How to Get Sideline Passes for NFL Games (Our Exclusive Team Experience with Barclaycard)

This experience was sponsored by Barclaycard. However, all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Wouldn't it be cool to be on the sidelines at an NFL game? This could be a dream-come-true experience, especially for long-time or young fans.

Who doesn't want to get close to their heroes down on the field? I'd love to one day bring my kid(s) down on the field.

Not many people get to experience being that close to the action of arguably the greatest sports spectacle in the world: an NFL game.

The intensity, athleticism, and excitement are unmatched.

Outside of suiting up and getting in the actual game, being on the sidelines at an NFL game is as close as you're going to get to the action.

But how do you get down there?

Unless you're a player, coach, a former player, member of the media, or some other type of employee/contractor of the team or stadium, you're not going to easily get down there.

I certainly don't recommend trying it without permission.

And I don't know of any way to actually make it on the sidelines during the actual game unless you fit into one of those categories above (media, family, etc.).

However, there are a few not-so-well-known ways I've discovered to make it to the sidelines just before (pre-game) an NFL game. Here they are:

1. Buy Premium Season Passes or a Suite

Each separate NFL team has some flexibility in what they offer with their premium packages. Buy a premium season pass package and it might just come with complimentary sideline field passes to one or more games.

This isn't something the NFL requires to my knowledge. Nor is it something every team is going to bother with.

However, teams are always looking for ways to add extra value for their biggest supporters. Exclusive experiences like a sideline pass is a great way to close the deal on their premium ticket sales.

Season pass packages and suites aren't cheap, obviously. Your average low-end suite in the NFL goes for around $65,000! That's a pretty expensive way to make your way to the sidelines. But hey, now you know it's possible. One can dream. #goals

Related: The True Cost to Attend the Super Bowl

2. Buy a VIP Package from Premium Seats USA

PremiumSeatsUSA.com is an online broker that allows people to resell their tickets. They are very similar to a Stubhub or Ticketmaster but they put an emphasis on premium seats and VIP packages you can't get on standard broker site.

I was able to find four pre-game field passes to an upcoming Giants-Cowboys game for $549 each.

3. Win Sideline Field Passes in a Giveaway

The NFL or individual NFL teams use sideline access as a giveaway in occasional promotional giveaways. There's no central repository or email list to join to discover these giveaways (that I know of). However, if you're a real fan then you'll probably be tied into the media/communications to ensure you'll find out about this stuff.

I'm a Saints fan and if I were a part of the Saints Insider program then I would have discovered this sideline pass giveaway for the last season. I'm not that hardcore, so I had no idea. Make sure you are signed up to your local fan community.

4. Redeem Your Barclaycard Extra Points for NFL Experiences

Barclaycard holders are well aware of this method for gaining access to the sidelines. If you have a Barclaycard NFL team credit card, you can turn your reward points in for exclusive NFL experiences. Super Bowl tickets, playoff tickets, and yes, even pregame sideline passes.

I asked my contacts at Barclaycard what the reward point value was of the different experiences? Here's what they said:

"The standard cost for sideline passes (or field access equivalent; varies by team) is 10,000 points. Please note, field access (including sideline passes) may be paired with tickets to create a VIP Game day Experience (based on available inventory; varies by team), which costs 35,000 points."

That's not bad! Considering you get 10,000 bonus points (after required spending) when you sign up for the NFL Extra Points Credit Card, you could quickly have enough points to cash in for this experience.

I got to experience a portion of the VIP Game day and you can read about my experience below.

Side note: If you have another Barclaycard, like the Arrival Plus, you can use your points for other (non-NFL related) experiences like getting the CityPASS in the city you are visiting for the game.

5. Take a Stadium Tour the Day Before

It's not the same as being on the field during the game, but it's still a fun experience to actually be down on the field at an NFL stadium. It feels special. If you take a stadium tour (offered by several stadiums) then you can be on the sidelines AND on the actual field.

When the Cowboys opened their new stadium a few years ago, a friend and I toured the stadium and got to go on the field and even in the locker rooms. The field tour was great because we could run around, throw a football, and even do a foot race (which I won, of course).

What to Expect from Sideline Passes

In most instances, sideline passes will mean you and your fellow ticket holders will get to be down on the field (in a little roped off area on the sidelines that you cannot leave) BEFORE the game. You typically don't get to be there during the actual game.

You'll get to watch the teams warming up, see all the pre-game hype up close, and then head off to your seats for the kickoff.

Notable Youtubers BFvsGF got to have an experience like this thanks to a family friend and thankfully they recorded it all for us to experience, too. Here ya go:

Our Saints Exclusive Team Experience with Barclaycard

As I shared above, you can turn in Barclaycard points for exclusive NFL game day experiences. This is something only offered by Barclaycard through their reward points program and their relationship with the NFL.

As a Saints fan, I've always wanted to try one of these out. We try to go to at least one game each year and typically game in the game (from the cheap seats) and enjoy all that New Orleans has to offer.

When Barclaycard approached me, an arrival card user myself, about getting to do the game day experience (complimentary) this year I jumped at the chance. We were able to request specific games and I initially chose the Saints-Cowboys game in Dallas but ended up with Saints Rams tickets instead.

Boy am I glad I did. We just returned from the trip and had just an absolute blast. Not only was it a great game (the Saints won) but the extras that came with the game day experience package made it super memorable.

VIP Tailgating at Club 44

Club 44 is open to the public before the games. It's a great place to grab and drink and hang out with friends before the game starts. There are TVs lounge areas and of course a big bar in the middle.

Like any nightclub, there is a VIP area. The VIP section has a bar with complimentary drinks and a food buffet. We got to be in the VIP section, of course, had a nice time. They served pulled pork sandwiches at the buffet.

Then we went to the game and had the chance to sit at the club level where we enjoyed one of the best saints games I've ever attended. We won!

Post-Game Press Conference

At the end of the game, we headed down to the press room adjacent to the Saints locker room. There we stood in the back and listened to reporters ask questions to coach Payton and Drew Breeze.

We were the only non-media people in the surprisingly small room and it was fun to experience the behind the scenes.

Thank you, Barclaycard, for making this possible!

It was fun to feel like VIPs for a day and get to be behind the scenes for what was a great game day for the Saints. If you are a Barclaycard holder and an NFL fan, it's a no-brainer to take advantage of this perk.

The post How to Get Sideline Passes for NFL Games (Our Exclusive Team Experience with Barclaycard) appeared first on Part-Time Money.