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Here's a newsflash, the premier sporting event in the United States isn't cheap.  It's not cheap to attend, not cheap to produce, and not cheap to sponsor.  Yet, every year, the Super Bowl stadium is filled to capacity, sponsors are lining up to buy advertising, and NFL cities are doing whatever  possible to host the game.

Simply put, the popularity of the game is unmatched. 

So why are there critics each year who chastise the enormous expense of the big game?  A recent column by Washington Post writer Sally Jenkins bemoans the fact that the average fan can't attend the game due to the cost.  Well, this is not an average game and the laws of supply and demand are at work.  If there wasn't someone to pay $900 for a ticket, then there wouldn't be $900 tickets for sale.

The cost of the Navy pregame fly-over is also being scrutinized.  Their performance was seen on television for about five seconds, and cost between 100 thousand and 400 thousand dollars.  Yet, it was seen by about 100 million people.  As a business owner, would you spend less than half a million dollars to put your product in front of 100 million people.  Heck yeah.

The Super Bowl is not cheap in any way, shape or form.   Those who want to attend will find a way to pay for it.  The others will be like me and watch it for free.  Either way, how do you fault the NFL, or criticize anyone, for the game's popularity?  Even at these expensive prices, the Super Bowl is always "sold out."   It's a shame the success is considered a "sell out" by those who feel we all should have access to the game for just a few dollars.