Two great Atlanta prophets once said, “All the players came from far and wide.” And while Andre 3000 and Big Boi weren’t referencing ATLiens descending upon Houston for Super Bowl LI back when they recorded “Player’s Ball” more than two decades ago, the song’s message resonates the same in 2017: Work hard, party harder, and do it big.
With that in mind, it’s Super Bowl weekend, your beloved Falcons have made it the big game. You’re following them to Texas in hopes of watching Roger Goodell hand the Lombardi Trophy to Matt Ryan. (Or, at the very least, you’ll get to see Lady Gaga IRL.) And you know one thing for sure: Money ain’t a thing.
Here’s how to experience the finest in Super Bowl madness like the baller you are (or aspire to be):
Getting there
The first rule of balling: Don’t fly commercial. Might we suggest a private jet? The Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year for the industry, and private jet service PrivateFly estimates that 1,500 flights totaling some $1.5 billion are already headed to Texas. Flexjet, Jet Linx, and the aforementioned PrivateFly all offer services ranging from $6,000 to $30,000, depending on the size of your entourage.
Photograph by Scott Halleran/Getty Images
Staying there
The name alone should sell you: Hotel ZaZa. You won’t have a problem feeling like a boss in this Museum District hotel, which Houston’s local ABC affiliate referred to as one of the top places to spot a celebrity. You can count sheep in one of the luxe, themed “Magnificent Seven” suites, with names such as “For Your Eyes Only,” “Rock Star Suite,” “Tycoon,” and “It Happened One Night.” Oh, and check out that courtesy car.
Photograph by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
Partying there
On Friday and Saturday, you’re going to party like it’s ’98-’99 all over again. Leave it to native sons and die-hard Falcons fans Big Boi and Ludacris to bring the A-Town to H-Town with their ATL Invasion Concert at Fun-Plex Amusement Park. $4,000 and some change buys you VIP entry for 10, eight bottles, and a view of the stage for the Friday night concert.
On Saturday, $750 gets you into the famed Maxim Party—if you can secure the Invitation Code. The invite-only affair dubbed “THE #1 Party” during Super Bowl weekend will be headlined by Houston rapper-producer Travis Scott and self-proclaimed “anthem King” and Snapchat aficionado DJ Khaled. Those lucky enough to score a ticket can surely expect close encounters with A-List celebs, VIPs, tastemakers, and athletes.
The big game
Travel website Orbitz claims that more Patriots fans are traveling to NRG Stadium than Falcons fans. You can easily avoid the #deflategate sympathizers by booking a suite. At last tally, the going rate for a 26-person suite in the über-bourgeoisie 800-level at NRG was over $265,000. There’s also the less posh, but still nice luxury suites in the 200 and 400 levels. But if you really want to host your own Super Bowl LI shindig at the stadium, the actual party suites in the 300-level are the way to go. How else are you and 45-150 of your closest friends going to shout “Rise Up” while doing a choreographed “Dirty Bird” flash dance when the Falcons finally win it all?
