January 21, 2009

The Super Bowl is Recession Proof

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In Steelers Nation, anyway.

Steelers Nation isn’t about to let a recession ruin a chance at witnessing a possible record sixth Super Bowl victory.

By mid-day yesterday, less than 24 hours after the Steelers vanquished the Ravens in the AFC championship game, fans had snatched up all 50 three-day Super Bowl packages, at $4,895 a person, being offered by AAA East Central.

The trips sold out about as rapidly as they did in 2006, the last time the Steelers made the Super Bowl. But that time it involved a less expensive motor coach trip to Detroit, not a plane ride to Tampa, Fla.

“This probably parallels the type of response we had in previous years, which is a pleasant surprise given the economic circumstances,” said Jim Lehman, AAA East Central senior vice president….

The Travel Authority, an Indiana-based agency teaming with the Steelers to offer trips to the Super Bowl, had 75 orders by noon yesterday for its highest-priced three-day package deal, starting at $1,725 per person, based on double occupancy. The package includes hotel accommodations, air fare, a welcome reception and tailgate party, but no game tickets.

Add to the price of these packages the price of tickets, which are currently going on stubhub.com for $1,800 each. All of those tickets will sell, believe me, despite the fact that a family of four might pay over $10,000 for the whole experience.

Oh, and by the way. Here we go, Steelers. Here. We. Go!

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We’re falling behind our online fundraising goals and we can’t sustain coming up short on donations month after month. Perhaps you’ve heard? It is impossibly hard in the news business right now, with layoffs intensifying and fancy new startups and funding going kaput.

The crisis facing journalism and democracy isn’t going away anytime soon. And neither is Mother Jones, our readers, or our unique way of doing in-depth reporting that exists to bring about change.

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