8 Most Lavish Celebrations In Sports Slideshow
1. $2 Million: Los Angeles Lakers’ 2009 NBA Championship Victory Parade
In the midst of the economic troubles of 2009, the steep price tag attached to their NBA Championship victory parade turned controversial. With unemployment numbers rising and a diminished city budget, the Lakers agreed to pay for half of the cost of the parade. The remaining $1 million necessary to fund the parade came from the City of Los Angeles.
2. $1.2 Million: Dallas Mavericks’ 2011 NBA Championship Victory Parade
There is no doubt that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is ecstatic about his team's first ever NBA title win — he recently willingly offered to cover the entire cost of the victory parade. And with an estimated price tag of about $1.2 million, it's a hefty sum for the average person. But for this flamboyant guy who has an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion, the parade is just a mere .072% of his self-worth — like what a $72 dinner tab would be for anyone else — states the International Business Times.
3. $332,000: New Orleans Saints’ 2010 Super Bowl Victory Parade
In honor of their 2010 Super Bowl title win, the New Orleans Saints held a victory parade that cost about $322,000. While Parish officials initially balked at splitting the hefty sum for the festivities with the team (after all, the Saints do play in a $10 million stadium just out of town), they felt contributing $95,000 was a wise use of city money that might otherwise go to spur economic development.
So what was the money used for? Well, $2,100 of it went towards a one-song performance of Halftime (Get Up & Get Crunk), which is usually played after most touchdowns at the Saints' home games, by the Ying Yang Twins. Yup, that's one expensive song.
4. $157,000 Bar Tab: Bruins' 2011 Stanley Cup Win
While it is expected that every Stanley Cup winner will drink Champagne from the coveted trophy, the Boston Bruins went above and beyond the call of duty in their victory celebration this year. Celebrating the win at the MGM Grand club Shrine at Foxwoods Casino Resort, players recently toasted the win with a rare $100,000, 30-liter (40 bottles) Ace of Spades "Midas" bottle of Champagne from Armand de Brignac, along with massive quantities of Red Bull, 136 Bud Lights, and 57 bottles of water. Add to that a $24,869 service charge and you've got yourself a $156,679.74 bar tab (and one nice tip, we hope).
5. $110,000 Bar Tab (for Four): Mavericks’ 2011 NBA Title
When it comes to celebrating victories in sports this year, Armand de Brignac's Ace of Spades Champagne is the drink of choice. The Bruins drank it to celebrate their Stanley Cup win, and Mavericks owner Cuban recently dropped $90,000 for a 15-liter bottle (20 bottles) of the bubbly at the club Liv in Miami's Fontainebleau Hotel for four of his players... and left the staff a generous $20,000 tip.
6. $100,000 Bar Tab: NFL’s Bryant McKinnie’s All-Star Party
NBA All-Star Weekend no doubt sees a variety of big-spending celebrity athletes, but this year, Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie stood out among his peers. At an All-Star "Kick Off Party" hosted by rapper Rick Ross, McKinnie, who will earn $4.9 million in 2011, ordered more than 15 bottles of Champagne and racked up a bar tab of $100,000 during the night's festivities.
7. $79,500: Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2009 Super Bowl Victory Parade
While it initially looked as though Pittsburgh would go without a ticker-tape parade if their hometown team won the NFL Championship in 2009, in the end, state grants covered the $79,500 price tag for the team's victory parade held two days after their 6th win at Super Bowl XLIII. Oh, and that doesn't include what the state doled out ($500,000) to cover the cost of police patrols to control rowdy fans in multiple neighborhoods around the city that Sunday night after the game.
8. $50,000 Décor: Kobe Bryant’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Celebration
When you're celebrating All-Star Weekend and you're the first athlete to be invited to leave your handprints and footprints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame outside Grauman's Chinese Theater, you better throw one memorable party. And LA Lakers player Kobe Bryant did just that earlier this year during All-Star Weekend when he hosted an Asian-themed soiree at the exclusive Boulevard 3 club that boasted tight security, an exclusive guest list, and a $50,000 bill for the themed décor alone.