Ever feel like the cheap seats just won’t cut it for your boy’s bachelor party? Yeah, well, you’re probably right. Depending on the depth of your pockets, almost anything is possible. Don’t worry, an open bar can be arranged for nearly all occasions. Have a look at these awesome party spots and ridiculous seats at sporting events for a little inspiration.
Jacksonville Jaguars Cabana and Pool Seats
Cost – $250 per person. Each cabana holds 50 people and rents for $12,500 a game
Might as well start with the most outrageous first! Who cares if the Jaguars are terrible? You can choose whether to watch them play (or not) from the pool and luxury cabanas in the end zone of Everbank Field. Tickets include all you can eat and drink (yep, food and booze), music, entertainment, couches, fans, and HD TVs. And you can make this an all day affair – with that price tag, you’ll want to maximize your time here – because the cabanas stay open for another 90 minutes after the game ends! Order a mojito and settle in for four plus quarters of tanning, lounging, cannon-balling, and Instagramming that view – I mean, it does look incredible. And if you can believe it, these tickets are actually a full $100 cheaper than some of the Jaguars field-level seats!
The Pool at Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chase Field
Cost – $4,750 – $7,000, for 35 people, lifeguard included!
Another pool? Yup. Being a sports team based in those southern climates is so crucial. While not as new or snazzy-looking as the Jags’ glass-walled pool, this outfield swim deck is still pretty baller. The pool suite opened in 1998 and it still sells out every season. Tickets include all-inclusive food and drinks, towels for everyone, and an on-duty lifeguard. There’s plenty of room poolside to hang out if you’re not trying to swim – but uh, why not in that Arizona heat? – because there’s a bar and TVs on deck nearby. The Diamondbacks’ president and CEO claims they wanted something to make the ballpark unique, but also “to resemble features we have at our own homes.” Yeah, so this is just your regular ol’ neighborhood pool party with a major league ballgame in the background. My only question is whether or not they’ll let you eat hot dogs IN the pool?
Skyboxes on the 16th Hole of the PGA Waste Management Phoenix Open
Cost: From $50,000 per Skybox (for 34 people). Special Loge Skyboxes from $150,000 (for 80 people)
It’s considered the rowdiest party in the PGA. And you can’t buy tickets. You’re gonna need your boss to spring for a company Skybox or get a friend with those kind of perks to send you an invite. Made famous by Tiger’s hole-in-one in 1997 (let’s pause to remember that he raised the roof), the scene surrounding the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale is more reminiscent of a frat party than a golf match. Etiquette tends to get thrown out the window as golfers approach the tee box through a tunnel to be greeted by rowdy crowds. More power to you if you can do your yelling, cheering, and cardboard sign scoring of each drive from the Skybox. With a complimentary breakfast and lunch buffet, plus an open bar (duh), you’ve got great views of the action from up above the crazies in the tee box bleachers (though they’ve been known to single out Skybox patrons, then yell at them to chug their drinks). Though it’s not the most exciting hole on the course, the party here is.
The Clevelander at Marlins Park
Cost – $40-50 for entry to the Clevelander and ballgame ticket, holds 240 people
They’re calling it the best party in baseball. This replica of the popular South Beach nightclub is located right in the Marlins’ left field. And it has a pool. (Sensing a trend here?) The Clevelander is rentable by the game or just through the 5th inning for the more frugal among you. This art deco-inspired ballpark nightclub has a DJ stage (with live performances), three bars, ten TVs, and a full service kitchen. Still craving a beer after the 7th inning cut-off? So were a lot of people in Miami apparently, because The Clevelander isn’t subject to that rule like the rest of the park. Oh, and it stays open until 3 AM. Yelp reviews hint that the views of the actual game aren’t great, the music is bumping the entire time, and there are often poolside, possibly body-painted or bikini-clad dancers. If it’s not rented out, the facilities open to ballpark patrons (21 and up) during games. There may or may not be a $10 cover before the end of the 9th inning, but there will definitely be $11 beers and $20 cocktails. But like, you’re still in a club… with a pool… at a baseball game…
The Living Room Suite at Hard Rock Stadium
Cost – $75,000 per season for a box of 4 seats (28 total boxes available)
This one’s for that friend who’s always like, “I don’t feel like going anywhere. Let’s just stay home and watch it in HD.” The Living Room Suite at Hard Rock Stadium is the perfect compromise, provided you can afford season tickets or have a generous family friend who’ll lend you his. (And you’ll need to narrow your closest friends down to a final three.) With a box of four seats, you’ll get four televisions at your disposal (ya can’t beat that 1:1 person to TV ratio), a drawer for your things, a compartment for your tablet, and in-seat service to your oversize reclining chair on the 35-yard line. Obviously, food and drinks are included, plus access to the coveted 72 Club, which entails VIP parking, a three-room bar and restaurant with craft beer, cocktails, and buffet meals, and the option to stand behind the Dolphins’ bench during games. Tables, chairs, and couches are available inside the club for the bros who really need that whole “I’m still in my apartment” experience.
The Monster Bridge at Dover International Speedway
Cost – $2,500 and up, but they’re not for sale. Tickets are typically reserved for contest winners, corporate sponsors, and celebs.
This luxury suite is has been called “The Most Exciting Seat in Sports” and it features 56 seats suspended 29 feet over the track at Dover Speedway. And the demand for them is huge, so the Speedway typically only uses the tickets in giveaways, contests, and promotions “to avoid a bidding war” and “be fair to fans.” On the bridge, you can sit in a seat that might’ve been autographed by one of your favorite drivers while the stock cars speed directly beneath you as they enter turn three of the race. No for real, you can actually feel the Bridge vibrate as the stock cars fly by at 160 mph. Your tickets include appetizers and an open bar, plus access to driver communications and in-car video footage. The mantra behind the design of the Monster Bridge was “maximum views, minimum obstruction” and hey, nothing accomplishes that like a glass box suspended over the track. Don’t worry, they’ve accounted for noise reduction in construction and there’s wire mesh covering the bridge to prevent flying debris (ie metal car parts) from reaching you.
The Kentucky Derby Infield
Cost – $40-60 for a General Admission Ticket
I’m throwing in a much more affordable, albeit less plush, party venue here. If you wanna get truly fancy at the Derby, there’s always the famous Millionaire’s Row or The Mansion (for, ya know, those billionaires among us). But for any twenty or thirty-something with an ordinary salary and a penchant for day-drinking, the infield is the place to be. Tents, college kids, naked people, mud wrestling – anything can happen here. The scene has been described as “the most festive 26 acres in sports” as well as “absolute chaos,” and unless you really make an effort, don’t plan on actually seeing much horse racing. If that’s your thing, stick to the grandstands. The only other problems with this pseudo-tailgating scene? You’ll have to creatively smuggle in your booze or buy the overpriced mint juleps served there. And folks don’t seem to stick to the pastel dresses and bowties of the nicer parts of the track. (Actually, maybe the latter is only a problem for those of us who like to get fancy when we day drink.) The tradition of debauchery at the “third turn” has been going strong since the 70s and it’s still alive and well today.
If you happen to be closer to Maryland, the infield at the Preakness (aka “The Freakness”) looks like a pretty solid party atmosphere too.
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