For a playoff football game expected to generate record television ratings and enormous media hype, watching Sunday's showdown between Tom Brady's New England Patriots and the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos, in person, is oddly affordable - even at the last minute.
While players and coaches for the powerhouse franchises were putting the finishing touches to their on-field preparations Friday, I grabbed my computer to plot my own game plan for a round-trip to Denver, a good night's rest and a seat at the big tilt.
After delicately explaining to your significant other that you couldn't live with yourself if you had to watch them shiver for hours in the bitter cold, they'll gladly agree to stay home, allowing you to focus on a pilgrimage for one.
Here's what I came up with:
Using a well-known airfare search engine Friday morning, it took less than 10 minutes to learn that Spirit Airlines was offering a round trip-ticket leaving the following morning from LAX to Denver International Airport, priced at just $294.
After fees and taxes, the ticket cost a total $324 - a relative steal for a flight booked with less than 24-hours advance notice.
Denver-area businesses were expecting a windfall approaching $60 million in economic impact from this single event. So I was pleasantly surprised to find myriad reasonably priced hotels just a stone's throw from Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
After passing up a few super-cheap hotels, I found a room at the Embassy Suites Denver-Downtown/Convention Center for $169 per night.
At 1.3 miles from the stadium, one could elect to brave the chilly temperatures and walk to the game.
The same price would have gotten me a room at the Hyatt Regency Denver Convention Center, located a tenth of a mile further from the venue.
More rugged types could book at a truly bargain motel for under $100, albeit with a few miles-commute to the stadium.
The next order of business is to land one of the coveted tickets.
Media reports said Sunday's game, which sold out the preceding Monday, would produce the most expensive AFC Championship ticket in at least four seasons, with an average price just shy of $800.
While that's way too rich for my blood, a spin through the popular ticket trading site StubHub.Com found me a single, upper-level seat, positioned near the center of an end zone for $231.13.
For an additional $1.86, one could move to an upper-level seat on the Broncos side of the field, between the 10- and15-yard-line. Total ticket cost: $232.99.
Add in $22 for round-trip SkyRide shuttle service from and to the Denver airport and this last-minute trip to the AFC Championship Game comes in at a total of $768, plus food.
For the most expensive National Football League championship playoff game in years, that's definitely a (relative) bargain.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
