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It’s not too early to look ahead to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas

Updated February 11, 2022 - 11:36 am

With the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams set to meet Sunday in Super Bowl LVI, it’s not too early to look ahead to when the U.S. sports world’s marquee event will take place in Las Vegas.

In just two short years the NFL’s championship game will played at Allegiant Stadium just four years after the completion of the $2 billion facility.

Super Bowls account for 28 of the 30 most-watched U.S. telecasts of all time, with the finale of M*A*S*H in 1983 and the boxing rematch between Leon Spinks and Muhammad Ali the only other events to crack the list.

That presents a golden opportunity for area tourism officials to put to work the $40 million they pledged to host the event.

That contribution is expected to pay dividends. The economic impact the Super Bowl is expected to have on Southern Nevada is estimated at $500 million, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

The game is one part of the event. The Super Bowl is a weeklong affair with various events planned throughout the host city.

It’s too early to know exactly what Super Bowl week will be like in Las Vegas, but a look at previous years gives a general idea.

A main event for fans is the Super Bowl Experience, which is being held this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The interactive fan space opened last weekend and is slated to be open this weekend as well. It offers fans autograph sessions with various players, the chance to see the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which goes to the winning team, and to take part in various games.

One would expect the event to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center during Super Bowl week 2024. The NHL held its fanfest there last weekend during its All-Star Game festivities.

Aside from the stars in the game, other current and former NFL players will be in town. The NFL holds its annual awards show, NFL Honors, during Super Bowl week in the host city.

The week isn’t complete without entertainment. The three-day Super Bowl Music Fest at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles this week is something that will likely occur at T-Mobile Arena in 2024.

This year’s lineup features Machine Gun Kelly, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Miley Cyrus and Green Day. A similar lineup with a mix of big-name acts from various genres should be expected in Las Vegas.

With the abundance of nightclubs here, expect a bevy of special appearances and parties tied to Super Bowl week. There are more than a dozen planned for L.A this year.

Events to benefit the host community are also a big part of Super Bowl week. Last week’s Pro Bowl in Las Vegas was an example.

Although on a smaller scale, there were several events at various locations in the Las Vegas Valley that did everything from planting trees at the Clark County Wetlands Park to giving laptops to children in under-served communities.

This week in L.A., there are more than 30 charitable events planned that are tied to the Super Bowl.

Tickets to the game itself will be pricey. On Location, the NFL’s official hospitality partner, offers various Super Bowl ticket packages, with the cheapest this year starting at $4,800 for nosebleeds, going up to $17,000 for a VIP section on the 50-yard line.

The secondary ticket market won’t do fans much better. This year’s event, taking place at the two-year old SoFi Stadium, is tracking to be the most expensive Super Bowl ever, according to no-fee ticket broker TickPick. It notes the average purchase price for the game as of early this week was $7,746, with the cheapest ticket listed at $5,300.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.

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