The Super Bowl is Sunday, but the battle for biggest party of the year will be waged Friday and Saturday nights — and various media companies are vying for the crown.
ESPN is hosting its 10th annual bash Friday night at Pier 36 Basketball City in conjunction with the release of ESPN The Magazine’s music issue. Live performances by Robin Thicke and Kendrick Lamar, and music by Jermaine Dupri, make it a sought-after ticket.
The event is invite-only and has a heavy list of sponsors, including Armitron Watches, Axe, Carhartt, Charmin, Coke Zero, Coors Light, Diageo and Dunkin’ Donuts. Former Super Bowl stars, including Victor Cruz, Joe Flacco and Jerry Rice are expected, along with NBA great Magic Johnson.
At Cipriani’s on 42nd Street, Shape and Men’s Fitness are tossing their first-ever Super Bowl bash. Its entertainment line-up could make it the rookie of the year.
The public was invited — for a fee — but if you don’t already have a ticket, forget it.
“I’m already oversold at $2,500 a ticket,” said American Media CEO David Pecker.
Rolls-Royce will debut its newest model — on display inside the restaurant — and musical guests are scheduled to include John Legend, Marc Anthony and Mary J. Blige — plus a surprise mystery musical guest.
Shape is also debuting its new activewear line with a fashion show highlighted by tsunami survivor and super model Petra Nemcova.
Mets ace Matt Harvey is expected to be there along with Meg Ryan, Serena Williams and Arianna Huffington.
Playboy Enterprises, which usually hosts a mega-bash, was toying with the idea of skipping the NJ/NY Super Bowl entirely — but ultimately decided to go with a late night “after party” that starts at midnight on Friday and goes into the wee hours of Saturday.
The party ties into the Bud Light Hotel ocean liner moored in the Hudson River at Pier 86 on 46th Street.
The invitation-only Playboy party will feature a live performance by Nelly and friends and, of course, plenty of amply endowed Playboy bunnies to mingle with.
Playboy CEO Scott Flanders is expected, but alas, Hugh Hefner is likely to stay home.
Sponsors aside from Bud Light include A&E Network, for its Bates Motel series, the History Channel, pushing its Vikings show, and Mini (Cooper) USA.
Sports Illustrated generally stays “party quiet” around the Super Bowl because it is too close to its much-hyped swimsuit issue later in the month.
However, with the game in its own backyard this year, SI is tossing two parties. Both are being held in Diageo Liquid Cellar, a party space in Chelsea.
On Thursday, it had an SI MVP Night hosted by four-time Super Bowl champ Lynn Swann, along with his Pittsburgh Steelers teammate Terry Bradshaw. The bigger SI bash is Saturday night, featuring musical entertainment by Wyclef Jean and a special preview of Jaguar’s Rendezvous commercial, to kick off its new F-type coupe.
The event is co-sponsored by Captain Morgan Rum and Microsoft.
GQ also gets in on the action with a top-floor bash at the Standard High Line Hotel Friday night, where Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton and San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick — both former cover boys — are expected.
Also expected: Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, Matt Harvey and the Brooklyn Nets’ Joe Johnson.
Maxim was originally feared to be a no-show because a plan by owner Cerberus Capital Management to sell the company has not yet reached the deal stage — but the money from the party appears too good to turn away.
It is selling tickets to its event at Espace nightclub on Saturday night at $1,200 for a general admission ticket and up to $47,900 for a VIP table of 15 in a roped-off area with an unlimited supply of vodka.
The fun starts at 10 p.m. with rapper Kendrick Lamar, who entertained Friday at ESPN, headlining the event Saturday night.
Time Warner Cable has Sean “Diddy” Combs for their event at their Meatpacking HQ where he will be kicking off his new music network, Revolt TV.
Drake will also perform.
Tickets are limited to VIP guests and randomly selected cable subscribers.