Countdown to SB XLIV - Ingles

Pro Bowl, Super Bowl festivities don't have to cost super bucks

Having a big Super Bowl experience doesn't have to mean a big expense. This article was written by Sarah Talalay and appeared in The Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel.

Oh sure, with the 2010 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida, you could spend a bundle: $195 for the top-priced Pro Bowl ticket, $1,000 for a Super Bowl ticket if you were lucky enough to get one at face value. If you have to try the secondary market — and if the New York Jets win the AFC championship game Sunday — a ticket could set you back a minimum of $2,500 and perhaps as much as $9,000.

Add in some fancy parties and it could take until December to pay off the next two weeks' worth of entertainment. The Maxim party at the Raleigh? Another $1,600 to buy a pass. The Playboy bash at the Sagamore? Nearly $3,000.

Even a trip to the annual Taste of the NFL charity event costs $500 a ticket.

But there are also plenty of ways to experience events without breaking your budget: free concerts, free Pro Bowl practice and free football-themed activities — some of which kick off Wednesday. Get close to the Heisman Trophy. Let Sprint have an NFL player call a friend or relative. Help Pollo Tropical try to break the Guinness World Record for preparing the largest bowl of salsa.

Among the reasons the NFL chose to experiment with moving the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl and to the big game's host city was to offer more events for fans without deep pockets or corporate connections.

"We made a conscious effort to step it up and make sure this is not just a stadium full of people who can only enjoy the festivities," said Rodney Barreto, chairman of the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee, which is hosting both games and numerous parties, concerts and other events. "We want to make sure, if you can't afford or can't get tickets, we don't want you to be left out of some sort of festivities."

Here's a guide to some of the free and low-cost events surrounding the two big football games:

Jan. 27-30, Feb. 1 and Feb. 3-5
Sun Life Stadium tours: Want to get a behind-the-scenes look at the home of the 2010 Pro Bowl, Super Bowl XLIV and the Dolphins and Marlins? Take an hourlong guided tour for $15. Tours will be conducted during Pro Bowl week on Jan. 27 and 28 at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.; Jan. 29 hourly noon-6 p.m.; and on Jan. 30 hourly 4-6 p.m. And during Super Bowl week, on Feb. 1 and Feb. 3 hourly 4-6 p.m., and on Feb. 4 and 5 hourly noon-3 p.m. Information: nfl.com/superbowl/44/guide/stadium

Jan. 28
Super Art & Jazz on the Avenue: Free music, football-themed activities, player appearances, gallery stroll. 6-10 p.m., Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.

Jan. 29
Super Art in Park: Free music from Ketchy Shuby, Fourth Dimension, Jacob Jeffries Band and DJ Le Spam & the Spam Allstars; art; sports memorabilia; kids' activities. 6 p.m.-midnight, Ponce Circle Park, 2810 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables.

Jan. 29-31
South Florida FanFest: Sinbad Sports and Billboard present festival of sports memorabilia, player autograph signings, Orange Bowl stadium tribute area with pieces of the old stadium for sale, interactive games and music. Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Jan. 29-30; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 31. $15 for adults, $10 for children under 12. Info: southfloridafanfest.com.

Jan. 30
Pro Bowl practice: Watch 86 of the NFL's biggest stars at a free practice for the 2010 Pro Bowl. 9 a.m., Lockhart Stadium, 5301 NW 12th Ave., Fort Lauderdale.

USA Football: Team USA vs. The World: USA Football's 2010 Junior National Team (45 of the country's top high school seniors) play 45 of the best players ages 19 and under from around the world. Noon, Lockhart Stadium, 5301 NW 12th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Free.

Super Saturday in the Street: Free "extreme tailgating" event hosted by the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee and local businesses. Noon-6 p.m., between 19th and 21st avenues, downtown Hollywood.

Pinball Palooza Family Day: Billed as "pinball meets football," meet NFL players, see pinball machines, play games. 2:30-5:30 p.m., Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. Family admission is $5 (arcade games not included).

Jan. 31
Game Day Fan Plaza: The NFL's free pregame entertainment area on the grounds of Sun Life Stadium (Gates F, G and H) with interactive games, Vince Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl rings on display, player appearances (11 a.m.-2 p.m. for autographs), entertainment, food and merchandise. Free to the public. The NFL Flag National Tournament of Champions featuring 24 teams of kids ages 9-14 will take place on the clinic field. All participants will be recognized on the field prior to the Pro Bowl and receive tickets to the game. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Go to sbxliv.clickandpark.com for free parking coupon.

Feb. 3-7
Super Bowl XLIV Live Auction: Check out more than 280 football items ranging from a football signed by the 1972 undefeated Dolphins team to a New York Jets jersey worn by Joe Namath that will be auctioned off on Super Bowl Sunday. A free preview of the items — and a free appraisal for fans who want to have their own memorabilia assessed — takes place at Super Bowl Fan Zone in Lummus Park (Ocean Drive and 10th Street) on South Beach on Feb 3, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Feb. 4-5, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; and Feb. 6, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. The auction, which is also free to attend, will be held Feb. 7 at The Hard Rock Cafe, 401 Biscayne Blvd., R-200 at Bayside Marketplace, Miami, with public bidding beginning at 1 p.m. Bids can also be made Feb. 7 by phone or online through Feb. 6. Information: HuntAuctions.com

Feb. 4
Super Clematis by Night: West Palm Beach's free entertainment event gets a football theme with chances to meet players, interactive games, a drumline competition and performance by Starship with Mickey Thomas. 5-11 p.m., on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach.

Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam: First of two days of free concerts on South Beach features Rihanna and Justin Bieber, and hosts Entourage star Kevin Dillon and TV anchor Nancy O'Dell. Gates at Eighth Street and Ocean Drive open at 5 p.m.; concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are almost free — they must be reserved with a $1.25 service fee through Ticketmaster.com . Info: nfl.com/fanjam

Feb. 4-6
Sprint Phone-a-Friend: Sprint has arranged to have NFL players call a relative or friend on the company's wireless phones. Free. Feb. 4 and 5, 4-8 p.m.; Feb. 6, noon-6 p.m. Ocean Drive between Seventh and Eighth streets, South Beach.

Feb. 5
Pepsi Musica Super Bowl Fan Jam: Day 2 of free South Beach concerts goes Latin with Nelly Furtado, Paulina Rubio and Pitbull, hosts Telemundo stars Leti Coo and Jessi Losada along with actor Karim Mendiburu. Gates at Eighth Street and Ocean Drive open at 5 p.m.; concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets cost a $1.25 service fee through Ticketmaster.com. Info: nfl.com/fanjam

Feb. 4-7
Eats Beats and Cleats: Festival celebration of sports takes over Lincoln Road on South Beach. The $350 VIP and $85 daily passes promise autograph signings, open bar and extras, but there's plenty to see for free, as well. You'll be able to glimpse players, buy Super Bowl merchandise and check out sports memorabilia on display, including the Heisman, Super Bowl, World Series and NBA championship trophies. Feb. 4, 6 p.m.-midnight; Feb. 5 and 6, noon-midnight; Feb. 7, noon-6 p.m. Lincoln Road between Alton Road and Washington Avenue. Info: ebcmiami.com

Feb. 6
2010 DirecTV Celebrity Beach Bowl: Fourth annual celebrity flag football game featuring former NFL players and celebrities includes a pregame show and postgame concert by the All-American Rejects. Gates open at noon, pregame show 1:30 p.m., game 2:30 p.m., postgame concert 3:30 p.m. South Beach at 21st and 22nd streets. Free.

Super Bowl Saturday Night: Free concert and fireworks display on Fort Lauderdale beach, featuring O.A.R., Barenaked Ladies and Robert Randolph & the Family Band. Event begins at 4 p.m., concerts start at 6 p.m. and fireworks are scheduled at 9:40 p.m. Fort Lauderdale Beach Park adjacent to the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel at State Road A1A just north of Holiday Drive.

Feb. 7
Pollo Tropical Super Bowl of Salsa: Help attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest bowl of salsa at a free tailgate party on Super Bowl Sunday across from the big game. A Pollo Tropical restaurant is planning a salsa of at least 600 pounds in a 9-foot-wide, 5-foot-deep stainless steel bowl. Food sampling, music, bounce house, kids' activities, freebies and contests. The restaurant will donate a meal to the Boys & Girls Club of Miami-Dade for each participant in the salsa-making. Noon-4 p.m., Pollo Tropical, 19500 NW 27th Ave., Miami Gardens. This article was written by Sarah Talalay and appeared in The Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel.