Everything you need to know when booking a luxury suite to NBA / NFL / NHL / MLB games.
Whether you’re looking to book a luxury suite, executive box or premium group tickets for your clients — it can be difficult to source and compare the best options for corporate group bookings at your local arena or stadium.
Luckily, at Robin we have lots of experience putting together unique experiences for our clients, so we’re going to do our civic duty and share how you can get the most value from booking a luxury suite or box at any NBA/NFL/NHL/MLB game.
Step 1: Match Your Event to Your Guests
When it comes to sporting events, everyone has their preference. It’s a good idea to make sure your guests are actually interested in the event or team you’ve selected before you make any purchasing decisions. A quick hack to confirm this, is to check if they follow the team (or the team’s top athletes) on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Ensuring everyone is engaged in the event is paramount to creating a memorable event. If your guests enjoy and remember the experience, your chances of creating or strengthening a worthwhile business relationship will be maximized. On the other hand, inviting your guest to an event they do not like can actually be insulting. (We had one client tell us “I got invited to a Knicks game, and I’m not even a baseball fan!” That’s a very expensive insult.)
Step 2: Find the Best Option for your Group
When looking at luxury suites you need to keep in mind how many guests will be attending, because venues can have 3–5 different suite types varying in size and amenities. For instance, Boston’ TD Garden — the home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins — has 4-5 different options for luxury suites ranging in size from their smallest suite (12 guests) to their largest Rafters Studios (230 guests). Generally, this information should be found on the venue’s or team’s website, but unfortunately it isn’t always clearly listed.
Step 3: Find the Best Value
Depending on the popularity of the team, their opponent, the day of the week and general availability, you could find a massive price discrepancy between the price the team might quote, and what is available from other suppliers and suite owners who are looking to get rid of their suite for that given night. Do your research — or let one of our experts do it for you.
Furthermore, if you’re on a budget, it could be far more reasonable to simply purchase a large group of platinum or premium tickets in lieu of renting a suite. If suites are out of your price range, breaking your large group into 2–3 groups to sit in the same section can also be an enjoyable experience.
Pro tip: If you end up getting group tickets instead of a luxury suite, make sure you have lounge access so your group can be together during intermissions. Calling ahead to make a reservation is highly recommended.
Step 4: Catering and Food Options
With a luxury suite experience, food & beverage (F&B) is one of the most important elements of successful client entertaining. Most luxury suites will have some type of complementary catering included as part of the basic rental package, but it is also usually lacklustre. It is highly recommended to explore the premium upgrades available from catering partners. These upgrades include more food and better options, and will cost between $50–$150 per person.
Pro tip: most caterers would be happy to create a custom menu for your group if you need something special, have guests with dietary restrictions or simply want to enjoy some of George Clooney’s premium tequila.
*If you’re a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs or Toronto Raptors, check out our article about the 6 best restaurants near Scotiabank Arena for pre-game or post-game enjoyment.
Step 5: Memorabilia & Add-Ons
Meaningful and custom gifts provide your guests with something tangible to remember their experience with you and your company. If it’s within your budget, we recommend custom sports jerseys for all your guests. This is the type of gift that will make you stand out and make sure that your guests remember your in-suite experience. Most suite rentals come with discounts on sports apparel, so be sure to ask about it when booking!
Furthermore, venues will give you the option to go the extra mile with your guests as well. Stadium or arena tours, pre-game events and meet-and-greets with alumni can sometimes be added to your suite rental.
Pro tip: These are often available for a fraction of the cost of the suite, and guests consider them highlights of their experience.
Step 6: Transportation
Driving to an arena or stadium can sometimes be a necessity, but we highly suggest trying to take care of transportation for your clients wherever possible. Uber/Lyft credits, limo services or public transportation can be a far better alternative given the propensity for sports fans to over-consume while enjoying games. Try to create an environment where clients and colleagues can have a few drinks and relax safely in a worry-free environment.
That said, suite rentals often come with a number of parking passes so if there are designated drivers in your group, they’ll be able to park near the venue if required.
Step 7: Booking Your Suite
If this whole process sounds like one big hassle after another, you can always turn to experts to take care of the details and ensure you’re always getting the best value for your spend. At Robin we aim to take the hassle out of booking any type of client or corporate entertainment, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always at your service.
Game on.
