Blog
Three Lessons Learned at My First Super Bowl®
Author
A behind-the-scenes and on-the-field play-by-play
When I learned I would be helping PRA’s Northern California team manage an In Conjunction With (ICW) program for a national media company in San Francisco during the week of Super Bowl LX®, I immediately said, “I’m going to the Super Bowl.”
I didn’t have tickets. But I was going. That’s the thing about being part of a destination management company (DMC). We know how to make things happen. For our clients, for their guests, and when it’s during the Super Bowl—maybe ourselves.
This was the first program in my new role on the Central Services team, and I was ready to jump in and ensure the week was as exciting—and flawless—as a Hail Mary touchdown pass for our 50 guests attending Super Bowl LX.
And what an experience it was—here’s my recap, and three lessons learned.
1. Plan for perfection. Always have a backup plan.
The planner in me is always three steps ahead—it’s in a planner’s DNA. Even before I had a ticket, I was mapping out the logistics. I scheduled an Uber from San Francisco to Santa Clara for 2:00 PM—because I knew the hour-long drive and 3:30 kickoff meant I needed at least an hour and a half buffer. I broke down our client's hospitality suite by noon, grabbed a clear stadium bag (needed to get in), and left ticketless. But I was prepared.
That’s exactly how we operate at PRA. Whether we’re managing arrivals for 50 or 5,000 guests, coordinating Alcatraz tours, food experiences, Muir Woods excursions, golf outings, or game-day transportation—we plan for every scenario.
The same mindset that delivers flawless programs is the one that got me to that stadium gate, ready for whatever happened next.
2. The operations rulebook works—but make your own rules.
The Northern California team needed an extra set of hands with their Super Bowl programming—that’s where I came in as part of the Central Operations team.
Central Operations exists to provide support wherever we’re needed. Orlando, Chicago, Northern California—the fundamentals of travel. Strategy. Execution. Adaptation. And sometimes? Innovation.
With my operations hat on, watching the halftime show build and strike in under five minutes was a masterclass in logistics, creativity, and operational precision. The “sugarcane fields” weren’t set pieces; they were people dressed as trees.
From a production standpoint, it was brilliant. No heavy scenic load-in. No complex breakdown. Human staging that could enter and exit instantly.
It was operational efficiency at its highest level, and it felt like watching our team oversee a complex program: plan, coordinate, pivot, and execute.
3. Persistence pays off—big.
Saying I was going to the Super Bowl when the program was assigned to me wasn't reckless; it was intentional. I knew what I wanted, and I made it happen.
Standing outside that stadium, mobile in hand, watching ticket prices drop, surrounded by other people doing the same—all of us manifesting our way in—that's when it hit me: This whole week felt like destiny.
My first program with Central Operations. The Super Bowl. Bad Bunny performing at halftime (I'm a huge fan). All of it came together because I showed up ready and refused to give up.
The client was thrilled with the program. The weather was perfect. My first NFL game was the Super Bowl. I witnessed Bad Bunny deliver a halftime show, reminding me why I love being in the events world—and how proud I am to be from Puerto Rico.
Game Over
None of it happened by chance. It happened because of persistence paired with thoughtful planning—the same principles that have shaped my career and define how PRA delivers exceptional experiences every day.
We’re relentless in our pursuit of what’s possible. We bring ambitious, creative ideas to life, seek out the right partners, and execute with precision, whatever the scale. There’s real power in that. It’s how we create unforgettable moments, how I made it to Super Bowl LX, and why I’m always looking to what’s next.
