2012 Super Bowl Party Reviews & Rankings: The Top 10 Super Bowl Parties & Events

#1 - Maxim Party: (Saturday) Super Heroes Rewarded

Maxim has practically perfected the craft of putting on an amazing Super Bowl Party. Combining elements of entertainment, interactivity, celebrity, and sexiness, this annual event sets the bar for all other bashes surrounding the Big Game. So how did they pull it off this year? First, Maxim had to give partygoers a taste of what Maxim is all about, at the giant Super Hero-themed soiree, held indoors at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. As soon as you walked into the place, it was pretty apparent that the men's magazine went through a meticulous screening process to find the most sexy, yet friendliest women in the country to mingle with guests throughout the spacious venue. Whether they were dressed in super hero outfits, slinky cocktail dresses, or even in go-go dancing gear, the women kept the guys entertained and were ready and willing to take pictures, talk sports, or hit the dancefloor.

As far as the entertainment goes, DJ Vice kept the place hopping until secret performer Ludacris took the stage. The popular actor/hip-hop artist kept the crowd bouncing to favorites like "Area Codes," "Southern Hospitality," and "What's your Fantasy." Against a Coke Zero backdrop, Ludacris turned out an electric show according to many attendees.

But what vaults Saturday night's big event past the other Super Bowl Parties this year, is the ability to weave the night's Super Hero theme with top sponsors, in a fun interactive way that all partygoers could enjoy, while taking a break from dancing. A perfect example of this was seen at the Mitch Grooming Bar, where guys could get their hair styled right in the middle of all the action. Men had a choice of Super Hero styles such as : "Busy Defending Justice," "Not the Side Kick," or "Super Hero Sleek.' One of us got the full treatment, being pampered with the latest products from Paul Mitchell's Mitch line like Barber's Classic, Clean Cut, and Steady Grip. In fact, after our guy got the styling, his luck with the ladies suddenly took a turn for the better! Another main attraction was the Patron Tequila Photo Shoot, where guests got to take home pictures of themselves with gorgeous girls, as they dressed in their favorite masks and capes. The party featured an open bar, with top notch cocktails from Patron, ice cold Heineken beers, and even a make-your-own-soda Coke Zero vending machine. Guests also made repeated trips to grab some tasty Creamy Buffalo Wings from Bravo’s Top Chef Masters winner, Chef Floyd Cardoz.

Of course several celebrities made it out to celebrate the Super Bowl in style. We spotted: Brittany Mason,
Jim Irsay, Jeff Gordon, Amani Toomer, Brian Baumgartner, Patrick Warburton, Guy Fieri, Greg Jennings, Kyle Busch, April Rose, Tony Siragusa, Members of The Roots, Warren Moon, Eric Decker, Takeo Spikes, Kevin Youklis, Will Witherspoon, Jonathan Stewart, Joe Manganiello, Quinton Aaron, Les Moonves, Jerry Bruckheimer, Cal Ripken Jr., and Pat Riley.

As guests walked out of the event with cool Patron-branded capes, backpacks, and sweatshirts, you could tell that the first-timers just had a tremendous once-in-a-lifetime experience. And that's what Super Bowl weekend is all about.

#2 EA Sports Madden Bowl (Thursday): Tebow Time

This year's Madden Bowl XVIII in Indy was undoubtedly the best Madden Bowl ever. The annual video game competition among the NFL's elite athletes was bigger and better than any in year's past. And that's saying something, considering how EA sports has gone all out for its Big Game events in recent times.

Held at the Bud Light Hotel on Thursday night, the bash treated partygoers to an exciting tournament with close games coming down to final seconds, among the following teams:

All-Madden: Arian Foster, Maurice Jones-Drew, Patrick Willis
Madden Legends: Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders, Warren Sapp
Madden “Clutch”: Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham, and Tim Tebow
Incoming Rookies: Justin Blackmon, Robert Griffin III, LaMichael James

Aptly named, the Madden "Clutch" team, consisting of Tim Tebow, Drew Brees, and Jimmy Graham, pulled out victories in two games (both in the fourth quarter) to win the Madden Bowl trophy. Afterwards, guests enjoyed Bud Light Platinum and other cool cocktails at the open bar, while checking out awesome performances by the Roots, Nas, and even surprise guest Snoop Dogg.

One of the coolest things about this event, besides the competition and live performances, was the sheer number of high profile NFL players roaming about freely throughout the multi-level party space. We walked right by many guys including: Matt Stafford, Patrick Willis, Roddy White, Beanie Wells, Brandon Marshall, Lesean McCoy, Michael Irvin, Navarro Bowman, Steve Johnson, Warren Moon, Antonio Gates, Maurice Jones Drew, DeMarco Murray, Antrel Rolle, and many more athletes.

We also appreciated the never-ending supply of passed appetizers, and even a continous stream of pizza delivery to partygoers late in the evening. While there weren't as many glamourous models injected into this event as in other Super Bowl parties, guys didn't complain as they got to see Tebow up-close, drink as much as they wanted, and head nod to some of Hip-Hops greatest acts. This is why Madden Bowl pretty much owns Thursday night during Super Bowl week.

#3 Rolling Stone Bacardi Bash (Saturday): Band-Tastic

The Rolling Stone Bacardi Bash was another great example of two major players teaming up to showcase their brands, while dazzling the senses of all partygoers in the building. Of course, the main reason guests flocked to the Crane Bay Events Center was pretty much the same reason 200,000 folks jammed the streets of downtown Indianapolis the night before: LMFAO and the Party Rock Experience. And while lead performer Redfoo did not disappoint, whipping guests into a frenzy at the end of the evening with the song "Sexy and I know it", the event had tons more to offer guests who left leaving satisfied after having paid $1,000 for this cool production.

Also on the bill were: Gym Class Heroes, Cobra Starship, and Lupe Fiasco. All bands had something different, fun, and exciting to offer to attendees, who responded tremendously. Between sets, DJ Taryn Manning kept bodies moving on the dancefloor with mashups, and other cool tracks.

The theme of the bash was a celebration of Bacardi's 150th anniversary, highlighting the different eras that folks have enjoyed the rum drink over the years. Guests entered the party by walking aboard a plane, flanked by retro-flight attendants and pilot. The event also featured a silent auction, cotton candy, parlor games with prizes, and, of course, oceans of Bacardi on-hand. Gorgeous bartenders poured various signature concoctions all night long, and this helped create a fun and festive mood among the good-looking crowd.

We spotted celebrities such as Joe Manganiello, Allysa Milano, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, Anna Ferris, Jon Hamm, Joshua Bowman, Will Forte, Nina Dobrev, Akiva Shaffer in the VIP area, sometimes venturing out onto the main floor.

The event had decent starpower, decent features, decent amount of models throughout, but amazing drinks, and electric performances. This was a very unique opportunity to have an up-close experience listening to some of today's greatest bands with unlimited premium cocktails steps away. That is a tough combination to beat.

#4 Leather & Laces (Friday/Saturday): Sexiest Bash





All we have to say here is check out the video above to see how awesome this party has become over the years. The Leather & Laces events have been around the Super Bowl Party scene for years, and it was truly amazing to check out this year's bashes at the Regions Bank Tower, a few blocks away from the gridlocked madness that was Super Bowl Village downtown. The event organizers really took advantage of the labryinth-style venue, at the rooftop of an upscale office building. Aside from the main area, guests could walk through a maze of themed rooms and enjoy some high-end cocktails by Hennessy, Belvedere, & Dom Perignon. Partygoers also flocked to hallways where they encountered an assortment of sushi rolls and desserts such as gourmet cupcakes and petit fours.

Of course, the Leather and Laces parties are always headlined some of the most voluptious and most recognizable celebrity hostesses in the world today. This year was no exception, as Jwoww, clad in a very revealing corsett, Jenny McCarthy, and Carmen Electra partied with folks on Friday, while Playboy's the Girls Next Door, Kendra Wilkinson, Holly Madison, and Bridget Marquardt, led festivities on Saturday night.

But what made this sold-out event "Disneyland for male guests", was the sheer amount of gorgeous scantily clad women roaming throughout the event, accompanied by an open bar, and some awesome DJ sets by DJ Avi and DJ Automatic. With circus performers, go-go dancers, and many NFL players and Race Car drivers such as Kyle Busch walking around, the party had so many dazzling elements that really put this one over the top of many other parties around. As long as Leather and Laces provides partygoers with a "feast for the eyes" such as this, it will always be a top contender during Super Bowl week.

#5 DirecTV HDNET Super Saturday Night: Perry Good!

Mark Cuban, with the help of DirecTV and HDNET, returned to Indy to host a Super Bowl Party of epic proportions. This year, Katy Perry headlined the major event, held at Victory Field near Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy. With a multi-platinum international star as your main attraction, the stage was set to make history during Super Bowl weekend. And by all accounts, Katy Perry scored big with the crowd, putting in a very cathartic and memorable performance of all her hits ("Firework," "Teenage Dream," "California Gurls") that guests won't forget anytime soon. All this in a relatively intimate setting underneath a massive tent filled with excited attendees.

Of course, in true Cuban fashion, no expense was spared in providing the best in food and drink to guests of this invite-only exclusive affair. Sliders, pizzas, crab cakes, and desserts were some fan favorites throughout the evening, while the open bar was a popular hangout as always.

Some celebs spotted included: Connor Cruise, Shaq, Neil Patrick Harris, David Arquette, Spike Lee, and Peyton Manning.

This party was easily the #1 "Date night" party of Super Bowl Weekend, as females really enjoyed Katy Perry's music, and guys didn't mind watching one of the world's sexiest pop stars onstage either.

#6 ESPN NEXT Super Bowl Party (Friday) - Top Talent



The ESPN party, held in a warehouse near downtown Indy, was an invite-only affair with loads of athletes and celebs in attendance. Cam Newton, the official NEXT magazine cover athlete, served onstage as MC of the party, even introducing the headliner hip-hop sensation, Drake. Drake delivered a very memorable performance, as he usually does. While there's not too much in the way of an eye-popping theme, interactivity, or overload of gorgeous models roaming around, ESPN outperformed most of the competition by having an envious list of attendees mingling throughout the crowd including: Marcellus Wiley, Takeo Spikes, Drew Brees, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry Rice, Vivica A. Fox, Tim Tebow, Michael Irvin, Spike Lee, Steve Young, Maria Menounos, Terrell Owens, Hope Solo, Kurt Warner, Birdman, Blake Shelton, J.R. Martinez, Plaxico Burress.

#7 DirecTV Celebrity Beach Bowl (Sat) Super Fun!

The DirecTV Celebrity Beach Bowl flag football game holds the distinction of being the only daytime event in our top ten this year. While not featuring tons of alcohol and eye-popping beauties throughout the crowd, this spectacular is a major part of the Super Bowl experience, year in and year out. We are always in awe of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into putting together an event such as this, whether its creating a sand-filled gridiron, selecting an exciting roster of players, or planning a free post-game concert. This year at Victory Field, fans got to check out Joe Montana throwing a pass to Kate Upton while Cam Newton, Peyton Manning, and Matt Stafford looked on. Or whoever believed we'd see Warren Moon connect with Snoop Dogg for a TD? The possibilities were endless, and so was the fun and hilarity that ensued with guys like Artie Lange, Tony Siragusa, Brandon Molale, and David Arquette in the mix. Afterwards, The Fray worked the excited crowd and they sounded superb.

#8 Playboy Super Bowl Party (Friday) Bud N' Bunnies!

Playboy didn't have any trouble packing the house at the Bud Light hotel in Downtown Indy this year. When you combine a headline performer like Ne-Yo, and a houseful of the most beautiful Playboy bunnies the midwest has ever seen, guys don't ask questions and RSVP in a hurry. While not as heavy on top athletes and celebrities as the ESPN party and Madden Bowl, Playboy gave many male partygoers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the pages of their favorite mens magazine come to life right before their eyes. Attendees and celeb guests like Nick Lachey, LMFAO, Guy Fieri, and Mehcad Brooks enjoyed the cool "Carnival Mystique" theme, appetizers, and open bar. This was a fun event, even though the throngs of folks at the venue, made it tough to make your way back to find your friends. But, actually, this is the party where being lost is half the fun.

#9 Sensu Nightclub Parties (Tues-Sunday) Celeb-Central




Congratulations to Sensu, a local Indy restaurant/lounge/nightclub for hanging with the big boys and putting together a line-up of events that drew celebrities away from the many of the major parties all week long. Sensu put together an ambitious lineup of events, featuring a wide variety of celebs and athletes coming through its doors like: Drake, Wale, J Cole, John Legend, Seal, Michael Strahan, Vernon Davis, Clay Matthews, The Roots, Jay Glazer, Chrissy Teigen, Demarcus Ware, David Arquette, Michael Irvin, Marshall Faulk, Brandon Marshall, Victor Cruz, and dozens more. The posh surroundings and hip crowd made every guest feel super comfortable in this venue. With sub-$500 admission offered at many events, partygoers got an amazing taste of top-notch entertainment and VIP surroundings, while having an unforgettable time.

#10 Coors Light Silver Bullet Lodge (Friday) - Very Ice!

This Coors Light Super Bowl Party only needed one Ice Cube. The hip-hop pioneer/actor/icon Ice Cube, by all accounts, absolutely rocked the Vogue in Indy on Friday Night. Rattling off classics like "It Was a Good Day," "We be Clubbin," and "You Can Do It," the rapper thrilled partygoers, who were already in a good mood, given that most of them were contest winners in this invite-only event.

Honorable Mentions

Just missing our top ten were two amazing tailgate events. The first, was the Volkswagen Rock N' Roll Fan Tailgate at the Crane Bay Events center which was a fun interactive experience, with some fans even getting a chance to catch a pass from Joe Montana. Amazing food choices, drinks, silent auction, jersey giveways, and many more features satisfied everyone, and set the stage for headlining band Jane's Addiction, which blew fans away with their performance. Of course many celebs were in attendance including Anna Ferris, Joe Mangianello, and Nikki Reed. The second, was Maxim Magazine's Salute to Heroes Tailgate event, which honored Congressional Medal of Honor Winner Dakota Meyer, while giving partygoers a chance to celebrate the Super Bowl in style with delicious food and even Maxim Hometown Hotties and cover girls roaming around. Whether guests were playing interactive football games, or putting together Crown Royal care packages and letters to troops overseas, folks enjoyed this All-American style event. With great entertainment, including Jermaine Dupri at the DJ booth, and April Rose and Tony Siragusa walking around, this was great choice for pre-game festivities.

Other cool events that were big on the party scene during the week included the intimate celeb-filled exclusive Audi Super Bowl party, as well GQ Lacoste Super Bowl Party, which had LL Cool J performing to an-invite only crowd that included Andy Roddick, Erin Andrews, and other stars. At the Legends N Models Partyt, Grammy-winner John Legend lit up the crowds, and Super Lounge 46 had a great weekend full of entertainment with events featuring celebs like Nelly and Ivanka Trump. Of course, who can forget the Super Bowl Village, presenting dozens of free concerts, activities, and entertainment all-week downtown, and The Huddle after hours nightclub for late night partying.

There were tons more events that made this a Super Bowl scene to remember. While not drawing the biggest celebrities, Indianapolis charmed visitors with great hospitality, convenience, and many cool partying options in 2012.

SUPER SUNDAY HQ

Your Super Bowl party headquarters.  We provide you with unbiased previews of all the major Super Bowl parties, provide red carpet coverage of the hottest parties and then write review articles on what went down. Click one of the parties below for more information, and thanks for checking us out. - Super Sunday HQ Crew