How to Choose a Venue for Your Super Bowl Party

Here at Universe, we’re all getting pretty pumped for the Super Bowl, and we’re sure that you are too. The Super Bowl brings

out the best of our competitive side, and some of the best parties.

If you’re in charge of throwing the party, it can be hard to figure out where to host it. There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing your venue; two of the most important are the number

of attendees and your budget.

That said, we’ve put together a guide to help you choose the right space for your Super Bowl bonanza.

3-15 People: Apartment Party

With a group this small, there’s not much point in spending your hard-earned money on renting a venue. Instead, grab some snacks and hunker down at your place.

Bonus points if you spend the money you saved on themed decorations! Another option is to head over to your local bar early; chances are good that they’ll be playing the game, and as long as you get there with enough time to snag seats, you can enjoy the game with no clean-up afterwards.

15-30 People: House Party

With a crowd this size you’re going to want more space to spread out and some extra rooms to hang out in.

Keep in mind that when parties start to get to this size, there’s a decent chance that not everyone coming loves the game; it’s nice to have a quieter room set aside for people who prefer to chat or a room for the kids to play.

When you’re working with a house as your ‘venue’, keep extra supplies on-hand and providing some drinks that are non-alcoholic, will keep you prepared for whoever ends up swinging by.

30-60 People: Bar, Community Center, Park Party

With a party this size you’re going to want to choose a venue that has extra space.

If you can afford to rent a local bar, that’s a great way to do it (we recommend charging people a small fee for tickets in order to recoup your costs), but there are also cheaper options: local community centers and parks often let you put together your own setup and rent their space for a nominal fee.

If you can find a projector to rent then you can stream the game and you won’t have to worry about overcrowding!

60-200 People: Hotel, Local Venues

When you’re hosting this many people, you’re going to want to be in a venue that typically accommodates a large number of guests. Keep your budget in mind, but ideally your venue will provide staff and clean up services because you don’t want to be handling that alone.

We recommend charging for tickets in order to recoup enough cost to be able to provide your guests with drinks and food and possibly a DJ for an afterparty.

Your local hotels should have spaces big enough to accommodate a group of this size and they probably have the right equipment to show the game to such a large group.

200+ People: Large Venue Rental, Block Party, Farm, Brewery or Vineyard Rentals

At this point, it’s go big or go home. When you have this many people coming to your party you have to have your catering and drinks game on point, and you’ve got to be able to provide the right sorts of facilities (bathrooms, seating, handicap access, etc.) in order to keep your guests happy.

Your city likely has large venues that you can rent, but they can get pricy; you’ll want to call for quotes ahead of time and ask if they have staff that can help work your event.

Another great option is to throw a block party: in order to do this you’ll need to call your local municipal services department or police department in order to get the proper permits. With permits in place, you can take over a huge amount of square footage at a low price (plus, it’s a great way to bring your neighborhood together!).

If you’re planning a corporate Super Bowl party or simply a large-scale blowout, consider looking into nearby farms: most have fields and barns that can be rented out for large events at a lower cost than in-city venues. Other great options include breweries and vineyards.

Going with one of these can be a bit more expensive, but there’s an upside, usually if you rent their space you get access to discounted rates on their own beverages.

Make sure that any venue of this size has ample parking for your guests and that it’s easily accessible by taxis, Uber or Lyft (whichever you prefer) so that people don’t have to drive; another great option is to look into renting a bus to shuttle people back and forth from a designated point in the city.

With a party of this size, safety is a top concern: offer a wide enough variety of food and drinks that are labeled so people with allergies can safely partake, make sure your guests can get home safely, and try to provide an area where children can play without wandering off.

With this helpful guide and some planning, you can pull off a super bowl party that will be talked about for years to come. Don't be surprised if your guests want a repeat; be prepared to throw an

equally awesome shindig next February!