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Scoring a seat at the Super Bowl requires deep pockets, luck, or some combination of two. But for a tiny fraction of the cost of the cheapest tickets, local football fans can mingle with star players, see the Vince Lombardi Trophy and measure their knuckles against a glittering display of 58 Super Bowl rings — no insider connections required.
“We know not everybody is lucky enough to get that coveted Super Bowl ticket,” said Nicki Ewell, senior director of NFL Events at a media preview at the Super Bowl Experience event on Wednesday afternoon. “But we still want those that are local or visiting to know this is for them — for fans of all ages.”
The event transforms 700,000 square feet — an area roughly the size of 12 full NFL football fields — at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center into an “experiential and exhibitory space,” Ewell said.
Crews prepare an area at the Super Bowl LIX Fan Experience that features an exhibit on the New Orleans Saints at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. (Photo by Chris Granger, The Times-Picayune)
The Vince Lombardi Trophy will arrive for photo ops at 4 p.m. Wednesday via FedEx — the next stop on a New Orleans odyssey which has so far included a second line through the French Quarter, an appearance at Super Bowl LIX Opening Night and a brief rest in the NFL’s security office. And yes, it is the Lombardi.
“We don’t have replicas,” Ewell said. “The one we have is the one that’s going to be given out on Super Bowl Sunday.”
There’s also a replica locker room where fans can peek into all-star players’ personal spaces (spoiler: New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara favors a coconut-scented version of Old Spice deodorant spray).
Wilson Sporting Goods artisans, who have crafted footballs for every Super Bowl to date, will be on-site demonstrating their 20-step pigskin-making process and selling products, which range from $25 to $300, David Picioski, spokesperson for Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
A floating wall display of NFL helmets at the Super Bowl LIX Fan Experience at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. (Photo by Chris Granger, The Times-Picayune)
And there’s a mobile version of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which traveled all the way from Canton, Ohio, complete with pro football timelines and Hall of Fame busts, including Peyton Manning’s.
“I love seeing people as they go through the exhibit, seeing how much they enjoy the items,” said Brad Collins, registrar at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who on Wednesday still had around half a dozen display cases to fill. “It’s probably one of my favorite parts.”
Security guard Jadah Clark, who will pull 12-hour shifts through Saturday at the NFL Fan Experience, said her favorite exhibit is the “bling zone,” with its Super Bowl rings and bedazzled NFL helmets. She looks forward to welcoming a crowd that NFL spokesperson Megan Messing hopes will top 100,000, the number of attendees at last year’s Fan Experience in Las Vegas.
With tickets that range from $20 to $40 and free admission for kids under 12, plus discounted tickets for military and first responders, event organizers aim to make the fun accessible to everyone.
Decorated helmets on display at the Super Bowl LIX Fan Experience at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. (Photo by Chris Granger, The Times-Picayune)
“It’s going to be an experience,” Clark said. “Everybody is going to love it.”
The NFL Experience takes place Wednesday through Saturday. Tickets and more information about the event can be found online.
