LAST UPDATED ON NOV. 15, 2024 AT 2:20 PM | 5 MINUTE READ
Just how much can you save on NFL tickets?
Would you believe $279 (or more)?!
Coincidentally, $279 was also the cost of the average NFL season-opening ticket in 2024¹.
But if you’re thinking, “Gosh, $279 minus $279 = $0, so I can get a premium seat for nothing?!”
C’mon now, you know better… and if you don’t, well I’ll breakdown the numbers & provide some clarity in just a bit. First though, I need to emphasize that the amount you can save depends greatly on where, when, and how you buy your seats.
But if you play your cards right, you can save up to…
- 46% by forgoing Week 1 games
- 13% by getting the cheapest available seats (instead of averaged-priced)
- 17% by choosing the right ticket site
- 16% by waiting until a week before the game (as opposed to one month)
Secondly, it’s important to realize two things about the above figures:
- They’re not mutually exclusive. That is, after saving 41%, you can save 51% off of that amount, and so on.
- These are again, average numbers. Given the volatility of NFL ticket prices, your actual results can vary greatly.
Read: NFL Ticket Prices by Team: Top Surgers & Slumpers in 2023
In view of these facts, your potential savings are merely theoretical given the number of variables involved. But with the U.S. CPI² logging its highest 4-year increase since 2008, what’ve you got to lose?
| 4-year span | Increase (%) |
|---|---|
| 2004-2008 | 14% |
| 2008-2012 | 6.6% |
| 2012-2016 | 4.5% |
| 2016-2020 | 7.8% |
| 2020-2024 | 21.5% |
But before we get to how much money you can save, first you need to know…
How much do NFL tickets cost?
As I mentioned, the average secondary market price of a single NFL ticket prior to the start of the 2024 regular season was $279.
Why use secondary market costs as a benchmark?
Well for one thing, the average NFL fan has no chance to buy tickets at face value.
Moving on, our data revolves around the cheapest available resale ticket prices for any given game. That is, we’re talking about the per ticket cost of (a minimum of) 2 seats together, including fees & taxes. “Cheapest available” is not the same as “get-in” since it’s based on actual seating, as opposed to standing-room admission.
Accordingly, the cheapest average NFL ticket price for the 2024 season is $167, while the cheapest median cost is $152.
Unsurprisingly, the average (cheapest) game ticket has risen 15.2% since 2021, while the median cost has gone up 18.8%. This is very much in line with the change in CPI over the same span (+15.9%).
By and large, the grim reality is that some average working-class Americans can’t afford the ever-rising prices of both basic goods & services and sports/entertainment. Choosing between the two is automatic for many, if not all
Still, there will be those that will stop at nothing to have both. Those who think, “Is going to a couple of NFL games a year really too much to ask for?”
In the event that you’re one of those, it’s time to open your mind and learn…
Most Expensive NFL Games of 2023
How to save 67% on NFL tickets
In the final analysis, it took a while to get here but I promise you it’ll be well worth it.
That being said, the Chiefs Week 1 contest vs. Baltimore is a straightforward example of how easy it is to save $355 on NFL tickets.
To enumerate, the figure we’ll start with is $529, which was the average going rate (in May) for that game, according to Forbes³:
- You decide to buy tickets for the Saints-Chiefs game (Week 5) instead. With an average cost of $287, your Week 1 differential savings is $242 (46%).
Notably, prices for opening week NFL games are historically higher than for the rest of the regular season. In 2024, average prices for Weeks 2 through 18 are 19% less than Week 1.
- Next, instead of paying $287, you opt for the cheapest available ticket on StubHub, which cost $249 on Jul. 27. This $38 difference (13%) brings your savings to $280.
- Moving along, your next step is to forego StubHub in favor of a ticket reseller with historically lower prices. In this particular example, TickPick’s price of $206 was (17%) less, for a total saving of $323.
- Finally, you wait until Oct. 20 – one week before the game – for one last price check. TickPick’s cheapest listing dropped to $174, which was $32 (16%) less.
Total saved: $355, or 67%.
Sources:
¹ Morning Journal ² Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis ³ Forbes
Summary
- The average fan has little or no access to face value costs. Thus, when calculating how much you’ll save or spend, you need to consider secondary market pricing. Read: The Truth About NFL Ticket Prices.
- Timing is everything. While you may not save $355, knowing when (and when not) to buy can make a huge difference. Read The Best Time to Buy NFL Tickets.
- Finding cheap NFL tickets is like searching for inexpensive air fare. Do it right and you’ll save big money; do it wrong and you’ll just waste time. Read: How to Find the Cheapest NFL Tickets.
- Certain ticket sites have better prices than others. The idea is to find the reseller that has the cheapest tickets for your team.