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The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS -- Super Bowl ticket prices remained out of reach for many fans who made travel reservations months ago to come to Las Vegas for the big game, which forced them to watch on TV like millions of others.
That was just fine with more than a few of them. They were finding other ways to enjoy themselves.
The NFL Experience looked like a fan convention with throngs of ticket-less people decked out in the jerseys of the Packers, Bengals, Steelers, Eagles and more.
They typically had the same story. Their team looked as if it might have a title shot, so they booked a Super Bowl trip to Las Vegas. Their team didn't make it, but they came anyway. To buy tickets days before the game can be costly. This year they were going for $7,700 -- though that was about $2,000 less than they were two weeks ago.
Historically, Super Bowl tickets have slowly but steeply increased in price, from $12 for a spot in the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1967 ($108 today), to surpassing $1,000 for the 2009 tilt between the Steelers and Cardinals in Tampa.
This week, the average purchase price on Tick Pick reached $9,815 before settling back to $7,684 Saturday morning.
Traveling long distances just to watch the big game at one of the casinos isn't new. Las Vegas has had around 300,000 visitors for past Super Bowls, according to the research center at the Las Vegas Convention Visitors Authority.
This weekend, Las Vegas had 330,000 visitors for the Super Bowl -- roughly five times the capacity of Allegiant Stadium -- driving $600 million in economic activity to Southern Nevada.
New DC in Dallas
FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have settled on a coaching reunion by deciding to bring back Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator to replace Dan Quinn.
Zimmer is rejoining the Cowboys 18 years after serving in the same role for Dallas.
He later spent eight years as Minnesota's head coach. The Cowboys and Zimmer reached an agreement Monday.