Most Expensive NFL Tickets 2012
With the kickoff of the 2012-2013 National Football League season, we wondered what games had the hottest tickets. The following list presents the 10 highest-priced NFL games of the season.
The season opener Wednesday night between the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys made the list, but perhaps surprisingly, it wasn’t the most expensive.
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The prices do not represent the face value of the ticket, but what they cost through resources like Craigslist, eBay, StubHub and TicketNetwork. These prices are aggregated by TiqIQ, the leading secondary market aggregator for event tickets online. All data was provided by Chris Matcovich, director of data communications for the company, which has been cited by numerous news organizations.
Read ahead to see the 10 most expensive NFL tickets of the 2012-2013 season, according to TiqIQ.
1. Steelers at Cowboys
Average ticket asking price: $479.81
Date: Dec. 16
A ticket to the Dec. 16 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys carries an asking price just a few cents shy of $480. This makes it the most expensive ticket price of any game this season.
The high price of the ticket comes down to a rivalry that’s existed between the two teams since the 1970s. “They’ve both played in a couple of Super Bowls, they have huge fan bases, and they both travel well,” Matcovich said. “This should be pretty big game.”
2. Broncos at Patriots
Average ticket asking price: $467.31
Date: Oct. 7
The NFL is “a quarterback’s league,” and for anyone looking for a competitive game between two talented QBs, this is it, said Matcovich. With Peyton Manning on one side and New England’s Tom Brady challenging him, curiosity has driven ticket prices over $467.
“This could become a rivalry,” Matcovich said. “When Peyton Manning was with the Colts, games against the Broncos were always very competitive.”
3. Cowboys at Giants
Average ticket asking price: $465.01
Date: Sept. 5
A ticket to the first game of the 2012-2013 NFL season costs just over $465 on the websites, making it the third most expensive ticket on this list. Matcovich suggests several reasons for this, beyond the fact that it’s the season opener.
“Those teams have a big divisional rivalry, the biggest in the NFL,” he said, adding: “The Giants start their quest to defend their championship here.”
4. Steelers at Broncos
Average ticket asking price: $456.46
Date: Sept. 9
The Steelers have experienced a drop of less than 1 percent in ticket prices for their away games since 2011. Regardless, admission to this early September game against Denver carries a high price.
According to Matcovich, this is because the team is still a solid road draw, the small dip in prices notwithstanding. He likens Steelers to the Cowboys and the Packers, which people come to see no matter where they play. He also says that Peyton Manning’s presence in any game drives up prices and enthusiasm.
5. Packers at Texans
Average ticket asking price: $433.96
Date: Oct. 14
According to Matcovich, the Packers have experienced a modest bump of 5.6 percent in ticket prices for their away games. That doesn’t quite explain the $434 price of a ticket to their Oct. 14 game against the Houston Texans.
“The Texans’ first playoff appearance was last year, and that’s driving up prices,” he said. “The Texans are the big dogs in their division now.”
See the full slideshow: Most Expensive NFL Tickets 2012
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