The Super Bowl checks off a lot of the boxes regarding American-type celebrations. An overabundance of food. Fast-paced concerts. Ads featuring babies and dogs. Perhaps a little bit of beer. And, of course, football.

So if you’re hosting the Super Bowl party this year, there are a lot of expectations to uphold. For the host, most of those expectations center on the food and drink you provide. And while there are quite a few millionaires on the field at the Super Bowl, chances are you don’t have a million-dollar budget for your party. Consider our list of the best ways to save money on a Super Bowl party!

Go Generic for the Basics

Although the fancy name brands will be featured all over the Super Bowl commercials, you don’t necessarily need to pay their prices for your party. Inexpensive store brand potato chips, salty snacks, salsa, dipping sauces, popcorn, and OJ for mixed drinks aren’t going to draw attention from party goers … especially if they’ve already consumed a few of those mixed drinks. They’re more interested in the foods you make yourself. Put the store brands in a bowl, and most people won’t know the difference, allowing you to save money on Super Bowl party planning.

Visit Warehouse Clubs

If you need to shop for ingredients to feed a large set of people, say a dozen or more, you will save a bit of money by shopping at a warehouse club. If  you don’t have a membership to a club, it isn’t financially worth it to buy a membership just for a once-a-year Super Bowl party, but some clubs allow for a trial membership for this type of situation. And if you’re looking for pre-made snacks, they’ll be less expensive in these clubs versus traditional grocery stores.

Alcohol Options

When it comes to breaking the budget of your Super Bowl party, alcohol can do it in a hurry. As long as you aren’t picky about the brand of beer, wine, or hard liquor you’re going to offer, you generally can find some good sales just before the Super Bowl. Shop around, as warehouse clubs, grocery stores, liquor stores, and even convenience stores may offer really good deals on alcohol, using the sale price to draw people into the store. Don’t try to anticipate everyone’s individual alcohol preferences, or you’ll overbuy. Just pick a few different options to provide. Or if you have friends who are picky about their brand of alcohol, make it a BYOB party.

Pre-Made Vs. Self Prep

Yes, it’s cheaper to prepare the food yourself. But if you’re taking two days off from work to cook, you might not be saving money in the long run. Figure out your menu ahead of time, and then determine which foods you can made quickly. If a type of food you want to serve will take a long time to prepare, you may save money in the long run — not to mention save some stress — if you purchase that particular food pre-made.

Pick a Family Favorite Main Dish…

Everyone has that one main dish that they love to prepare, that’s also a family favorite. It usually can be made inexpensively to save money on a Super Bowl party, and you’ve probably made it enough times that it won’t take long to prepare. Perhaps it’s a family recipe for chili or a rice casserole. Let everyone know it’s a family favorite, and it’ll give your Super Bowl party a personalized feel.

…Then Go Small With Finger Foods

After picking your one main dish, stick with small finger foods as complements. Sure, the Super Bowl is all about going to extremes, but your secondary food offerings don’t have to be. Rather than setting out a large pizza with only eight pie-shaped slices, cut it into squares, leaving more, but smaller, pieces. Don’t put out foot-long sub sandwiches; instead, cut them into six 2-inch subs. Small finger foods work well too, such as chicken wings or cut up pigs in a blanket. With smaller portions, you’ll encourage people to sample more types of food. And if there’s something on your menu that someone takes but doesn’t like the taste, they won’t be throwing away 11 inches of a sub sandwich.

Putting Friends to Work

Most of us have at least one friend who always brings food to a party like this … even when they’re told they don’t need to bring anything. Instead of just letting this friend bring a mystery food — a recipe that may match something you already have prepared — ask them to bring a specific item that fits within your menu. Perhaps they’ve brought a recipe in the past that you really liked, so ask them to bring that again. Not only will they feel great that you’ve asked for a specific favorite recipe, you’ll have a better handle on how much food will be on hand, reducing the chance of massive leftovers. And it’ll save you some money and time on food prep (but you can keep that information to yourself).

Avoid Too Many Sweets

Hosts tend to spend too much on desserts at these parties. Beer and hot wings are great together. Beer and nachos are a natural fit. But washing down a fancy football-shaped chocolate cupcake with a beer is not appetizing. Maybe limit yourself to a few candy dishes in the team colors: Green & white M&Ms for the Eagles and blue and red M&Ms for the Patriots.

Decorations

Don’t go overboard with decorations. Consider the local dollar store to pick up inexpensive football related decorations. And instead of spending big money for NFL-licensed Patriots and Eagles items, purchase plates and napkins from the dollar store in the team colors instead.

The TV

Finally, don’t forget about the TV … and the bigger, the better. We’ve collected quite a few deals on TVs you can use to save a bit of money, should you need a new model or a second TV for a secondary seating area. If it’s too late or too expensive to pick up a new TV for your party, consider asking a friend to bring one. Today’s flat screen TVs are light enough that they’re easy to transport.

Best Ways to Save Money on a Super Bowl Party

Culminating six months of work, mechanical engineer and part-time digital artist Tim Proby has put together a ridiculously awesome collection of 1080p wallpapers that combines the 32 teams in the National Football League with Game of Thrones house sigils. Taking suggestions for team mottos from the Reddit community, Proby created multiple versions of the wallpapers here.

In some cases, there are five or six versions of the wallpaper for the same team, each with a different motto. In an interview with Mashable, he mentioned that the idea for the wallpapers came to him when listening to a sports talk radio station, specifically the varied opinions of the callers. Proby said, “There’s all these calls coming in, and all this hate from different people. I was like, ‘This reminds me of the Starks and the Lannisters.'”

Check out 32 selections from the collection (alphabetical by city name) with each wallpaper representing one of the 32 active teams in the NFL. You can click on any wallpaper to expand it, then right-click to save the 1080p version of the graphic.

NFL / Game of Thrones 1080p Wallpapers

32 Amazing NFL / Game of Thrones 1080p Wallpapers

Fall is almost here — the season of apple picking, pumpkin carving and… getting drunk enjoying time with friends and family in parking lots before football games. Although the reality is you don’t really need much to tailgate (aside from a car and a couple of 6-packs), there are definitely things out there that might help bring your tailgating experience to a whole new level.

Get ready to bring your A-game.

Coleman PerfectFlow InstaStart Grill Stove (Amazon)

Obviously, you’re going to need a place to grill hotdogs, brats and burgers. This is a good option because it’s compact, powerful, and (according to the reviews) super easy to clean up. While charcoal certainly adds excellent flavor, it is much messier and difficult to dispose of.

The Go Plate (Amazon)

Is there anything worse than trying to balance a plate of food while also holding onto a beer? Especially when you’re standing around someone’s car and things like tables are hard to come by. What are you to do — attempt that awkward bottle under your armpit move while you sloppily shovel potato salad into your mouth? Risk losing your beer by leaving it unattended on the ground while you finish your brat? With the Go Plate, these kinds of questions are simply irrelevant.

Coleman 54-Quart Steel-Belted Cooler (Amazon)

Not only is this cooler huge (it holds 85 cans), but it’s constructed of stainless steel, making it extra manly and sweet. You’ll even be able to display your “#1 Fan” photo magnet right on it for all to see (okay, that might make it slightly less manly).

Go Pong 8-Foot Portable Folding Beer Pong Table
(Amazon)

This portable folding table serves many important purposes: beer pong table, flip cup table and plain old food table. When you’re not using it to relive your college days, use it to set out chips and cheese dip.

Travel John Disposable Urinal (6-Pack, Amazon)

Broken the seal? No need to wait in long lines to use a nasty port-o-potty when you have one of these along. They claim to turn urine into “odorless, spill-proof gel.” They have some of the most glowing user reviews I’ve ever seen, and the watch-at-your-own-risk YouTube videos are pretty convincing…

ION Tailgater Bluetooth Portable Speaker System
(Amazon)

Sure, you could pretty easily listen to music/pre-game show stuff through your regular car speakers, but this on-the-go speaker system is way cooler. Plus it comes with a microphone for yelling insults at the opposing teams’ tailgaters and/or letting everyone know the burgers are done.

NFL Jersey Koozie (Prices Vary, Amazon)

Not only will keep your beer cold, but it will also allow you and your beer to be “twinsies” if you’ve got a jersey of your own to wear on game days.

Tailgater Hitch Cover/Bottle Opener
(Amazon)

Yeah… You could just use the bottle opener on your keychain, but this one proves to the world that you’re a true superfan. Even on weekdays.

Eight Tailgating Essentials for the Football Season

Are you ready for Super Bowl 50? With just a handful of days before the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos kick off Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco, you are probably already gearing up for your big Super Bowl party. If that’s the case, now is the time to get your house in order with the right tech as well as theming the hell out of your party with the proper food & drink.

We’ve put together the ultimate big game guide together to help you through the process.

Screens, Go Big or Go Home

If you have 20 people coming over to watch the game, hovering around a 42-inch television is so 2010. It’s time to upgrade your screen size, ideally 55 inches or higher. While 4K Ultra HD is getting ramped up right now, you don’t actually have to buy a 4K set this year. The Super Bowl is not going to to broadcast in Ultra HD this year, but it will likely be broadcast in 4K next year. Here are a few solid picks: (prices are subject to change)

• LG 65LF5700 65″ 1080p Roku HDTV at Best Buy for $800.
• VIZIO E60-C3 60″ 1080p 120Hz HDTV at Walmart for $499. (Refurbished)
• LG Electronics 55LF6100 55-Inch 1080p HDTV at Amazon for $598.

If you really want to impress everyone, consider stepping up to a projection system. If your weather is mild in your neck of the woods, you could also consider an outdoor party with an giant projection screen. Here are great options for both.

• Optoma GT1080 1080p 3D DLP Projector at Amazon for $700.
• Outdoor Big Screen 92″ Lite Portable Movie Screen at Target for $150.

But The Screen Isn’t Everything

What good is a giant screen if you are stuck using the low-powered speakers in the TV? Parties can get loud and you are going to need volume. Here are a couple deals to boost your audio profile:

• LG LAS454B – 2.1ch 300W Sound Bar with Wireless Sub at Best Buy for $130.
• VIZIO 38″ 5.1-Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Sub and Rear Satellites at Walmart for $188.

You should also consider how hungry your guests will be for the second screen experience. If they want stats or replays on demand, keeping a tablet on hand will be handy.

Another option is routing your cable signal though an Xbox One in order to watch the game within the NFL on Xbox app. That will give you real-time stats on the game on the screen as well as access to replays. Here are a couple good deals to accomplish that:

• Samsung Galaxy 9.7-Inch 16 GB Tablet at Amazon for $250.
• Xbox One 1TB Madden NFL 16 Bundle + Free Game at Microsoft Store for $399.

Who’s Thirsty?

While having a variety of popular beer and wine on hand will certainly please your party-goers, it’s certainly not going to keep them talking about your party around the water cooler on Monday morning.

You need to kick it up a notch with some mixed drinks themed to the teams playing in the Super Bowl. Our suggestions:

Carolina Panther Cocktails

• Carolina Sweet Tea: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Blue Curacao Margarita: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Carolina Blue Whale: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Moonshine Mint Julep: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Carolina Panther Punch: Recipe

Denver Bronco Cocktails

• The Orange Crush: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Broncos Zone Blitz: Recipe
• The Bronco Bulldog: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Tequila Sunrise: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Spiced Cider Punch: Recipe

Who’s Hungry?

I see you eyeballing that sad pack of frozen pizza pockets in the grocery store. Let’s call that a third-string backup because you are going to step it up on the food front this year.

Don’t get me wrong, you should have the staples. You can never have enough chips, dip and other snacks during the game. However, you can also prep a handful of items prior to the game that will blow away your guests. Our themed suggestions:

Carolina Panther Dishes

• Carolina Pulled Pork Sliders: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Fried Pickles: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Collard Green and Artichoke dip: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Southern Fried Hot Wings: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Carolina Panthers Choco Chip & Pecan Cookies: Recipe

Denver Bronco Dishes

• Rocky Mountain Oysters: Recipe 1, Recipe 2, Recipe 3
• Mini Taco Bites: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Buffalo Sliders: Recipe 1, Recipe 2
• Pork and Pinto Bean Nachos: Recipe
• Bronco Orange Butter Cookies: Recipe

If you can’t find anything you want to make above, I recommend checking out 103 Super Bowl Recipes at Brown Eyed Baker.

That’s pretty much it; you are now ready to host a kick-ass Super Bowl 50 party. Go forth and conquer. And pray the Super Bowl gods deliver unto us a halftime performance from Beyonce that we can mock for weeks to come.

How to Throw a Killer Panthers / Broncos Super Bowl 50 Party

Americans, rejoice, the culmination of ESPN’s fiscal year is upon us. The Super Bowl is a time for drinking, drunkenness, inebriation and other sports fan pastimes, especially those involving alcohol. Most importantly, though, it’s a time to listen to retired athletes make a case for their continued future in broadcast television, while behind those plastered smiles is years-built shame and regret over having not reached the big game themselves.

Surely, the psychopathy stirring underneath whitened teeth and custom-tailored mega-suits is enough to keep the broadcast interesting, if not the burly men hurling themselves at each other on the field. Because, really, aren’t we all here for the commercials and half-time show? If there was ever another time for a wardrobe malfunction, monotheistic deity willing, this is it.

Of all the fundamental truths about the Super Bowl, though, the one faithful constant is its quality of excess. This is the most of all the TV things that can happen in a year, save the inevitable, impending Mars landing and World War Cyber. In the spirit of excess, let’s buy stuff while we wait for some country lovers try to kill some water-dwelling birds, because that’s what football (the NFL) is all about.

(Don’t forget to click on the pictures to get to the stuff)

Stuff Your Face

As always, nourishment comes first. If you don’t already have one of these things, then you can’t call yourself a man, according to law. And if you’re a woman, feel free to berate this post for its sexist leanings. I only listen to people with grills.

That’s a grill, in case it’s wings threw you off. This one’s the Weber Q 2200, because HAL was taken. This entire website, BBQGuys, is devoted to all things BBQ. They’ve got a running list of the top 10 portable gas grills, headlined by our futuristic friend.

Once you do have a football-approved cooking apparatus, ignore it and make this stuff with your normal kitchen gear. Now you’re living in excess.

Bon Appetite put together a sweet list of chicken wing recipes. Don’t order out. It’s lazy.

From Real Simple comes a pleasing list of crowd-pleasing dips. Feel free to dip the wings.

Also, feel free to head over to our binge watching guide for some more eatery and comfort suggestions. Mini hot dogs, mini pretzels and normal sized things await.

True Team Pride

What Patriots and Seahawks fans wear on the big day is what’s predictable. They’re going to put on their jerseys or Conference Champions shirts and sweat straight through them for a couple of hours. The NFL has a dedicated hub for that stuff. Everyone else, on the other hand, who isn’t sweating, has a much larger wardrobe choice at their disposal. For instance:

If you need these shirts explain, then you’ll never find them worthwhile. You’ll need to devote a certain amount of time to an FX show called The League, which is supposedly about a group of people in a fantasy football league together. In fact it’s about an insane man named Rafi and his unknowing victims.

As for the first of these three shirts:

Lacking humor and a soul, if you’re stubborn and insist on reminding the world just how great your team is, go ahead and just dawn the disgusting, yellowing rag you kept from that one time your team did anything worth a damn.

And for fans of the following teams: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. Here’s the shirt for the year you guys won:

Preparation

Ask any world-class athlete you know personally, and he or she will tell you the big day isn’t really about the big day, it’s about preparing for the big day. The Super Bowl is one such very large day. Luckily for the Joes of the world, staying in tip-top shape isn’t necessary to enjoying the Super Bowl for all that it is. Nope, all we have to do is watch our TVs very intently in the preceding week to make sure said TV doesn’t do something crazy like run away, or stop working. In the event that neither of those extremely likely things happen, you might as well watch one of these football-related movies over the course of your diligence.

Any Given Sunday – The Super Intense Football Movie

Jerry Maguire – The Love Story Shrouded Within a Football Movie, Movie

Remember the Titans – The One Where Denzel is the Best at What He Does

And if you’re really into the preparation stuff, maybe it’s a TV show to binge watch you need. There’s time, my friend, there’s always time, especially when that time is spent watching Tim Riggins be amazing at everything.

Friday Night Lights – When Teenagers are Way Too Emotionally Intelligent, But It’s Relatable Anyway

Playmakers – The Scripted Show ESPN Cancelled Because it Made the NFL Look Bad (read: it was realistic)

If you’re interested, here’s a great little rundown of the first and only season of Playmakers. A lot of stuff happened in that show that was more or less a precursor to real-life events in the sporting worlds. Gay athletes. Criminal athletes. Doped up athletes. It’s like the TV version of that NFL Blitz video game reboot, NFL Blitz: The League, where the camera would zoom in on bone-cracking injuries and managing your players’ drug intake was a part of the fun. For some reason neither NFL Blitz: The League or Playmakers could net officially licensed NFL team names for the final product.

And don’t forget, CNN put together a preview of the coveted commercials to air during the game this year. For some reason this is something CNN does now, but who am I to complain? Now I don’t even have to watch anything at all.

The Perfect Football

Your party attendees just might be in the football throwing mood. Don’t be the chump without the goods, man. How else will you tackle children without inciting legal recourse?

There’s the ridiculously overpriced “Official NFL Football” over at Dicks Sporting Goods. It’s $100. I won an official Washington Wizards game ball at an auction once for $40, but this was before John Wall, so it naturally went uncontested. You could go that route, or you could stand to have some friggin’ personality and get something like this:

Unless, of course, you’re the kind of guy who needs to be the quarterback, which means making sure those damned kids can’t grip the thing. If you aren’t an over-competitive middle-aged man still trying to prove he could have made it if he wanted to, just make the kids happy:

Just in Case

If the party does indeed transition to the outdoors, and there is that guy who really needs to use a man’s football, don’t shame in keeping the following products around, just in case the Patriots inspire more than love of country in your associates. Victory comes at a price, my friend, and that price is integrity.

Everything You Need to Prep for the Super Bowl

Yet another Super Bowl has come and gone. Denver fans are drowning their sorrows while new Seahawks fans are leaping onto the bandwagon. And of course, the entire Internet was ready to lampoon the losers as well as the commercials, halftime show and pretty much everything else that happened during Super Bowl XLVIII.

We have scoured the Web to find the 25 best memes and reactions that hit on everything in yesterday’s game. Feel free to take a look and be sure to post your favorite in our comments below. Enjoy!

Best Picture of the Game

So many highlights

Horrible Joke #1

Where’s OJ when you need him?

Call back next year

Happens every year

Horrible Joke #2

Serious First World Problems

Denver has been Zoidberged

Gandalf called it

Insanity Wolf Places a Bet

Surprise, Surprise

Poor Peyton

Probably got it from Han

Peyton must have lost his red stapler

That was quick

And he was quicker on his feet

Time to update the resume

It’s like lighting money on fire

Many years ago

At least he asked nicely

After watching the T-Mobile commercials

More First World Problems

But Peyton is a people person.

Same goes for the halftime show

25 Best Reactions and Memes for Super Bowl XLVIII

Who’s ready for the Super Bowl this year between Seahawks Coffee and those Apple-loving Broncos? With hipster culture in mind, artist David Rappoccio has resigned all the of NFL logos with all the stereotypes hipsters claim are now too mainstream. Rappoccio has tied in horn-rimmed glasses, bow ties, cigarettes, beanies, goatees, berets, the Apple logo, scarves, cheap beer and pretty much any other hipster-related jab that you can think of into these logos.

You can check out the full collection of NFL logos below as a pre-pregame Super Bowl appetizer as well as the rest of Rappoccio’s work on his site here.

Seahawks

Jaguars

49ers

Bears

Bengals

Bills

Broncos

Browns

Buccaneers

Cardinals

Chargers

Chiefs

Colts

Cowboys

Dolphins

Eagles

Falcons

Giants

Jets

Lions

Packers

Panthers

Patriots

Raiders

Rams

Ravens

Redskins

Saints

Steelers

Texans

Titans

Vikings

What if NFL logos were designed by hipsters?

Ready for the big game this weekend? Or perhaps you you just want to watch funny commercials and movie trailers while engorging on five-alarm chili and Doritos Cool Ranch Taste Explosion Taco Bell Locos Tacos Supreme with extra mystery meat and cheese? Either way, that 32-inch television you have been squinting at for the last nine months just isn’t going to cut it anymore.

While you could work a few carrots into your diet to stave off the inevitable macular degeneration, who has time for vegetables? They taste like they came from the ground or something, yuck! Instead, head down to the local big box retailer and pick yourself up a new 1080p television with a massive screen.

We’ve combed through the HDTV deals to help you stave off the creditors, you are welcome. Here are our top four picks prior to the big game:

Vizio 60-inch 1080p 120Hz Smart Razor LED HDTV (E601i-A3)

Vizio has definitely made a name in the television industry and offer a line of televisions that have solid build quality as well as a low price tag. With a screen resolution at 1080p, this Vizio set offers 4 HDMI inputs, a 120Hz refresh rate, built-in Wi-Fi for the Smart TV apps like Netflix and a thin form factor for easy wall mounting.

Currently tracking at $200 less than Amazon’s price, both Target and Best Buy have this 60-inch television on sale this week. If you use in-store pickup on your online order, you can pick it up later today.

View This HDTV at Target/ View This HDTV at Best Buy

LG 55-inch 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV (55LN5200)

While 60Hz 1080p televisions are on the outs, there are definitely deals to be found on them as the industry transitions to 120Hz and 240Hz models. This LG 55-inch television fits the bill at a $600 price point. In addition to a full 1080p picture, the television comes with two HDMi inputs as well.

You will be able to find this television at a $599 price point at Walmart, $100 less than the going rate at Target.

View This HDTV at Walmart

Samsung 65-inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV (UN65FH6001FXZA)

I bet you thought the televisions were going to get smaller. Nope! This 65-inch behemoth will help you count the number of hairs left on Terry Bradshaw’s head during pregame. This gorgeous Samsung set offers a 1080p picture, 120Hz refresh rate, a clear motion mode for sports, DTS decoding and two HDMI inputs.

Marked down from a $1,500 MRSP, Best Buy is selling this model at $1,000. That’s about $400 less then Amazon and Target.

View This HDTV at Best Buy

Toshiba 50-inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV (50L1450U)

Definitely a good combination of size, price and quality, this Toshiba 50-inch television offers a 120Hz refresh rate at the same price of the LG set above. In addition to a 1080p picture, the set includes a 14-watt speaker system as well as two HDMI inputs and a thin 2.5-inch form factor.

Regularly priced at $800, you can find this set for $599 at Best Buy. It’s also the same price at Amazon, but the first available delivery is February 6th.

View This HDTV at Best Buy

Ear Candy Extra Credit: Polk Audio 150W RMS Soundbar (IHT2000)

What’s the point of a new television for the Super Bowl without a sound system to accentuate every bone-crunching tackle? Speakers are often ignored in a television to focus on the screen, thus a small investment in a soundbar can go a long way to improving the experience. This Polk Audio soundbar fits the bill with a compact design that will blend into your home theater system.

It’s also about $40 cheaper than the Amazon price at the moment, currently on sale at Walmart for $128.

View This Soundbar at Walmart

Four last-minute HDTV Deals just in time for the Super Bowl

It’s late August, and that means football. The NCAA college football regular season kicks off August 29th and the NFL regular season starts September 5th. A month after that, the NHL season begins, and a month after that, the NBA.

You gotta have a big TV for sports, and unless you already have an 80″ behemoth (see below), let’s face it, your TV can stand to get bigger.

Buying TVs online is a tricky prospect because you should always check out a TV’s picture in person before making a final purchase decision. However, many of the best TV deals are online. So if you’re in the market for a TV, it pays to do some research before checking out the online deals.

At Ben’s Bargains, we come across a lot of fantastic savings on HDTVs. Here are 10 great TV deals that will make your football-watching a lot more awesome this fall.

All the TVs below have either plasma screens or 120Hz and above LED LCD panels, which are ideal for a sports-viewing experience because they can handle fast-motion objects without blurring.

Plus—if you care about this sort of thing—some of the TVs listed here have 3D-capability, which will actually become relevant as more games are broadcast in 3D—Monday Night Football will be aired in 3D starting in 2014.

1) This Samsung PN43F4500 43″ 720p 600Hz Plasma HDTV (pictured at right) is $380 shipped from Best Buy. It may be no-frills and 720p, but at this size it’s not noticeable. Plus, as a plasma TV, it’s well-suited for sports. A great value.

2) At the other end of the spectrum, the Panasonic Viera TC-P60VT60 60″ 1080p 600Hz 3D Smart Plasma HDTV is $1,813 shipped with coupon code from East Coast TVs. This premium set has got some of the best black levels out there, plus all the features you’d expect in a modern TV like built-in Wi-Fi, 3D picture and apps.

3) For smaller rooms, Amazon is selling the LG 42LA6200 42″ 3D 1080p 120Hz LED Smart HDTV for $630 with free shipping. This is an excellent price, as this new 2013 model is still selling for around $750 from most retailers. The 50″ model (50LA6200) is $849 shipped from Adorama.

4) As its members know, Costco is a fantastic place to find good deals on HDTVs. There’s a 5% non-member surcharge on purchases, but if you’re going to get a TV, it might be worth buying the $55 membership. The Vizio M551d-A2 55″ 1080p 240Hz 3D Smart LED HDTV is $1,050 shipped for members ($1,100 at Amazon but out of stock).

5) The LG 50LN5700 50″ 1080p 120Hz LED LCD Smart HDTV is $679 with free shipping from US Appliance. It’s around $730 from Amazon and almost $900 everywhere else. This matte-finish, edge-lit LED TV has gotten great reviews for its value and ease of use.

6) Amazon and Best Buy are currently selling the comparable Panasonic Viera TC-L50E60 50″ 1080p 120Hz LED Smart HDTV for $700 with free shipping. Panasonic is known for its great Plasma TVs, but the 2013 Viera E60 line has gotten good reviews.

7) From LG’s new 2013 lineup with built-in Google TV, the LG 55GA6400 55″ Cinema 3D 1080p 120Hz LED LCD HDTV (pictured at left) is $950 shipped with code at Paul’s TV. This stylish TV has gotten some rave reviews from buyers, and it’s a great buy for a 55″ 3D HDTV under $1,000.

8) eBay Daily Deals are a great resource for HDTV deals. Every day at 8AM Pacific, eBay posts its Daily Deals, and sometimes you’ll find HDTVs at incredible prices from mainstream retailers, like this 55″ Samsung 3D LED Smart HDTV that was selling for $1,500.

9) Dell has recently been bundling gift card deals with their HDTV offers. The cards are usually between $150 and $300 and is a good deal if you’re planning on getting one of its PCs. Some of its recent deals have included this Samsung PN51F5300 51″ 1080p Plasma HDTV (2013 model) for $650 shipped with a $125 Dell Gift Card.

10) Last but not least, if you’ve got money to burn and a huge room, the 2013 Sharp AQUOS LC-80LE650 80″ 120Hz Smart LED HDTV (pictured at right) is $3,300 shipped from Amazon. You’re generally not going to find this for under $4,000 from reputable retailers. But clearly, this TV is awesome by virtue of being bigger than everybody else’s TV.

If you have a specific TV model in mind that’s not listed here, you can create deal alerts (registration required) so you won’t miss it the next time it appears on Ben’s Bargains. If one of the deals above is expired, you can also click the deal alert icon (the bell) on individual posts to receive an instant email alert.

You’re also welcome to send us tips or suggestions. Good luck!

10 Great TV Deals for Football Season