What impact does the NFL Superbowl have on your life?

[Ken]

I was curious as to how much a Superbowl ticket costs and found this quite shocking -

On SeatGeek, tickets start in the upper level for $2,882 and go up to $34,319 for VIP sections.

The average price of a ticket was more than $9,000 on Friday, according to SeatGeek’s ticket tracker.

All Super Bowl Suites will also allow attendees access to the exclusive club areas. The cheapest suite is valued a million dollars, while the most expensive one will cost you $2.5 million.

That is because normal sports fans don't go to the Superbowl. Rich people and corporations use the Superbowl to wine and dine clients and do business deals. This even used to be tax deductible but recent changes to tax laws have mostly dialed back these sorts of of abuses.

So if you are trying to make some $50 million business deal, one way to impress a client is to invite them to the Superbowl. And it is also like any other prestigious event where rich and famous people go there to see and be seen, not because they necessarily care about the game.

[Sudsy]

I was curious as to how much a Superbowl ticket costs and found this quite shocking -

On SeatGeek, tickets start in the upper level for $2,882 and go up to $34,319 for VIP sections.

The average price of a ticket was more than $9,000 on Friday, according to SeatGeek’s ticket tracker.

All Super Bowl Suites will also allow attendees access to the exclusive club areas. The cheapest suite is valued a million dollars, while the most expensive one will cost you $2.5 million.

That is because normal sports fans don't go to the Superbowl. Rich people and corporations use the Superbowl to wine and dine clients and do business deals. This even used to be tax deductible but recent changes to tax laws have mostly dialed back these sorts of of abuses.

So if you are trying to make some $50 million business deal, one way to impress a client is to invite them to the Superbowl. And it is also like any other prestigious event where rich and famous people go there to see and be seen, not because they necessarily care about the game.

Yet I would not be surprised that many individuals pay out of their own pocket for this experience. Perhaps a 'once in a lifetime experience' . And it could be they just want to be seen with the 'rich and famous', true. I have also had golfing buddies who pay out of pocket hundreds of dollars to play on a certain golf course where the pros have played. Myself I once played the Glen Abbey course in Oakvill, Ontario, near Toronto just to say 'been there, done that' to play where the pros played.

I wonder just what the total spends and revenue is at a Superbowl game and that is not considering all the money spent outside of it on gambling, parties, sportswear, etc. It must be mind blowing. Anyway, it won't be costing me anything.

[Josh]

Most places I’ve worked would never allow entertainment from a vendor at the Super Bowl. It’s hard enough to get clearance to invite a customer to a local mid season NHL game.

[Ken]

Most places I’ve worked would never allow entertainment from a vendor at the Super Bowl. It’s hard enough to get clearance to invite a customer to a local mid season NHL game.

You are clearly not one of these people!

[Josh]

The last time I worked for media was for PBS and we had extremely strict rules on anything close to “bribery”.

[Sudsy]

I have been 'wined and dined' by vendors before in the company I worked in for 37 years. Mainly when buying computer software. All kinds of entertainments but never an NFL game. A NHL game in Dallas, Texas once with special separate snacking like the one in the picture. Looking back there sure was considerable expense in their persuading us to by their product.

[mike]

I sell more snacks in my store that weekend, so it impacts me a little. When the Steelers are playing, we sell a LOT more food. I think that's been awhile.

[Szdfan]

I sometimes watch the Superbowl when I remember that it exists.

And when you do are you convicted that you sinned by watching it ? Or is it one of many things we can do like spending time on a forum ?

I know personally how addictive sports can be to have a big part of one's life and how it can dominate our thoughts. Been there, done that. Like politics, which I see as being very much like a sport of sorts. Any competition, even playing checkers, or the sport of trying to win an argument on these forums over some topic can be addictive.

In my case, I don't feel convicted that I'm sinning watching the Super Bowl because it's not something that hooks me. I'm mostly indifferent to professional sports. I watch more high school games than I do professional sports, because I want to support my students.

I think it's possible for people to get caught up too much with anything, but I'm cautious about calling things an "addiction." Addiction is a medical term -- I'm not sure that sports or arguing with strangers on the internet is a medical condition.

It's my understanding that Paul counsels moderation in all things. I think overindulgence in anything -- such as entertainment -- is probably a negative, but I'm cautious about theologizing taste and declaring the pursuits we don't like or understand "sin." Too much of anything is bad, but the thing itself is not inherently sinful.

I'm not a competitive person, but I don't think competition is inherently sinful or leads to sin.

I believe there are many things that are basically neither negative or positive to our spiritual lives if they are not a control over us.

I agree with that.

What I really have my doubts about is when people ask God to protect them and to allow them to win in a sport and/or to give God glory when they do win. I'm not convinced yet that God gets involved in such things.

I think praying to God about sports teams is silly and a sign of misplaced priorities, but I'm not sure it's sinful.

[Ken]

What I really have my doubts about is when people ask God to protect them and to allow them to win in a sport and/or to give God glory when they do win. I'm not convinced yet that God gets involved in such things.

I think praying to God about sports teams is silly and a sign of misplaced priorities, but I'm not sure it's sinful.

I tend to find it doubly obnoxious because it is usually both (1) a performative public prayer, and (2) a prayer about something as inconsequential as sports.

But an actual sin? Not really. At least not a really major one.

[steve-in-kville]

Looks like the Eagles are still in the running. Which means this will be all I hear about for the week.