10 Ways to Attend Super Bowl XL for $5

Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so.

Today I promised to show you 10 ways to attend Super Bowl XL for $5.

Here are a few things to keep in mind.

First, save the date. It's February 5, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit. Fortunately, that's an indoor facility so you won't freeze while you're at the game.

Second, get started early. Now is not too soon!

Third, your first idea may not work . . . but if you try at least five different ways, I think you will succeed.

Fourth, realize that ticket brokers today are asking over $2,500 for an end zone seat. So don't expect it to be easy.

Ready? Well, here goes.

1. Can you put a Ford into your future? There's a reason that the Lions play in Ford Field. The stadium is owned and operated by part of the Ford family of Ford Motor Company fame.

Both the Ford Motor Company and the Ford family should be able to control lots of tickets.

If you can do some favor for either the company or the family, chances are that you can barter for a free Super Bowl seat. If you own a company, this might mean buying or leasing your next fleet of cars and trucks from Ford. If you work for a company that makes fleet purchases or leases, check with your employer to see under what circumstances you would be permitted to accept a free ticket.

If neither option is possible for you, check with your local Ford dealer to see what he or she would do for you if you made introductions to people who buy Fords.

2. Be charitable. The NFL charges several hundred dollars for a ticket to the game. But many people won't be eager to go to Detroit in the winter for a game. Contact teams that are unlikely to be in the Super Bowl to see if they would like to donate tickets for a charity that you are connected to. Then, offer a drawing to get a ticket. Sell tickets to the drawing for $5 each, and buy one yourself. Good luck in the drawing!

3. Be luxurious. Ford Field offers over 100 luxury boxes. You may be in a position to be a guest in one of them. Most of the boxes are undoubtedly held by locally based businesses such as banks, brokerage firms, and automotive companies. If you or your company is in a position to do business or already do business with one or more of these, ask about becoming a guest.

4. Provide a beautiful home. People who spend $20,000 for tickets to the game usually don't want to stay at Motel 6. There is not much luxury hotel space in the Detroit area. Grosse Pointe is one of the great communities in the area and isn't too many miles from Ford Field. See if you can borrow or rent a home there so that you can rent that home to people who are planning to host clients or customers. Stay at the home yourself to be sure that all is properly taken care of. Take part of the profit you make and apply it towards a ticket, or make part of your price for the rental to receive a ticket or tickets. Since many people in Grosse Pointe like to winter in Florida, many such homes will be empty then. You can buy special insurance for the occasion to limit your risk in case your subtenant turns out to be a rough type.

5. Become a tour operator. About half of the people decide to come to the game after their team ends up qualifying to be in the game. Most of them will not be getting tickets from the NFL or their team. If you line up game tickets and desirable hotel rooms now, you will be able to charge a premium to your cost in January when the demand will be greatest. It's hard to get more than two tickets together, so if you can line up four seats together you should be in a position of maximum leverage. Demand is usually greatest for the least expensive tickets. You will have to tie up quite a bit of money to do this, but you can borrow the money inexpensively now. Just be sure that you charge enough to cover your interest costs . . . and a ticket for yourself.

6. Package an escorted tour for a charity to raffle. Many charities lack high profile raffle items that can sell tens of thousands of dollars in raffle tickets. For many businesses taking customers to a Super Bowl is a tax-deductible expense and they can take charitable deductions for buying raffle tickets as well. The package should include air fare, hotel rooms, local transportation, tickets to local events . . . and of course, tickets to the game. As the escort, you'll need all those items too. You can donate your time to the charity, and the charity can provide the working capital and the tax-deductible status. Naturally, you will be the escort who attends the game with those who win the raffle.

7. Blog your way into the game. Popular blog sites frequently receive inducements from advertisers to mention their products and services in the blog. Let your preferred inducement be to receive a Super Bowl ticket. A news-related blog about football should bring in lots of fans as readers and lots of potential advertisers who want to sell goods and services to those fans. Such advertisers are very likely to be in a position to buy tickets from the NFL for the game. So their cost will be more modest than $2,500 a seat.

8. Ask your friends and family to pool their gifts to you into a Super Bowl ticket. Few people give birthday, anniversary, wedding or graduation gifts that cost $2,500. But many people do spend $50-100 for such gifts. If you let it be known that you'd like a Super Bowl tickets that's a pooled gift covering several such occasions, you may well be able to receive one. The likelihood is vastly increased if someone who normally buys you such a gift can purchase tickets from the NFL.

9. Obtain a press credential for the game. Hundreds of reporters and photographers will receive free access to the players and the game. You can be one of them. Contact legitimate newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations that could not usually afford to send a reporter to the game. Offer to provide free coverage in exchange for their support in helping you obtain press credentials from the NFL. They'll know what to do.

10. Create a celebrity event in Detroit during Super Bowl week. Celebrities like to attend high profile events like the Super Bowl. If you tie in the event to raising money for a charity, you can probably get anyone you want to come to town for the event if you cover their expenses. Make part of the deal to provide tickets for the celebrities and yourself to attend the game. The charity will probably be able to find someone to donate a luxury box for that purpose. You'll have both the fun of hanging out with the celebrities and going to the game!

You may have better ideas. I hope you do. Please feel free to add them as comments to this blog so that others can learn from your thinking as well.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you how you can start a business that will create more billions for the world than any billionaire will ever accomplish. Be sure to tell your entrepreneurial friends to read that one! As background, visit www.2000percentsolution.com and start to read The 2,000 Percent Solution (all but two chapters can be found for free on that site). I'll have a very special offer for you on Tuesday that you don't want to miss.

On Wednesday, I'll describe how you can have an inexpensive fantasy trip to visit famous mansions and enjoy wonderful entertainment as you live better than a billionaire on five dollars extra a day!

On Thursday, you'll learn how to get cheap tickets behind home plate to watch the Red Sox or your favorite team.

May God bless you.

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell