Wal-Mart Offers Tips for Making Sunday’s Football Party the Best Ticket in Town
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – February 2, 2006 – With the average ticket to Sunday’s “big game” going for $3,054 this year, according to Stubhub.com, most of the 145 million fans across the country planning to tune in will do so with friends and family at home. Whether catching this event with a few friends or a crowd, some simple tips can help anyone plan a party that’s quick, easy and inexpensive.
With more than 100 million customers shopping the country’s Wal-Mart stores this week alone, who better to help plan the ultimate party than the world’s largest retailer? Wal-Mart expects to sell 9,000 Wal-Mart truck loads of soda for the “big game” on Sunday and more than enough pizzas for everyone in Detroit’s Ford Field to have 130 pizzas each!
“We know this Sunday’s game is one of the biggest party events of the year for our customers,” says Bruce Peterson, senior vice president and general merchandise manager, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. “Our customers can be assured that our aisles, deli and bakery locations are stocked with everything they’ll need to plan the perfect party.”
Wal-Mart recommends focusing on the three G’s when it comes to planning the ultimate football bash: the guests, the game and great food.
Guests:
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Encourage guests to wear their favorite team’s NFL-licensed jerseys – Pittsburgh or Seattle, Chicago or Green Bay – Wal-Mart has them all!
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Use a football – such as the official Wilson NFL Game Football, made of top-of the-line leather and designed for the highest level of play, for less than $60 – as a guest “book” and place it near the front door for everyone to sign. It’ll be a great “game ball” door prize!
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Offer plenty of beverages and snacks before the game starts and arrange them in a variety of “territories” around the room to encourage movement and traffic flow.
Game:
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Set up as many televisions as possible around the party area – the more the better!
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Set aside a room that doesn’t have a television for partygoers who may be looking for a quiet place to talk. Make sure to pick up a few board games for this group to have some “hang time” of its own.
Great Food:
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To serve great food without missing a minute of the game, use a slow cooker like Wal-Mart’s unique football-shaped selection available at Wal-Mart stores and at Walmart.com ( www.walmart.com). Chili, beef stew, soup – all offer hearty crowd-pleasing meals that may cause a “rushing” penalty!
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Plan a buffet-style dinner. Tables piled with great food will give guests a “neutral zone” and allow them to come and go and not miss a minute of the game.
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Be a “free agent” by staying out of the kitchen and ordering party trays and platters in advance! Wal-Mart offers a wide variety including chicken wings, popcorn chicken and tenders, veggie, cheese and fruit trays, and sub sandwiches. Simply stop by your local Supercenter or call ahead to order. Platters come in a variety of sizes serving 6-12 people or a crowd of 28-30.
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Have a custom-decorated dessert. With a variety of decorated cakes that can feature team logos, photos or team themes, Wal-Mart can make your party desserts fun, delicious and sure to get “double coverage” all day long!
About Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM’S CLUB locations in the United States. The company also operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company’s securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting www.walmartfacts.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmartfacts.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com.