Jennifer Sconzo didn’t have to sell plasma to afford Super Bowl tickets; she only had to sell a few hot dogs.
Sconzo, a junior journalism and international studies double major, will be getting a vendor’s-eye view of the Super Bowl from the stands of Houston’s $500 million Reliant Stadium.
“I am going to be volunteering with the Humble ISD PTSA group,” Sconzo said. “My father is the superintendent, so that is how I got the offer.”
With Super Bowl ticket prices well above the $500 mark, A&M students are looking for alternative ways to score a Super Bowl seat. Some, like Sconzo, have found ways to sneak in through the back door while others are settling for good old-fashioned Super Bowl parties.
As the end of the NFL season plays out in Houston for the first time in 30 years, many Aggies are taking advantage of the easy accessibility to volunteer, have parties and be part of one of the greatest sporting events of the year.
“Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events of the year because it’s good fun and clean competition,” said freshman general studies major Andrew Everitt. “Being the biggest game of the year, millions of dollars are spent to draw a huge crowd.”
Though he doesn’t remember the Miami Dolphins’ victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Houston’s first Super Bowl in 1974, Craig Cunningham is not a newcomer to the Super Bowl party scene.
Cunningham, a senior kinesiology major, is throwing his support the Carolina Panthers’ way and said the Super Bowl is one of the most watched events of the year and a perfect time for friends to gather for a party.
“After seeing the disappointments and surprises of watching Monday night football all last semester, it all comes down to this final game to determine the NFL’s champion,” Cunningham said. “The best part of Super Bowl parties are the bets you make with your friends over who is going to win.”Last year, Cunningham and his friends bet on the Super Bowl, with the terms that the losing team’s supporters had to go to the Student Recreation Center in spandex.
“It’s always pretty funny coming up with crazy stuff for the losers of the bet to do,” Cunningham said. “We never went through with that one though because it was just too embarrassing.”
A good Super Bowl party depends on the people throwing it, Everitt said.
“There can be a huge range from loud music, big screens, tons of food and block party-type gatherings all the way to a couch, TV snacks and drinks,” Everitt said.
For Sconzo, the Super Bowl will start more than six hours early. She has to be at Reliant Stadium at 11 a.m, so she says it is going to be a long day.
“I am going to sneak out of the booth though to see the crazy halftime show,” Sconzo said. “I also am excited to hear Beyonce Knowles sing the National Anthem.”
The halftime show and commercials are a big part of the Super Bowl party hype, Cunningham said.
“I think the Super Bowl is getting bigger and better each year. Lots of restaurants and bars have big parties and contests,” he said. “Not only the game itself, but also the commercials have become a big part. The best commercials lately have been beer advertisements.”
Typically, Everitt has watched the Super Bowl with neighbors back home. As a new college student, he said he will have to come up with a new plan.
“I usually spend Super Bowl at … a big family house party. This year I think I am gonna be stuck on campus,” Everitt said. “If I am lucky I may get to hang out with some friends.”