If wearing a dog mask like the Cleveland Brown's Dog Pound, or a cheese head like the fans of the Green Bay Packers makes you feel silly, you can show your team spirit simply by traveling to their games. Of course, if you're a real sports fanatic, you can always do both, but we're just going to discuss the traveling bit here.
Most NFL teams are affiliated with travel agencies that provide travel to away games from the home city or travel to home games for fans who live elsewhere. Great deals on tickets, airfares, hotels, city tours, even occasional sit-downs and autograph sessions with your favorite players are part of the comprehensive packages. Tickets are usually sensational, though expensive, but participating fans are guaranteed a big time sports experience.
To get started, hit your favorite team's Website and look for Booster Clubs or Home and Away Ticket Packages. Away tickets are usually accompanied by links to special travel agencies that provide package deals including lodging and ground or air transportation. For close home games, the bus rides can be a blast.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers have obviously been doing the fan travel thing for a long time. Packer Fan Tours (www.packerfantours.com) devotes itself exclusively to Packer travel. The deluxe "All-Pro Package" provides fans with End Zone game tickets (upgrades are available), accommodations at pretty mediocre hotels (with upgrades also available), a pre-game tailgate party at the Brett Favre Steakhouse, souvenirs, Packer Hall of Fame admission, and use of a hospitality desk. For example, for the Dallas Cowboy's game on Sunday, October 24, 2004, a package with accommodations at the Best Western Hotel for two people starts at $409 per person. Airfare is additional, but also available through the Website. Other package deals with fewer add-ons are also available.
New York Giants
You can travel with the New York Giants through a fan travel site called Giants Road Crew (www.giantsroadcrew.com). For the game against the mediocre Arizona Cardinals, the site offers a special deal with two days in Scottsdale, game tickets and two nights in Las Vegas before the trip home to New York. The airfare-inclusive trip includes stays at more upscale hotels and a Giant-personality hosted cocktail party before the game on Saturday night. The cost is $989 dollars per person based on double occupancy.
World Series Packages
If you're a baseball fan, World Series packages are also available. While teams for the Fall Classic are yet to be determined, Premier Sports Travel (www.sportstravel.com) offers packages to the big games as well as all to other major sporting events including Nascar and horse racing. Tickets aren't quite as good as the end zone seats for the Packer games, but at least you're in the ballpark. Get three friends to go along and a two-night stay at a top-notch hotel, upper seat tickets, and a host of small perks including souvenirs will run you $865 dollars with airfare and taxes excluded.
Now, only if the Curse would end, huh, Red Sox fans?