Wheels Up, Duval: Making the Jaguars London Home Game an Affordable Adventure
It takes dedication to want to travel across an ocean to see a presumably 2-14 team play a game against a potential Super Bowl champion. It also takes a good amount of money. However, if you’re smart about it, it doesn’t have to cost nearly as much as the National Football League would have you believe.
The Official Package
Information on the official NFL On Location packages are available here (PDF file). They start at $2,899 per person, assuming double occupancy, and provide four nights of accommodations in London and roundtrip airfare between Orlando to London, as well as ground transport to the hotel and to Wembley Stadium for the big day.
Getting Into the Stadium
At this rate, the seat you’ll receive is in a section similar to those that were available for £45 right here. While single game tickets in that particular section are presently sold out, it’s still possible to purchase a 2-game package at a significant discount, providing you tickets to both the Jaguars/49ers game and the Vikings/Steelers game set for earlier in the season. The 2-game packages start at £72, or roughly $116. You can most likely sell off the Vikings/Steelers ticket on a site like Stubhub.co.uk if you’d like, but the relatively low cost makes the idea of simply wasting the first game’s ticket less than a tragedy.
Taking Advantage of Packages for UK Locals
Another way to put together a game-focused package quickly and with a fair amount of savings is to purchase your tickets and accommodation through ThomsonSport.com. Thomson’s packages are focused on UK residents, so they range from 1-to-3 night options for accommodations. Packages start at £229 per person for a lower end-zone ticket and 1 night at a 3-star hotel. The cheapest 3 night package is £369 per person for double occupancy. An advantage to booking through Thomson is that they have ticket upgrade options that run the gamut from lower sideline to club and premium club seats, and the company hosts an NFL Kickoff Party at the same hotel where the League schedules most of its events during the week of the game, which includes the chance to meet and greet NFL alums, see cheerleaders at work and enjoy complimentary drinks and appetizers. This party is an extra £75 per person.
Do It Big
For many, though, traveling to London isn’t about having a shoestring budget when it comes to the game itself. You can replicate the finest finery offered by NFL On Location on your own, without having to commit to packages that max out at $5,000 per person. To do so, you’ll want to purchase one of the Hospitality Packages available through Ticketmaster UK. £329 each (roughly $520) will net you the Sapphire Package, in which you receive a premium club ticket, giving you a midlevel sideline view of the game. The package also includes a 3 hour pre-game buffet at Club Wembly, with complimentary bar for 3 hours prior to the game, during half-time and for an hour following the game. The Diamond Package is £439 each (roughly $709). This includes a champagne reception on arrival, a 3 course meal at Wembley’s most exclusive restaurant, complimentary bar during the same hours as the Sapphire package and a seat located right around the 50 yard line. These are doubtless expensive, but compared to the $5,000 that NFL On Location’s version of the Diamond Package requires, it’s a relative bargain.
Getting There
Of course, the most critical element is travel itself. I’d recommend checking this Kayak link for the latest pricing on flights. As of publication, the cheapest available option is through Air France, via Atlanta, for $1,044 per person. This is a very limited itinerary however, departing on Saturday and returning on Monday. A far greater number of options exist through Delta, with most flights ranging from $1,077 to $1,084 per person.
Lodging On The Cheap
As far as accommodations go, a simple option for travelers wishing to stay at an American-branded hotel might consider the Best Western Palm Hotel, located 3.2 miles from Wembley Stadium. It starts at $118 per night with tax included and has a 3 star rating. Cheaper local options and hostels are available, but the savings don’t seem significant enough to be worth rolling the dice.
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So, let’s make a four night package given this information for two people, as an example:
Flight: $1,077 (Delta) per person
Accommodations: $118/night (Double Occupancy, so half the cost per person)
2-Game Package, Upper Sideline: $116 per person
Ground Transport: Estimated $50 per person from the airport to Best Western and Best Western to Wembley and back
Total: $1,479 per person.
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A Good Start, But…
For roughly half the price of the base $2,799 NFL On Location option, you’re able to fly from Jacksonville and see the game from a nearly identical seat. The only loss is access to the pre-game tailgate and the “commemorative gift”. I’ll let you judge whether they’re worth about $1,400 put together.
The good news is, it just gets better from here. In the days and weeks to come, I’m going to continue driving down this cost for fans willing to do some legwork to save big bucks. For example, I’ve already found a way to lower the cost of airfare a stunning 90% from the $1,077 listed above. I’m going to apply some of the same techniques to hotels next. How would it sound to stay in 4 or 5-star accommodations in the heart of London for a 60-70% discount or, if we’re all a little lucky, free of charge? That’s the goal.
My hope is to create, at the end of this adventure, a package where Duval’s finest can nab airfare, excellent accommodations, ground transport and a ticket to the game for $500 or less, with options to improve on any of these elements for an extra charge. I look forward to sharing my findings.