How to Pick A Super Bowl Party - Zennie Abraham's Criteria For Selecting A Super Bowl Party

With every Super Bowl Game in a "host city" comes Super Bowl Parties. From Maxim to Playboy to Leigh Steinberg, there are at times too many parties. There were over 1,000 in Miami, the host city for Super Bowl XLI. How does one determine which parties to go to? Read on for help from a Super Bowl verteran. Me: Zennie Abraham, CEO of Sports Business Simulations , has attended five Super Bowls, and counting.

I also headed the effort to bring the 2005 Super Bowl to Oakland. (Oakland lost to Jacksonville on the third ballot vote of NFL owners.)

I felt compelled to write this after my great Miami Super Bowl experience, where I went to six parties, and didn't pay a dime. That's what maintaining good relationships gets you. But I digress, here's my guide. (Which can also apply to the NBA All Star game, by the way.)

Things You'll Need

Here's what you need to know about a Super Bowl Party. First, location. Where's it at. Second, how much does it cost to attend? Third, has it been done before. Beyond that, here's a step by step plan.

Instructions

STEP 1: Is PDiddy or another celebrity's name on it? If so, don't go to the party. Why? Because celebs who's names are part of the party name sometimes don't show up. Meanwhile, you're dealing with a lot of people in a crowded place waiting for that person to show. Save your money. I made this mistake in Detroit in 2006, when PDiddy himself failed to come to a Super Bowl Party with his name on it. But the place -- the Elylisium Lounge -- was so packed, the fire marshal threatened to shut the party down three times.

STEP 2: Does the party have free food? The best Super Bowl parties all have free food; the PDiddy party had no food at all. If you have to pay for food, don't go. There's no excuse other than poor planning for a lack of free food. If you have to pay for the party, you should expect that the caterer has been secured and paid. Plus, eating is a great way to cut down the impact of any cocktail you may consume. Which brings me to this point...

STEP 3: Are the drinks free? Again, if you're paying a lot to go to a party, the drinks should be free. That's a basic Super Bowl Party rule. If you go to the Playboy, Maxim, or Leigh Steinberg parties, the drinks are free. Don't even think of going to a Super Bowl party where you have to pay for drinks, unless the party itself is free of charge.

STEP 4: Is the party in a central location? Where is the party located? If it's in a downtown location, well served by cabs, and all of the other criteria for a Super Bowl Party are met, then go to the party. But if it's located way out in some suburban location where the cabs call once every 20 years, forget it. The best Super Bowl parties are the easiest to get to. Now, I'll place a word in for some very exclusive parties that are way out in a suburban location. I've been to a few of them, and given the celebs in attendance, I can understand. This was true for a party I attended at the Doral Country Club. But then cabs do serve at places like the Doral, so my basic rule applies -- it must be a place cabs call to.

STEP 5: Is there one party price? What's the price of the party? Is there one price or a level of prices? If there's a level of prices, avoid the party. It means that someone there will play favorites and as the result, what people paid for the party will be all over the place. If you paid for a ticket at $600 and find that someone else just paid $100 and for the same service, you will feel cheated and rightly so. Don't bother. One price should fit all.

Overall Tips & Warnings

If all of the criteria I listed above are met, it's obvously a party worth attending. But here are some more tips. First, don't drink and drive. Remember, you're more than likely from out of town and the last problem you need is to come back to the Super Bowl host city just to defend a Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) charge. Forget it. If you're going to drink -- and most people do -- take a cab or a limo. They're plentiful for Super Bowls.

Here's a major warning: If you're going to buy a Super Bowl Party ticket do it where the purchase is either directly from the party producer or the transaction is insured. Some people posing as ticket brokers may sell you a fradulent ticket. I'm serious. The Super Bowl is also a magnet for dishonest business people. If you're going to buy a ticket, go to our site http://www.sbstickets.com"> , where your ticket transactions are secured as we're part of the StubHub network.

Super Bowl Party - ESPN Party At The Miami Design Center

This video is of the great Friday, February 2nd party thrown by ESPN / NEXT and held at the Miami Design Center. In perfect ESPN fashion, the entire block was taken over as well as all of one building.

It was a total blast, and as you can see, I tried to capture as much of it as I possibly could. The only thing I didn't like was the VIP building got too hot after it filled with people. Also, the food wasn't as plentiful or as good as it was at the ESPN Party in Detroit. But it was a great effort overall.

Note the ever present Cadillac cars as they were a major sponsor. But also note the demographics of the people. It must be noted that this is a private party, so the marketers have a captive audience. It's a great lesson in sports marketing.

At the end of the video, we get to see a concert by LL Cool J and it can be said that he did bring the house down!

The 2007 Playboy Super Bowl Party, Miami, At American Airlines Arena - Video

The problem with living life and recording the life you live is that the act causes a delay in uploading the videos. Thus, I'm just getting the videos uploaded and embeded in the appropriate blog posts. Here's an example: last Saturday's Playboy Party at American Airlines Arena.

This was my first Playboy party out of the five Super Bowls I've attended and I'm glad I did because now I can say I've been to one and show you too. For all of the build-up it's really got the same things as other parties I've attended: music and free food and drink -- Super Bowl Party requirements. What other parties don't have is a dress code requirement for women that reads "Lingerie or Less." I'm not kidding. There was a lot of women who did comply with the dress code, as the video will show.

My complaint is there are too many guys, and almost no one dancing. The reason for the dance problem is the way the music is played: they only play part of a song for about 30 seconds, then switch to another tune, so you really can't get into a rhythm that allows you to grove and move.

There were a lot of celebrites, too. Rapper Too Short, ex-Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back Franco Harris (whos' a nice person), Oakland Raiders Wide Receiver Jerry Porter (who seemed a little paranoid that one would recognize him as Jerry Porter), to name some of the people I recognized when my eyes weren't drawn elsewhere. Writing on that, there's a lot of people just standing and looking around, mostly guys in groups. The female count needs to be upped considerably.

Before I get to the video, here's another idea: have a dress code for men calling for pajamas in honor of Hugh Hefner.

Here's the video:

LL Cool J - ESPN NEXT Super Bowl Party Miami Concert In Miami Design Center

On Friday night, I was invited to the ESPN NEXT Super Bowl Party held at Miami Design Center. The party's producers -- ESPN, NEXT, and Sony Playstation -- took over the entire main block and one building of the district and produced one of the best Super Bowl parties I've attended. I'll have more videos on this party, but for now I'm presenting you with the best part of the evening, a private concert by none other than LL Cool J. He rocked the house!

What was so interesting to me is the contrast in the crowd. The people close to the stage were young, of diverse backgrounds, and mostly female; as one moved away from the stage, the audience turned to one mostly white, older, and male. It wasn't a random group, as one had to have a pass to get into the party. By the time LL Cool J started, it was midnight and about 1,000 people remained for the concert. There were probably 5,000 people for the party as a whole.

Here it is:

Super Bowl Party - Bauer's Pure Rush Miami A Success

Thursday night in Miami before Super Bowl XLI -- that's 41 -- featured a number of parties held under a clear sky and a full moon. One of them was Bauer's Pure Rush Miami Super Bowl Party.

Ok,you know about the party if you're a regular reader of this blog. But I'm here to tell you it was a blast! The buffet and cigar bar at The Havana Club was a total load of luxurious fun and drew stars like Fox Sports' Chris Myers, who annouced to a couple of beautiful women that he would do anything for a drink.

A free drink.

After 10 PM, the party moved over to Brick's Nightclub, where the parade of stars continued without interruption. I arrived a bit later, so I missed a face to face with stars, but I'm told that many of the people slated to come did make it. I did see and talked to Warren Moon, the former NFL Quarterback, and client of Leigh Steinberg. Willie McGinest, the famed New England Patriots Linebacker / Defensive End, was one of the party's sponsors and was appropriately dressed in white.

Aside from that, there were a gaggle of lovely women and to be frank some could not seem to keep all of their clothes on. I'm serious. There was one partier who was either pushing her shorts down, or pulling her top up, or having her shorts pushed down and having her top pulled up.

In fact, many of the party patrons where decked out that way, which is why it was subtitled "Heaven: The White Party." Brick's itself is a huge place that must have played host to about a thousand people. Much of the party was held on a roof-top space and the night was perfect.

NFL Super Bowl Hotel and Media Center Information - NFLMedia.com

For anyone in the media who may not have access to the website

NFL HEADQUARTERS — Marriott Biscayne Bay,
1633 North Bayshore Drive, Miami, FL 33132,
(305) 374-3900; FAX: (305) 536-6411.

NFL Office: (212) 450-2000.

MEDIA CENTER — Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL (305) 673-7311;

FAX: (305) 673-7435. Registration Desk will open at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, January 28, and each day thereafter from
8:00 A.M. until 6:00 P.M. Media Lounge will open at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, January 28, and each day thereafter at 8:00
A.M. Week of game credentials can be picked up beginning Sunday, January 28 at 2:00 P.M. Gameday credentials can be picked up beginning at 10:00 A.M., Friday, February 2.

Any credentials not picked up by 6:00 P.M., Saturday, February 3, will be available at the Media Center beginning at 10:00 A.M. on Sunday, February 4. There will be no willcall at Dolphin Stadium on gameday.

Super Bowl XLI - Chicago Bears Arrive In Miami - Miami Herald

Bears touch down in Miami
The Bears landed at Miami International Airport armed with camcorders and cameras to record an unforgettable week.
BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD - Miami Herald

Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith, wearing a navy-colored suit with an orange shirt and tie, emerged from the team plane Sunday afternoon leading a contingent of his players, who captured the moment with their digital cameras and camcorders.

The Super Bowl-bound Bears had arrived.

The procession of players, coaches and team employees lasted about 15 minutes and featured several familiar faces, including former Florida Gators quarterback Rex Grossman and defensive end Alex Brown.

Moments earlier as the plane taxied down the Miami International Airport runway, a large Bears logo on the side of the plane came into clear view and the pilot opened his window to show off a Chicago Bears flag.

United flight 9900 landed at Miami International Airport at about 3:40 p.m. amid little fanfare aside from the media horde of about four dozen photographers and cameramen; the team's arrival was closed to the public and players did not speak to the media.

''We're treating this as a presidential arrival,'' airport media relations manager Marc Henderson said.

Media had to arrive at the airport about two hours before the Bears landed because of security protocol. A packed shuttle escorted the media onto the runway, where dogs sniffed their belongings and security personnel screened media with a security wand.

Nearly 90 minutes later the Bears made their grand entrance before being whisked away by a police caravan to the nearby Hilton Miami Airport Hotel.

The Bears' fate in Super Bowl XLI won't be decided until Sunday at Dolphin Stadium. But the Bears already held one edge over the Indianapolis Colts: being the first team to arrive.

With Dungy and Smith In Super Bowl XLI, African Americans Forced To See Positive Role Models

Yes, I know the title of my post is controversial. But it's also true. It comes from several episodes in my personal life that I will never forget and caused me to think that we -- African Americans or "blacks" if you will (I use the terms interchangebly) -- have actually conditioned ourselves to accept a second class place in American Life. (Oh, if youre wondering, that's me on the left, in the suit.)



Now, with the two teams in Super Bowl XLI being coached by African Americans -- the Chicago Bears by Lovie Smith and the Indianapolis Colts by Tony Dungy, Blacks are actually forced to see ourselves in positive role model positions. It's about time and will help me reduce, but not erase the memory of the following occurences in my life.

The first one was when I was 14-years-old. (I'm 44 now.) I was just leaving a McDonald's Restaurant located in South Chicago and just off Avalon Avenue, when an older Black man walked in and yelled "I want the manager! Where's the manager?!" I don't know what his complaint was but he seemed angry. So a tall, well dressed Black man walked out from behind the counter and identified himself as the manager. "Can I help you?" He asked.

"Naw. You're not the manager. I wanna see the White Man." That's what he said, and I obviously never forgot it. I left the place as my Mom was waiting for me outside, but those words "I wanna see the White Man" never left my head.

The second occurence was during a visit to see my auntie in Tennessee when I was 17-years-old. One of her family friends was bragging about how he purchased a new car almost every year "Like the White man does" he said. And he kept saying it. It was annoying to me and so I asked Mom about it. "That's how some of us think," she said. "It's not right, but you're being exposed to it."

No kidding.

I was never told or even allowed to think that I could not do something because I am Black. I was never instructed that there are "two rules" -- one for Blacks and the other for Whites. I was also never discouraged from seeing the late Economist John Kenneth Galbraith as my hero even though he's White. No one ever told me that his position or way of thinking was not attainable to me or anyone else because they were or I am Black. I was never told not to date interracially because I was Black. I was never told that I could not be with Asian or White or Latino or any "different" friends because I am African American. Never.

I was always instructed to expect to see Blacks in important positions and indeed my Mom knew Blacks who were. Blacks like Arnold Grant, who was the first African American Regional Director of Kentucky Fried Chicken in the 60s. Or my father, who I'm named after, and who invented an electric ladder. Or my late stepfather Chester Yerger, Jr., who fought in World War II and who's father was part of one of Arkansas' most prominent families. Thus, I'm happy that at least one of the members of the Federal Reserve Board are Black -- there should be more. The point is, I was brought up to expect greatness from Blacks.

But I digress.

I've seen more examples of Black self-hatred and dislike of other Blacks who rise to positions of power or prominence than the opposite. You can take the examples I gave, or San Francisco Radio Station KNBR's Personality Rod Brooks' recent statements calling Black Coaches "one of those" as if they were a bad thing, or Black on Black crime, I could go on and on.



But now, with Colts Coach Tony Dungy exorcising the demons of Patriots past, and Lovie Smith expecting his Chicago Bears to be Super Bowl champions and then willing his team to the game, I have a reason to smile. And Blacks everywhere do as well.

This adds to the expected greatness of Tiger Woods, and the rise of Barack Obama to Senator and perhaps President of the United States of America. It means we can expect greatness from us, and indeed should insist on it. Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith coaching in the World's largest single day sports event seen by almost 1 Billion people, will do almost as much for Black self-esteem as Martin Luther King did decades ago and today. A tall statement, perhaps. But consider the size of the Super Bowl TV audience once again and then think about it.

Still, it's a jarring experience for some of us to see this. Derrick Bell, the noted Black law professor formerly of Harvard and now at New York University, told the story of an African American cab driver who asked what he did, and when he told him, the driver said "Man, it's guys like you that make it hard for me." What he meant, was that he could not easily use the fact that he's Black as a reason for not succeeding. Indeed, it's a reason to at least try. We all know that racism is alive and well but it makes life harder when we as Blacks don't expect to excell because of it. It's better to fight racism and battle through it, but not destroy one's self because of it.

Thus, the next time -- regardless of who you are as we need all hands on deck to rid ourselves of this self-esteem problem -- you hear someone Black ask "Where's the White Man?" when an African American manager appears, don't slap the crap out of him, just say to him "He's in line, ordering from the Black man who runs the place."

Coming to Miami? Come to the Bauer's Super Bowl Party!

2005 TAMPA SUPER BOWL BID PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS NFL SUPER BOWL BID RESPONSE EXAMPLE

For anyone responsible for assembling a Super Bowl Bid, this is a good example of what it should contain and how the bidding organization should respond to the NFL's requirements.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
May 3, 2005
Karen Brand, 813/342-4052

Tampa, FL -- The Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau planned to get a jump on the
competition by submitting the area’s bid to host Super Bowl XLIII to NFL owners a day earlier
than the official deadline. The organization shipped the 80-page “Host City Bid Specifications
with Responses for Super Bowl XLIII (2009)” to the 32 team owners and NFL staff for delivery
on Friday, April 29. The official deadline was Monday, May 2.

“It’s just one of the many tactics and strategies we have in place to set our bid apart from the
others,” explained Dick Beard, chair of the Super Bowl Task Force. “We’re doing everything we
can to call attention to Tampa’s bid and position ourselves as the best choice for hosting the
world’s most spectacular sporting event. I think we’re off to a good start.”

The Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau compiled the response with support from various
community organizations including Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, Tampa International
Airport, Tampa Sports Authority, and area hotels. The bid included over 50 letters of support
from business and community leaders across the region. Packaged in a customized binder for
each team, the document showcases the area’s beaches, warm weather, and leisure pursuits.
“Our goal with the bid book was to remind the owners that there’s nowhere else in the country
that they’d rather be than Tampa in February for the Super Bowl,” said Paul Catoe,
President/CEO of the Tampa Bay CVB. “We have the total package: a great stadium, a solid
hotel block, tremendous community support, and a legacy of success and innovation every time
we’ve hosted the Super Bowl. And don’t forget our award-winning airport, world-class
attractions, warm weather, championship golf, and some of the best beaches in the country.”

-more-
SUPER BOWL BID
SHOWCASES TAMPA BAY’S
BEST ATTRIBUTES

Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau
400 N. Tampa Street, Suite 2800
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 223-1111
(813) 229-6616 www.visittampabay.com

Page 2
Super Bowl Bid Showcases Area’s Best
Page 2

In response to the requirements set forth by the NFL, some of the elements of the bid include:
• Resolutions from the City and County protecting the NFL from unauthorized promotional
activities during the Super Bowl period (“ambush marketing”).
• Resolutions from the City and County confirming that there will be no charge for any
public security/safety services provided outside the Stadium, the NFL Experience, and
all other facilities used for NFL Official Events.
• The City and/or County must create a one-mile “clean zone” around the Stadium and
pertinent downtown areas where no unauthorized merchandise vending will be allowed.
• The Host Committee will provide cost-free venues for both the Friday night party and the
Saturday night parties sponsored by the NFL. Venues suggested include the Tampa
Convention Center, MacDill Air Force Base, USF Sun Dome, The Florida Aquarium, A
La Carte Event Pavilion, Busch Gardens, and The Plaza at the St. Pete Times Forum.
• The Host Committee will provide three top-quality 18-hole golf courses for the NFL
Charities Golf Classic at no charge.
• Funding for the Host Committee activities will be derived from sponsorship and
corporate contributions, tourist development funds, the Florida Sports Foundation, and
hotel rebates.
If Tampa Bay’s bid is successful, it would mark the fourth time the area has played host to the
Super Bowl: Super Bowl XVIII in 1984, the Super Bowl XXV anniversary game in 1991 during
the Gulf War, and Super Bowl XXXV in 2001. Super Bowl XLIII will be played on Sunday,
February 1, 2009.
Tampa is competing with Houston, Miami, and Atlanta for the 2009 Super Bowl.
Representatives from the Tampa Bay area will make a presentation on May 25 in Washington,
D.C. at the NFL Owner’s Meeting. A decision is expected following the conclusion of the
meeting.

# # #
The Tampa Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau is an independent, non-profit membership
organization created to attract and serve visitors to Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay CVB is funded, in part, by the
Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners/Tourist Development Council.
www.VisitTampaBay.com

SUPER BOWL XLI Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash - Thursday, February 1 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.

SOUTH FLORIDA SUPER BOWL XLI HOST COMMITTEE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS INFO

Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash

The event includes two concerts with top musical acts and NFL players and will be taped to air on television the Saturday night before the Super Bowl. This event is part of a concert series and will be aired on VH-1.

Location: NFL Experience Built by the Home Depot
Dolphin Stadium Grounds
2269 Dan Marino Boulevard
Miami Gardens, FL 33056
Date and Time: Thursday, February 1 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Features performances by: Kanye West, Fergie and John Legend
Friday, February 2 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Features performances by Daddy Yankee and Aventura
Tickets and Cost: Tickets are $35 general admission and $50 for seats. Tickets are
available through www.ticketmaster.com.

Motorola Mile At Super Bowl XLI: Ocean Drive (between 5th and 15th Streets) Miami

SOUTH FLORIDA SUPER BOWL XLI HOST COMMITTEE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS INFO
Motorola Mile At South Beach
Come enjoy the Motorola Mile at South Beach. From Thursday, February 1 to Sunday, February 4, Motorola is opening up Ocean Drive on Miami Beach to pedestrian only traffic, (between 5th and 15th Streets), creating a walk through South Florida History. Super Bowl XLI is the ninth Super Bowl hosted by the region. Football fans will take a trip through past South Florida Super
Bowls as they walk down the street passing photos and stories that will be used to bring those great memories to life. Motorola will light up the night with a unique lighting display featuring a tribute to the eight past Super Bowls in South Florida and Super Bowl XLI.

Location: Ocean Drive (between 5th and 15th Streets)
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Dates and Times: Thursday, February 1 to Sunday, February 4
Tickets and Cost: Free and open to the public