I’ve just returned from a three-day stay in Las Vegas with much less cash than I had when I went. I couldn’t believe the change in prices since August. Believe me, the food and drink prices are absurd, not to mention the mediocre quality of the snacks and meals. For example, a 3-ounce bag of vacuum-packed popcorn is $9.99; a domestic beer is $13.00, a glass of house champagne is $50; and a slice of pepperoni pizza is $15.99. Now, if I had partaken of a meal at a restaurant which included the names of Ramsey or Flay, it would have been $150+! 

Of course, these increases may be attributed to LVIII Super Bowl next week, where the average ticket price is $11,000 and suites are in excess of $1.3 million. Typically, the Super Bowl, with its glitzy entertainment, amusing ads, and four quarters of gladiators grunting and huffing as they get smashed to the turf, also revolves around over-priced merchandise, food, and drink. Lord knows, how much the food is going to cost inside Allegiant Stadium.

There’s been a lot of talk about rising prices and a lot of blame being passed around, but in reality it’s purely a result of CORPORATE GREED. In fact, taxpayers are held hostage by professional sports teams. “Build us a new stadium, or we’ll leave.” (If I want to have a retail store, I must rent space or build a building. I can’t get a state-of-the-art facility courtesy of taxpayers.) Further, Allegiant Stadium is the third smallest of the thirty NFL stadiums. It seats 65,000, which conveniently allows for less cheap seats and more luxury boxes and premium seats. Five out of 7 of those most recently-built stadiums seat less than 71,000 with higher ticket prices.

Thankfully, my brief trip to Las Vegas left me with no interest in next week’s uber-expensive extravaganza. I didn’t bet on LVIII. I like Arizona’s Purdy, but Mahomes is ok, too. And hopefully, Taylor will make it in time for the game to give the news commentators something else about which to talk.