Welcome to Show the Receipts, a series where we ask interesting people to share exactly how much it costs to get shit done. No matter the task, we’re tracking every last dollar from start to finish. Up next: attending the Super Bowl.
When the Philadelphia Eagles secured the NFC Championship against the Washington Commanders, Patrick Hennessy didn’t hesitate – he would make the trip from Fort Lauderdale, FL, to New Orleans to watch his favorite team play in the Super Bowl.
A self-proclaimed “die-hard Eagles fan” since the age of 5, Hennessey, now 39, had attended the Super Bowl before to witness the team’s victory against Minnesota in 2018. But with the Eagles having another shot at being crowned Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia native knew there was no way he’d miss the chance to cheer them on in person again.
“My life is all about experiences,” Hennessy tells PS. “I’m the kind of person that, at the end of my life, I just want to be able to lie in my bed and look at pictures – that’s where I get my real joy from. I always said, ‘If the Eagles [make it to the Super Bowl], we’re going, no matter what.'”
Attending one of the biggest, most-watched sporting events of the year comes at a steep price, however. And Hennessy acknowledges that he probably spent more than the average person would need to, but he wanted to do it his way. “I’m a 100-or-nothing kind of guy,” he says. “If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it the way I think is right.” Increasing the overall cost was also Hennessy’s decision to fly private. He explains, “It’s not that I’m bougie, but I have a prosthetic leg and don’t want to walk a mile through huge airports.”
So, how much does the biggest game in sports cost to attend? Below, Hennessy shares a glimpse into his big weekend down in the Big Easy and reflects on whether or not the cost would have been worth it had the Eagles not brought home the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Here’s the full breakdown.
Task: Going to Super Bowl LIX
Job: Entrepreneur and founder of Hiami LLC and Hiami Hooch
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Timeline: One weekend
The Receipts
Tickets: $29,000 for two tickets
Airfare: $41,500 for private plane via Monarch Air
Transportation: $2,916 for driver and a $1,700 parking pass
Accommodation: $3,300
Food and drink: $500 for drinks (food included with club-level seats)
Total: $78,916
How I Did It
Hennessy’s trip to the Super Bowl was focused on convenience and making the most of the experience. Here, he shares some of his takeaways and the advice he’d give to those planning to attend the Super Bowl.
PS: Did you have a budget when you first started planning the trip?
Patrick Hennessy: I didn’t really have a budget. Of course, I didn’t want to just blatantly throw away money either. But if I’m going to go and do a once-in-a-lifetime experience like this – well, hopefully not once-in-a-lifetime – I try not to worry so much about the budget. You can always make more money, but you can’t just make more memories of certain things like this.
PS: What is the most surprising cost you encountered while planning your trip to the Super Bowl?
PH: The biggest surprise was probably the cost to land at the FBO [Fixed Based Operator] and how much it went up from normal prices. Whereas typically it costs anywhere from $800 to $1,200, it was anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000 this time around because [President Donald] Trump was coming in.
Another outrageous thing was the unbelievable cost of the driver. They bumped up the prices, and even though you needed the driver to just take you to the game, you had to pay for a minimum of 12 hours. It’s crazy, but they have the ability to do it. I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same thing if I were in that business.
PS: What’s an expense that’s worth the splurge?
PH: The tickets. Without them, I wouldn’t have gotten to experience their win.
When they win, it’s like pure joy. You feel like you’re a kid again. It brings back a lot of memories from watching it with my grandfather.
PS: What advice would you give to others deciding whether or not to attend the Super Bowl?
PH: The only advice I would have is to spend what you can afford to lose like you’re going to the casino. Take chances and live your life to the fullest. Who knows if you will ever see it again?
Final Thoughts
For Hennessy, the price was well worth it to see his beloved team be crowned Super Bowl champs once again. “It was euphoric,” he says. “If they didn’t win, it wouldn’t have been worth it. I would have hated myself for spending that much money if they lost – at least for a day or two. I was saying the whole time, ‘If they lose, I swear I’m going to freak out,’ but I also try not to look at the downside of it. It’s always going to be a 50/50 thing.”
Although “it still hurts a little bit” that he spent that much money, Hennessy knows it’s an experience he will “never, ever forget.” And if the Eagles make it back to the Super Bowl next year? Hennessy will “absolutely” be back in the crowd to cheer them on. “I’ll be there every time if I have the opportunity.”
Jordana Comiter is a Florida-based freelance writer who loves writing about entertainment, wellness, and dating trends. Her work has appeared in PS, Women’s Health, People, and Business Insider, among others. She is a proud graduate of Tulane University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
