Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
The average cost of a Super Bowl party is down slightly in 2017, but the Florida Retail Federation doesn’t think that will stop Floridians from going all out this weekend.
Florida families are expected to spend an average of $75 per person to watch Super Bowl LI between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots on Feb. 5. While the average per person cost is down slightly from last year, total spending across the country is expected to reach $14.1 billion.
“Floridians love their football more than just about any other state, and with the Super Bowl being the final game of the year, we expect fans to celebrate the end to great seasons in both professional and college football,” said Randy Miller, the president and CEO of Florida Retail Federation, in a statement. “The Super Bowl is truly a must-see event for Floridians whether they follow the sport closely or not, and we expect local consumers to load up on food, drinks and decorations for their game watching parties.”
In 2015, people spent an average of $82 per person on a Super Bowl party and total spending reached about $15.5 billion.
“As a favorite American past-time, the Super Bowl is a great chance for viewers to reconnect with friends and family after having a nice break after the holiday season,” said Pam Goodfellow, a principal analyst with Prosper Insights & Analytics, which conducted a nationwide survey for the National Retail Federation, in a statement.
“Even though the number of viewers is slightly down this year, plenty are still planning to enjoy the day by watching it at their favorite bar or friend’s place, wearing their lucky jerseys and hoping their favorite team wins.”
An estimated 188.5 million people are expected to watch the Super Bowl this week. The National Retail Federation survey found 43 percent of viewers said the game is the most important part of the Super Bowl; while 24 percent said the commercials were the most important part. About 12 percent of respondents said they tune in for the half-time show.
Nationwide, 45 million people hosting a Super Bowl party should expect a full house. According to a National Retail Federation Survey, 12.4 million people plan to head to their favorite bar or restaurant to watch the game.
