Labar: How I Experienced Super Bowl Week Last Year

By Abby Labar
Sportmoney Columnist

The matchup is set, which means Eagles and Chiefs fans are mentally preparing to justify spending their life savings on hotel rooms in New Orleans and we members of sports media are thinking of every possible storyline inside the storyline so that we can spend the next 10 days discussing nothing but “the big game.” So with that in mind, I was trying to think of a good angle to bring you a unique read that isn’t the same as the 50 other articles covering Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift's Super Bowl outfit or how it’s once again Chiefs vs. America. 

There is so much more to Super Bowl weekend/week that a lot of people don’t necessarily understand or get to experience if you aren’t in the city where the game is being played. Last year I had the unique experience of hosting one of the many Super Bowl events surrounding the game, so I thought it would be fun to share my experience so you can see what’s in store over the next week.

USA Today flew me out to Las Vegas to host an event called “The Legends Party.” This event was very similar to the other parties that are hosted throughout Super Bowl week. It starts with a red carpet for both celebrities and attendees. The general public can attend a lot of these events by purchasing tickets, these aren’t just “invite only” things, so for those of you going to New Orleans, definitely explore the opportunity to attend events because they are usually very well set up and you get what you pay for (open bar, food, meet and greets, music, etc.). 

This particular event had me hosting the red carpet, so I was interviewing people as they came in. After the red carpet experience, fans and celebs all mingled together in a room where they could eat, drink, take photos, play games, enter contests, the whole nine yards…or for the sake of football, 100 yards (; 

I then hosted a big on-stage portion of the evening, where we honored Hines Ward, Matt Ryan, Malcolm Jenkins and LeSean McCoy as our NFL Legends. Following the ceremony and Q&A, Jason Derulo took center stage and gave us all a concert. I would say the night ended there, but a few of us that were a part of the event got invited to another event/party that was later in the night. That’s normally how it goes during this week: You meet one person who introduces you to another and another, and next thing you know you’re at the Kansas City Chiefs’ after party with Jason Kelce yelling at people on stage in a Luchador mask…but that’s a story for another day.

Seriously though – Super Bowl week is a mix of a lot of things that include hard work but also having a whole lot of fun. It is also a very empowering weekend. The people you meet are all there celebrating their team or working toward a common goal, which is to create a unique and fun fan experience. The networking is second to none, and there is a shared passion and energy throughout the city in which everyone is able to come together despite the differences in which team they are rooting for. 

The event I hosted was on a Friday night. I flew in on Thursday morning because I was able to get a credential for radio row. Radio row is one of the coolest and most unique experiences for anyone in sports media. You see EVERYONE. It’s the one place where athletes, coaches and celebrities are all walking around without a million security guards or swarms of people surrounding them. Everyone just fits in naturally, and you’re just in a room with your idols doing your job. I stood in line waiting for my credential for 30 minutes with Luke Kuechly behind me also waiting to pick up his. 

When you walk into radio row, it looks like a giant work convention. TV sets everywhere with live shows happening in real time, tables and booths for media outlets and radio hosts, it’s the coolest thing. I remember in a matter of 10 minutes, I walked by one table where Cam Newton was getting interviewed, then witnessed Up and Adams airing live from across the room at the FanDuel set, all the while brushing shoulders with Drew Brees on his way to whatever set or show he was making an appearance on next. 

I networked like crazy, met a ton of executives and watched some of my favorite sports reporters and hosts work their magic up close and personal in one intimate setting. Now I know the radio row experience is not something everyone gets to experience, but as I mentioned, there is a lot that the general public can be a part of: Fanfests, red carpet events, meet and greets. But really even just being out and about at restaurants and bars, you never know who you’re going to run into and because of how unique the week is. 

Hall of Famers, coaches and celebrities expect that fans will approach them, so their willingness to stop to talk and interact is much higher than it would be at any other event. For example, one networking event I attended was a happy hour at a brewery. Braxton Berrios, Tommy DeVito and a few notable “influencers” from the Bachelor franchise were in attendance. The brewery was open to the public, so while we had our little area, there were still people coming up to check out what was going on and to say hi and take photos with their idols. These things are happening EVERYWHERE throughout Super Bowl week, so always keep your head on a swivel. 

I was very impressed with the way that Las Vegas handled the influx of people, granted it is a city meant for that, but with the way news outlets were discussing how bad the airport was going to be, I didn’t really feel super overwhelmed at any point throughout my five days there. I even met a lot of people that were still just normal Vegas goers –they weren’t even there for the Super Bowl – so there were a ton of people in town. It takes a lot for a city to prepare for an event of this caliber. But the overall experience went smoothly logistics-wise, and I never felt uncomfortable running around the city going to and from all of my events. I’ll be curious how New Orleans, another city that can handle a heavy load, does with this year's Super Bowl.

I spent Thursday to Monday in Las Vegas, and while I didn’t even actually attend the Super Bowl, there was so much that I walked away with from the entire experience. From the big events to the little happy hours and the coffee meetups with old friends or colleagues who happened to be in town, there truly is something for everybody – whether simply a fan or somebody hoping to grow their career in sports, in marketing, brand partnerships, PR, you name it. It’s a much bigger experience than the game itself. Whether you’re a die hard NFL fan or not, Super Bowl week should be a bucket list item.