the Taste of the NFL. Talk about some good eatin'!

But the Taste is in Ft Worth and I'm in Allen so I don't know if I'ma make that. I'm keeping it in Dallas city limits.

Well, it's true and whoever the genius was that put it out in the media well just damn him or her to hell messing with my Prez's safety The Taste is in Fort Worth? Where? Might have to check it out and we won't hurt u over here in Cowtown SCNDLS come see us

how could they hide it? I do not think anyone would have just assumed the scores of secret service re-vamping security would be assumed to be because Bush wanted to go. (when he was at the world series the added security was hardly noticeable)

my hope he doesn't go has less to do with his safty (he will be fine) but the hassle for everyone else.

nursev said:

SCNDLS said:

You ain't right. I think he shoulda just popped up and never made a public statement about it. That way he coulda done a drive by.

Me and my peeps are gonna do the NFL Experience the week before during the day to miss as much of the rugrats as possible. My other fave Superbowl event is the Taste of the NFL. Talk about some good eatin'!

But the Taste is in Ft Worth and I'm in Allen so I don't know if I'ma make that. I'm keeping it in Dallas city limits.

Well, it's true and whoever the genius was that put it out in the media well just damn him or her to hell messing with my Prez's safety The Taste is in Fort Worth? Where? Might have to check it out and we won't hurt u over here in Cowtown SCNDLS come see us

Chile, he put his own self on Front Street. Reporters asked him if he would go if the Bears make it and he said yes.

I ain't scurrrrred. Girl, I ain't been to Ft Worth is prolly 10 years and with the traffic that will be in effect, now's not the time to go. Who knows the devil might kick me and make me go.

The Taste is my FAVORITE thing to do during SB. As usual, Kent Rathbun is reppin' Dallas and his brother Kevin is reppin the ATL. It's an expensive ticket but I always get a hookup. But the food is totally worth it.

http://www.tasteofthenfl.com/Chefs

OnlyNDaUsa said:

nursev said:

Well, it's true and whoever the genius was that put it out in the media well just damn him or her to hell messing with my Prez's safety The Taste is in Fort Worth? Where? Might have to check it out and we won't hurt u over here in Cowtown SCNDLS come see us

how could they hide it? I do not think anyone would have just assumed the scores of secret service re-vamping security would be assumed to be because Bush wanted to go. (when he was at the world series the added security was hardly noticeable)

my hope he doesn't go has less to do with his safty (he will be fine) but the hassle for everyone else.

Well at least it wouldn't have given some fool time enough to plan shit to hurt him Well if folks are going to the game they are already prepared for the extra shit like the crowds and security Bottom line is I just want him to stay alive!

[Edited 1/20/11 8:23am]