The Most Expensive Place to Travel to See a Game in the NFL: Part II, The AFC

This post was posted by the chipmunk on Chipmunk’s Tailwind Blog on November 5, 2015.

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If you’re a football fan living in New England, times are good.

For 11 of the past 12 seasons, the Patriots have dominated the AFC Eastern division and vied as a contender in the playoffs. Fresh off of last year’s Super Bowl XXXVIII victory, they’re off to a dominant 6-0 start in 2015.

But this success comes with a dark side: it’s incredibly difficult to get a ticket to a home game!

For the truly committed fan, however, there is a simple hack you can employ to see your favorite team play: travel to an away game. While doing this is generally pretty pricey (the average flight/hotel/game ticket total falls between $400-$900), some teams are more affordable to see on the road than others.

Previously, we took at look at how much it costs to attend various NFC away games; here, we’ll focus on the AFC.

As a refresher, in our prior post, we used our data to calculate the cost of seeing your favorite NFL team on the road.

Our analysis included three cost factors: 1) The cost of hotels near a given NFL stadium for a night during football season; 2) The average cost of flying into the major airports closest to NFL stadiums during football season; and 3) The cost of getting a last-minute game ticket.

Using this data, we ranked all NFL teams from most to least expensive to see on the road. Far and away, the priciest place to see a game was Green Bay, Wisconsin, where a very good team and a huge fan base boosts not only ticket prices, but the cost of airfare and hotels during home game weeks.

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On this list, the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, is the most expensive place to visit in the AFC. Diving a little deeper into AFC teams only, let’s take a look at how they stack up against each other.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos, both perennial football powers, round out the top 3 most expensive places to see a road game in the AFC. While the Steelers have surprisingly affordable tickets ($105, compared to the Patriots’ $185 and Broncos’ $219), the average flight into the city is among the list’s most expensive. The Broncos, on the other hand, have the most expensive tickets on the list, yet the cheapest average hotels.

If you’re looking for the best deal on any AFC game, the Buffalo Bills are your best bet. With hotels averaging only $78 per night and tickets priced around $69, a trip to Ralph Wilson Stadium runs roughly $453 — more than $200 cheaper than seeing the Patriots.

So, what about your team in particular?

Below, we put together a table of remaining road games for every AFC team, along with the total estimated cost to attend each game. Games that are expensive (top 20% percentile) are in red, games that are relatively cheap (bottom 30%) are in green, and those that are “medium-affordable” (middle 50%) are in yellow:

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So, if you’re “cursed” by rooting for a team that is so successful it’s impossible to get a home ticket (we’re looking at you, Patriots fans), maybe you should try the road. Of course, if your team is doing really well right now, these prices could significantly escalate as the playoff race heats up. If you plan on taking a trip, it’s probably best to lock in your flights, hotels, and game tickets sooner rather than later.

Methodology: Hipmunk analyzed average nightly hotel prices at each stadium city location and average round trip airfare to nearest stadium airport during football season. Ticket prices were determined by analyzing the average prices of remaining away games starting in November, as provided by TiqIQ. Note that prices change daily depending on available inventory and in no way does Hipmunk guarantee the prices listed

18 by JA Huss – Book Blitz

Happy Post Turkey Day!!!

It’s no secret. I love JA Huss and every word she publishes. I read 18 in one sitting. All I can say is wow!!! Get ready, this one will knock your socks off. – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Eighteen (18) Based on a True Story
J.A. Huss
Publication date: November 18th 2015
Genres: New Adult Taboo Romance

Eighteen is hard.

And so is Mateo Alesci.

He’s hard to read, hard to predict, hard in every way that counts. He wants things from me.

Dirty things, nasty things, forbidden things.

And I have to give in.

His attention is completely inappropriate, but I can’t say no. The way he looks at me… the way he watches me through my bedroom window… the way he drags me deeper and deeper into his completely forbidden fantasy world just… turns me on.

He knows it turns me on.

He holds all the power. He holds all the cards.

He holds my entire future in his hands.

And I have to give in.

Because Mr. Alesci is my teacher.

And I need everything he’s offering.

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes / Amazon UK / Amazon AU / Amazon CA

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EXCERPT:

“You came,” he says, after a few moments of rest. His eyes open and he looks straight at me. “You came in my mouth.”

I just stare back. Unable to talk. Unable to comprehend what he’s saying. “You’re a liar.”

He smiles. “But I’m a good one, right?”

“What?”

“You believed me. And you know why you believed me, Shannon?”

“That never happened?”

He scoffs. “Please, how drunk would you have to be for me to suck you off and never wake you up? Do you know why you believed me?”

“You’re a psycho,” I say, floored.

“Because you want to believe me.”

I shake my head slowly. “I don’t believe you. You’re a very good liar, Mateo. And that’s not something to be proud of.”

“Right. So why are you so sure Danny Alexander is the nice one, and not me?”

“Because look at you,” I scoff. “You’re such a fucking freak.”

“I’m sitting here in a chair, masturbating as I tell you a fantasy, Shannon. It’s hot.” And then he laughs. “You know it is.”

“It’s weird,” I say. “I’m speechless with you most of the time because you’re blowing my fucking mind. You make no sense to me. You don’t follow the rules.”

“Whose rules? Your rules?”

“School rules, for one. You’re my fucking teacher!”

“Technically, no. I’m a subcontractor. But ethically, yes.”

“It’s the ethics that count, don’t you think?”

“So walk out. Report me to Bowman. Call the police. Do whatever the fuck you want.”

My thoughts are racing around in my head. “Maybe I will.”

“At least you’d be invested. At least you’d stop just sitting here, begging me to get you out of this.”

“Beg you!” Holy shit. “To get me out of what?” I just want to punch him in the fucking face right now.

“Life.”

“OK,” I huff. “I’m done here.” I push my chair back to stand, but his words stop me.

“You want to skate through school, you said, take tests and call it learning. You want the prize without the work that goes into it. You want things you don’t deserve.”

“You don’t know what I deserve,” I say quietly. “You have no idea what I deserve.”

“I know,” he says, nodding. “But I do know what you don’t deserve. And you can deny it all you want, it won’t change the fact that you didn’t earn it. I’m asking you to earn it.”

“Earn what, Mateo? You make no sense.”

“It.” he replies. And then he lifts his hands up towards the ceiling.

“What’s any of this,” I say, lifting my hands up in the same way, “have to do with sex?”

He just smiles. “Nothing at all. It’s got nothing at all to do with sex. I just like you and I want to fuck you, and tease you, and play you. Not like that,” he says, seeing the anger inside me building. “Not like a victim, Shannon. Like an instrument.”

He reaches over for a roll of paper towels sitting on the table next to him, rips one off, and cleans up the mess on his stomach. He throws it into the trash, stands up, and puts himself back together.

“If you want to walk away,” he says, grabbing his book from the table, “go ahead. Report me to Bowman, tell the police, do whatever the fuck you want. But I’m trying to tell you, I’m invested. So go date Danny Alexander if you want. You can quit this class and drop out of school. You can fuck everything up. You’re a grown woman, you can make whatever choice you feel is best. But when you look back in ten years and wonder where it all went wrong, don’t blame me, Shannon. Because I gave a fuck and you walked out.”

And then he walks out. He’s got that stupid book in his hand and he just walks out and leaves me there.

Stunned.

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Author Bio:

JA Huss is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty romances. She likes stories about family, loyalty, and extraordinary characters who struggle with basic human emotions while dealing with bigger than life problems. JA loves writing heroes who make you swoon, heroines who makes you jealous, and the perfect Happily Ever After ending.

You can chat with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AuthorJAHuss), Twitter (@jahuss), and her kick-ass romance blog, New Adult Addiction (www.newadultaddiction.com).

If you’re interested in getting your hands on an advanced release copy of her upcoming books, sneak peek teasers, or information on her upcoming personal appearances, you can join her newsletter list (http://eepurl.com/JVhAr) and get those details delivered right to your inbox.

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Budget Hacks: Traveling in New England Cheap

A new region on my USA bucket list is New England. I love history, and nature and shopping and this region hits on all of those or more.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

When I think of Cambridge, Massachusetts, my intimidated brain thinks of Harvard. I love Harvard and all the allure of the Crimson. You could spend a cool afternoon strolling the campus, soaking in all the knowledge from the historical buildings. Stand on the Harvard Bridge and experience the intellectual pull from the Ivy League college on one side and MIT on the other. When you’re done fantasies, check out one of the local college pubs for an inexpensive meal and a pint.

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Photo provided by Sebastian Yepes via Trover.com

Mystic, Connecticut

Located on the Mystic River (Love that movie), Mystic, Connecticut is a historical seaport that get’s my maritime juice’s flowing. I love boats and being on the water. In Mystic, you can see how they navigated the waterways in the nineteenth century.  The town houses several nautical historical attractions like the Charles W. Morgan whale ship and the James Driggs Shipsmith Shop. Check out the last hour to the Museum of America and Sea for huge discounts or spend two days exploring the museum and get free admission on the second day.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Another seaport destination I have to hit is Bar Harbor, Maine. The residents of Bar Harbor have created an old world tranquil community that personifies the harmony between people and the environment. It is the destination for many local islanders who come to town for restaurants, taverns, and antique shops.

An attraction that will give you the sense of what this town is about is the Shore Path. Arrive early enough for the sunrise. Close by in Arcadia Park is Thunder Hole. This small inlet naturally carved out of the rock and allows you to witness the power of the ocean as the air and water create a unique thunder-clap.

Entry into the trails in Thunder Hole is free.

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Photo provided by Susan Bryant via Trover.com

North Conway, New Hampshire

Located in the White Mountain National Forest, North Conway, New Hampshire boast all the outdoor activities you can think of from skiing, snowboarding, golfing, fishing, and camping, but I would be heading to Conway for some tax-free shopping. The Settlers Green Outlet Village is a shopping experience enjoyed by tourist and locals alike. It houses over 60 outlet stores from some of the trendiest brands. Depending on the time of the day, the Village holds several season inspiring activities and events for the family.

Warwick, Rhode Island

Are you tired of the water, yet? Warwick, Rhode Island has thirty-nine miles of shoreline. I would start my exploration of this former Native American outpost at Apponaug Four Corners. Known as the historical heart of the city, the intersection is a part of the Pequot Trail. A short distance away, explore the Apponaug Village.  Grab a copy of the Walking Tour of Historic Apponaug from the Department of tourism for free.

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The Most Expensive Place to Travel and See a Game in the NFL: Part 1, The NFC

This post was posted by thehipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on November 5, 2015.

iStock_000048998898_XXXLarge-945x630Each NFL team only plays 16 games per year, half on the road. That means there are only eight chances to root for your team on your home turf. Surely, you’d need more money than common sense to fly to see you favorite team on the road. That would be insanely expensive, even for a rabid football fan. Or would it?

“I’m from Philly and was born an Eagles fan,” said Mike Whitworth, Hipmunk’s senior manager of media sales and operations.”It’s a birthright.”

And so when his dad said that he had box seats to the Week 4 Eagles-Redskins game at FedEx stadium, he took a long weekend and hopped on a plane out of San Francisco and headed to DC.

That got us thinking: We decided to run the numbers to see how affordable it is to jump on a plane, book a hotel, and buy a game ticket to see your favorite football team on the road. In short, none of these options are particularly cheap— attending an away game ranges from $400-$900, depending on the team. But hey, if you’re a superfan it might just be worth the extra cost to you!

Let’s break it down:

For each team in the NFL, we calculated a few things that a prospective roadtripper might want to know.

First, we used our data to see how much it costs to stay at a hotel near a given NFL stadium for a night during football season. For example, the San Francisco 49ers stadium is in Santa Clara, which is about a 90-minute drive from San Francisco. As we didn’t look at bedroom communities of larger cities, it follows that we looked only at hotels specifically near Santa Clara—not San Francisco or the surrounding area.

Next, we looked at the average cost of flying into the major airports closest to NFL stadiums during football season. For this analysis, we assume you’re going on an epic trip involving a flight.

Finally, we analyzed the cost of getting a last-minute game ticket. Using data provided to Hipmunk from TiqIQ, we calculated the average cost of the buying the cheapest ticket over the remaining home games for each stadium. At some stadiums, a “nose-bleed” ticket can be had for as little as $30; at others, the absolute cheapest ticket runs around $200, and the “average” available seat might be $400!

All things considered, let’s take a look at the most expensive NFL teams to see on the road.

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By far, the most expensive place to see a road game in the NFL is in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of the Packers. Averaging $220, Packers tickets are the most expensive in the game, partly because the team is so good, and partly because the local fans are so die-hard. With flights averaging $519, it is also the most expensive NFL city to fly to, in addition to having the second most expensive hotels ($171 per night).

The Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants in East Rutherford, NJ, trail distantly as the second and third most expensive road game teams, respectively.

But say you’re already in town visiting family, have a place to stay, and your home team happens to be playing on the road. Let’s take a look at how these teams rank solely based on average ticket price over the season’s remaining games. (Note: we don’t include the cost of beer or parking, which can be quite a large additional expense.)

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Only three NFL teams surpass an average ticket price of $200: the Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, and Seattle Seahawks. And keep in mind that these are the lower-end tickets!

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Kansas City Chiefs tickets can be shockingly cheap, averaging $26 for entry level tickets. Tickets for Cleveland Browns, St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans games can all be had for under $40 as well.

Deep Dive, the NFC

Until this point, we’ve focused on the NFL as a whole. Now, we’d like to get a bit more specific, and take a closer look at just teams in the NFC (National Football Conference).

Which NFC teams offer the most affordable options for catching a remaining game on the road?

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This is all well and good, but what about specific games? If you’re, say, trying to see the San Francisco 49ers play the Browns in Cleveland on December 13, how much would that cost?

Below, we put together a table of remaining road games for every NFC team, along with the total estimated cost to attend each game. Games that are expensive (top 20 percentile) are in red, games that are relatively cheap (bottom 30 percent) are in green, and those that are “medium-affordable” (middle 50 percent) are in yellow:

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So, if you’re a live-and-die football fan up for getting on a plane, finding an affordable hotel, and getting the cheapest ticket possible, it’s best to stick to the green squares (cheapest options). This might involve, however, going to see your favorite team on the road in Tampa, Buffalo, or Kansas City.

If your home team isn’t listed here, stay tuned for part two of our series, in which we’ll take a look at the AFC.

Methodology: Hipmunk and Priceonomics analyzed average nightly hotel prices at each stadium city location and average round trip airfare to nearest stadium airport during football season. Ticket prices were determined by analyzing the average prices of remaining away games starting in November, as provided by TiqIQ. Note that prices change daily depending on available inventory and in no way does Hipmunk guarantee the availability of listed pricing.

#TrickorTreat: Romance Edition Facebook Hop

TrickorTreat

You’re Invited!!

On Friday, October 30th, from noon to midnight EST, join your favorite (and maybe some new favorites) romance authors for a fun-filled day of trick-or-treating!

Here’s how it works:

Visit the authors’ Facebook pages and look for the post with #TrickorTreat at the top. Authors will share fun Halloween-themed posts and offer giveaways. Follow each authors’ directions on how to enter to win their giveaway. When you’re ready, you can knock on the next authors’ door!

Participating Authors (check back as more authors will be added):

Amy Lamont

Rebecca Thomas

Heather M. Gardner

Regina Kyle

L.E. Joyce

Heatherly Bell

Kaylie Newell

Tracey Lyons

Layna Pimentel

P.T. Macias

Maggie Robinson

Annabeth Albert

Mia Hoddell

Talina Perkins

Natalie-Nicole Bates

Reagan Phillips

Robin Stone

Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Anna Snow

A.R. Von

Marissa Dobson

Natasza Waters

Charlotte McFall

Megan Ryder

D’Ann Burrow

Stephanie Haefner

Elisabeth Mayer

Claire McEwen

Amber Lacie

Patty Blount

Sheri Fredricks

Gayle Parness

Marie Booth

I hope you join us for a little romance trick or treat.

Happy Halloween!!!