The Super Bowl is one of the great American social levelers: the biggest single U.S. sporting event is expected to draw in 90 million viewers this year, a party for all demographic groups. But -- as with everything else -- it's even more fun if you're fantastically wealthy.
Laura Hughes, editorial director at Elite Travel magazine, told CNBC's Sue Herera about a few ways that the über-wealthy will be enjoying the NFL's Big Game.
Starting with the obvious pleasure of a January jaunt to Miami to see Super Bowl XLI in person, Hughes pointed to the Deco-adorned city's Mandarin Oriental hotel. The 5-star wonder is located on Brickell Key, with sapphire-blue Biscayne Bay views on almost all sides. Sure, guests can take the causeway on and off the water-bound key -- but why would they, when the hotel will arrange rental of a 40-foot cigarette speedboat for $1,750?
The Four Seasons Miami also specializes in transportation -- but not the mass kind. Commuters coming in to see the Chicago Bears have at the Indianapolis Colts can request the hotel arrange private-jet transfers from all over the U.S. (Round trip: $30,000.) Once on the ground, a sharp Ferrari may be rented for a cool $3,500 per day.
Hughes told an envious "Power Lunch" about the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club's Fantasy Football Escape package. (Don't look for similarities with your rotisserie league.) For a modest $410,041 -- yes, 41 is "XLI" rendered in Arabic numerals -- the Escape includes the posh Presidential suite, transportation to Miami on a private jet, and use of a helicopter and a swank Bentley. Those renting the Four Seasons' Ferraris should now prepare to become sickened with jealousy: Fairmont's Escape package purchasers will take home a very special souvenir -- they get to keep the Bentley.
Although these lofty pleasures are available to a select few, the numbers of that auspicious group are apparently increasing. Hughes quotes NetJets -- a seller of fractional private-jet ownership shares -- as saying that reservations for this year's Super Bowl have grown 60% over 2006. (If you use their services, you'll be flying in good company: NetJets is a unit of billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.)