"Hot tickets: Mags’ Super Bowl parties draw ‘em in with skin" by Rita Basile, Volume 8, issue 38

Two issues ago an article ran in Sports Business Journal that stated that hospitality firms were having a hard time drawing clients to Detroit this year because of the location and weather. I guess the way to draw clients to this area is by sponsoring events that promote Playmates and swimsuits. Maxim and Playboy were giving tickets to advertisers and VIPS to attend the parties. It was stated in this article that these tickets were harder to get than game tickets.
Fake tickets were sold on eBay last year for the Maxim event for $2000. This year tickets for the Maxim and Playboy affair were on sale on eBay for $1,700 a piece. Security is so tight for the affairs that the magazines do not even divulge the location. These types of parties began in 2000 in Atlanta by Playboy. It is noted that these parties give “men in their 40’s and 50’s a guilt-free way to relive their wild and crazy single days.”
Sports Illustrated even began hyping their swimsuit edition at the Super Bowl three years ago. SI will use its swimsuit models to conjure up “tasteful sex appeal” said Jeff Price, chief marketing officer and president of SI Digital. The adult magazines are not afraid of labeling their parties with a sexy stamp, but SI says it is tasteful sex appeal.
Sex sells! This is a definite. Look at advertisements, TV shows, movies, music videos, and sometimes even cartoons that our children watch today. It’s no wonder that Maxim, Playboy and Sports Illustrated are selling it as part of the Super Bowl. If clients won’t come to Detroit because of the cold weather then the clients need to be warmed up with something to draw them to the cold city. I am not a person who favors this type of environment but who am I to say to Maxim, Playboy, and Sports Illustrated how to run their business. They know what sells and they know how to draw them in!