Mark…My Words
There’s nothing I enjoy more than kicking back in my recliner, switching on the TV and settling in for a great NFL football game.
Of course, the crown jewel of the NFL season is upon us. So, just for fun, I checked to find out what it might cost me to actually be on hand for this year’s event - even though as I pondered, the final two teams having just been decided.
Well, hang onto your chin straps while I share with you what I found. Getting there was the easy part - only $310 round trip. My travel miles would cover that! But how about a ticket, assuming I could get one at this late date?
I first checked the upper tiers, even the least desirable end zone seats. Lowest price? Ten grand – ranging up to – gulp - $22,000! And all those seats are up there in what we used to call “the nosebleed section.”
If I wanted to get closer to the action, and the ultimate great seat right at the 50 yard line, I’d shell out as much as $36K for that privilege.
Wow! A high-rolling family of four could hand over nearly $150,000 to watch a football game. And that’s before hot dogs, beers, soft drinks and armloads of team logo souvenirs.
Due to Covid, only some 16,000 fans will be able to be on hand at all, roughly 20 percent of the normal 66,000 capacity.
Of course, at this late date, odds were that the only way I’d be able to get even one ticket for myself would be by hooking up with some shady character in a trench coast in the stadium parking lot.
The venue, of course, is Raymond James Stadium, as everyone living in Tampa knows. But who was Raymond James?
At first, I thought he might be an NFL great from the past, perhaps a Hall of Famer. But nothing helpful came to mind.
So, I gave in and looked the answer up. Turns out, the Raymond James the Super Bowl stadium is named for isn’t a person, It’s an it.
Once upon a time there was a human Raymond James, of course. But he never took a snap from center or caught a game-winning pass in the end zone. He founded a financial services business based in St. Pete. They manage about $4 billion in wealth, so they can probably afford their own tickets.
All of this is great information but what does it mean to you other than that I won’t be in Tampa on Feb.7?
Here’s what I learned from this Super Bowl exercise: First, it’s good to dream big. Second, it’s important to dig into the facts behind that big dream, just to see if it’s realistic for you. Third, do your due diligence on “brand names” like the one on Raymond James Stadium.
In our exceptional real estate market, it’s not the name that counts when you want to list your premium property, it’s the Realtor with the proven track record of success, especially in these difficult times we are going through.
So, give me a call today and let’s discuss your big dream for your outstanding property. You can even call me on February 7. I know that’s Super Bowl Sunday but, heck, it’s only a football game after all.
Unless in the year 2031 it’s at “Mark Goldsmith Stadium”!
