Winnipeg football fan Kelly Loewen booked his Minneapolis hotel eight months ago but he and his buddies still donât have tickets to Sundayâs Super Bowl.
âHonestly, if thereâs tickets to be had, theyâre here in Minneapolis,â the New England Patriots fan told ŰÎŰ´ŤĂ˝ Channel on Saturday. âSo itâs a bit of a shot in the dark, but weâre cautiously optimistic that we can make something happen.â
Leaving home on Friday morning, Loewen managed to cover the 740 km that separates Winnipeg from Minneapolis in just six-and-a-half hours. Travelling with two friends, heâs been taking in Super Bowl parties and events, even meeting some players.
âWeâve had a ton of fun so far,â he said. âWe booked the hotel on a whim ... about eight months ago, just thinking, âHey, weâll see what happens.â We had a free cancellation.â
âWhen it became (clear) that New England was going to be in it, it kind of became a no-brainer for us,â he added.
As of Saturday evening, tickets for the sold-out football game were listed for more than US$2,500 each on resale websites. Loewen isnât ready to shell out that kind of dough but remains optimistic about being able to nab seats.
âWeâre hoping an hour or two before the game, maybe some people get a little bit more desperate,â he said. âWeâre told that we should be hopeful.â
And if he canât find tickets, Loewen says heâll have no regrets.
âIf we wake up in the morning and we try to schmooze with people and we donât get into the game, then we might drive halfway back to Fargo and watch the game from there, and see where the night takes us.â
While Loewen is hoping that the Patriots will win their second straight NFL championship, he says it could be either teamâs game.
âI think itâs going to be a close battle,â he said. âThe Eagles are a great team too.â