Tens of thousands of Americans have plans to attend their favorite NFL team’s games this season to root in-person and catch the live action of the sport.
Whether you’re attending a game close to home or have a tradition of going on the road to show your fandom, plan to include tailgating expenses in your budget.
These tailgating expenses can include parking, food and drinks and your favorite party snacks.
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As this year’s NFL season kicks off, Oddspedia, a New York-based sports news platform, analyzed the best tailgate destinations for football fanatics so you can get the most bang for your buck and manage your tailgating costs.
Oddspedia examined the costs of a tailgate experience for a group of four hungry football game-goers and included the cost of parking in the tailgate zone for the first games of the season, plus the costs of essential party foods and drinks to make the tailgate a winning time.
“To estimate the cost of tailgating for four people, we divided our research into two main categories: food and drink and parking,” said Dustin Saracini, a betting analyst with Oddspedia who is based in Toronto.
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Next, he said, the process included using a list of classic items fans love to enjoy pregame and collected price data online from a local grocery store near each stadium.
The food and drinks that were included in the estimated tailgating costs were four different dips and four types of chips, as well as sub rolls, mayonnaise, meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onion (to make a sandwich).
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Items to make cheeseburgers were also included, such as burgers, buns, patties, cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Purchases for buffalo chicken wings, pretzels and hot dogs were also accounted for.
Popular drinks that are purchased for tailgating include beer (16-pack), Coca-Cola (two liters) and water (two 1.5L bottles).
San Francisco 49ers: Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, might be the most expensive tailgate, coming in at $292.33, with parking fees of $132, according to Oddspedia’s data.
Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers: The state-of-the-art $5.5 billion SoFi Stadium in Inglewood offers an average parking fee of $100 and tailgating costs come to $257.55.
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Dallas Cowboys: The famous Cowboys play at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which has an average parking fee of $88. This stadium location ranks the third-most expensive at $242.15.
Arizona Cardinals: Tailgating at State Farm Stadium in Glendale will reportedly cost you an estimate of $158.07 with parking spots priced at around $21.
Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers: These southern cities cost around $173 to $181 with the Atlanta Falcons fans’ tailgating costing the least. Parking at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is priced at $21.
Average costs: The pregame experience for four tailgaters averages $205.17, with an average of $147.79 for food and drink and $57.38 for parking, Oddspedia reported.
Saracini told Fox News Digital that parking cost data focused on the first game of the season at each stadium.
“We took a look at official tailgating lots or those relatively close by that allowed fans to tailgate,” he said.
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Also, cheaper price ranges were considered.
“While some lots had limited availability, we were able to identify standard parking spots for most stadiums,” added Saracini.
“We also consulted official stadium/team sources or used resale sites like Seatgeek.”
To compute the total costs, food and drink costs with the parking costs were calculated to provide a total tailgating cost for four people at each stadium.
Saracini said two big factors driving up tailgating costs are gas and food prices.
“It’s gotten a lot more expensive to travel to games nowadays, especially for those going across the country,” he noted.
“And with food prices skyrocketing, hosting a tailgate party for a bunch of people can really hit your wallet.”
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Also, many stadiums have been upgrading their facilities.
“While it’s nice to have nicer amenities, it can also mean higher costs for tailgaters,” Saracini said.
Consider these methods to save money on tailgating, according to Saracini.
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You can also save serious dough on stadium concessions by buying smart.
“Think budget-friendly options like fried chicken, cupcakes or nachos,” Saracini said.
If you’re not picky about the date or game, you could snag some savings.
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“But if you have your heart set on a specific game, start planning early,” Saracini said.
Jerseys and gear are usually cheaper elsewhere.
When checking ticket re-sellers, Adam Budelli, spokesperson for StubHub in the San Francisco Bay Area, said searching for single tickets may yield better prices than groups.
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“Meet up with your friends for the tailgate but head into the game solo,” Budelli told Fox News Digital via email.
“We can see how roster moves and fan optimism have contributed to a boost in sales this season.”
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