Sports are a monumental waste of time. There's the pregame research, good luck rituals, and enough…read morestatistics to make an actuary tap out. That's simply not how I want to spend my free time. But everyone I know keeps talking about Inter Miami matches like they're the second coming of E11EVEN, so I decided to go all in. Well... half in. I gambled points I had earned through hotel stays and credit card purchases via Bonvoy Moments.
Marriott has a partnership with Nu Stadium, so it offers plenty of opportunities and refreshes them regularly. I bid on whichever match looks convenient and doesn't empty my points vault. After winning, I bought a presale parking pass for $40, which allowed us to get from the car door to the stadium floor in less than 10 minutes. For Inter Miami's historic 7-1 beatdown of CF Montréal, I bid 35,000 Bonvoy points, worth approximately $275, for two Club Level tickets. The package included expedited entry through a lobby that looked suspiciously like an Autograph Collection lobby, complete with a private escalator leading to the Club Level.
A dozen food stations cater to everyone from gourmands to grouchy kids, while roughly half as many dessert stations keep the sugar market properly supplied. The Club Level also has clean, luxuriously appointed restrooms, which may not sound exciting until you've used a regular stadium restroom. Cocktails are available for purchase, but beer, wine, prosecco, energy drinks, and nonalcoholic beverages are complimentary. You can skip the bar lines, walk directly to the beverage refrigerators, and grab what you want like a civilized adult with excellent credit.
The stadium offers great views from nearly every seat. Jumbotrons and televisions cover the venue, so you won't miss the action even if you temporarily abandon your post for another beer. Smoke blasts from the goalposts after each score, while the supporters' section maintains a relentless drumbeat of chants, flags, and controlled chaos. The match ends with a miniature fireworks display, but the real victory comes when you leave the stadium.
The traffic planners must have hired whoever designed Chick-fil-A's drive-thru system. It took five minutes to walk out and only 15 minutes to reach the highway. If that sounds excessive, try leaving iTHINK Financial Amphitheater or Hard Rock Live after a concert. You'll spend at least 45 minutes trying to reach civilization.
I checked the cash price of my two seats on Ticketmaster, and the total would have exceeded $400. That's steep when two à la carte seats can cost around $120, but a round of drinks and two meals can easily add another $100. If affordability is your priority, check resale platforms on game day. My recommendation, however, is to attend fewer matches and spend more for the Club Level experience. If you're sitting on a pile of Marriott points, shoot your shot via Bonvoy Moments.