Super Bowl Tailgating

The big game is just a few days away, and if you’re heading to Indianapolis, here’s three things you need to know.

1) NO TAILGATING ALLOWED
In 2007, the NFL made the wildly unpopular decision to ban tailgating before the Super Bowl. The league provided “security risks” as the reason, but it appeared that the decision was more based on corporate sponsored events needing to jack up ticket sales. An online petition circulated a year later, but with fewer than 1,000 signatures, the NFL didn’t budge. If you are planning on having your own party, just remember that Indiana is one of a few states that bans the sale of alcohol on Sundays. So make sure you stock up well before the day of the game.

2) FOR THE FAT WALLET
There are all kinds of parties around town this weekend, but those open to the public will cost a pretty penny. If you want to check out the Maxim party, be ready to shell out $650. At least you’ll feel good that some of the proceeds will go to military-affiliated charities. Rolling Stone is throwing a party on Sunday as well with performances by The Roots and Jane’s Addiction. The cost of admission is only $540 for this event. Other notable events include Leather and Laces party featuring Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra ($450 to $850), Celebrity Poker Tournament hosted by NFL stars Devin Hester and LeSean McCoy ($100 to $375), and Shaquille O’Neal’s All-Star Comedy Jam. Click here for a comprehensive event list, courtesy of the Indy Star.

3) ON THE CHEAP
For those that have little money left after purchasing game tickets, The Super Bowl Village in downtown Indianapolis will be putting on FREE live concerts for the 10 days leading up to Sunday. DirecTV is also sponsoring a FREE Celebrity Beach Bowl with a post-game concert by the Fray. Click here for a full calendar of events.

The NFL Experience at the Indiana Convention Center has a lot of cool things to do, and it will only dent your wallet $25 ($20 for kids 12 and under). The best part is “Tailgate Town” featuring tailgating competitions and interactive game playing and tournaments. There’s also a Zipline to partake in, as long as you weigh between 65 and 275 pounds. Football events include the Super Dash and The Huddle, but the best interactive football-related activity is the Kinect FanDome. This is a 360-degree inflated dome for full-body, wire-free gaming on Kinect for Xbox 360.
For an interactive map, connect to the Super Bowl Village Map.