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Super Bowl Ticket Prices: How Much Would It Cost to Go to the Big Game
The Super Bowl is one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year, and tickets to the big game are some of the most sought-after items in the sports world. But as the game has grown in popularity over the years, so have the prices of Super Bowl tickets.
Since Super Bowl I in 1967, ticket prices have steadily risen from the reported $6-$12 to attend the first big game. The first big jump forward came in Super Bowl XIX in 1985 costing $125 each, with prices steadily climbing $25-$100 every few years. Prices took a pretty big jump in the early 2000s, with tickets to Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005 costing $600 each and tickets to Super Bowl XLIV in 2010 costing $800 each.
Prices finally began to plateau in the 2010s with the average cost rising from about $1,000 in 2010 to $2,500 in 2018. The truly massive jumps have come in recent years with 2020s Super Bowl reporting an average ticket price of over $7,000! A big part of the rise in average ticket prices has to do with Super Bowl venues ramping up the VIP treatment. Suites and club seats are now luxury experiences that the average fan shouldn’t expect to afford. Massive suites can cost 100s of thousands of dollars, which obviously drives the average price up. Standard tickets have increased for sure, but it is not as dramatic as the headlines would suggest.
Tickets to this year’s Super Bowl LVII (at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona) between the Chiefs and Eagles are costing over $4,000 for the cheapest seats available. The average cost of a ticket is up to $9,000, the second-highest ticket average ever reported (in 2021 average ticket prices sky-rocketed for the Bucs/Chiefs Super Bowl because of limited supply due to Covid-19 attendance restrictions). While this may seem like an exorbitant amount of money for one ticket, it’s important to note that Super Bowl ticket prices have been steadily increasing since the game’s inception.
For this year’s Super Bowl, you should expect to pay between the low (currently around $4,100) and that average $9,000 price for ticket, depending on where you want to sit.
As the Super Bowl continues to gain in popularity, ticket prices are expected to continue to rise. But despite the high cost, tickets to the big game are still highly sought after, making them one of the most coveted items in sports.
How Super Bowl Tickets are Distributed & Lottery Drawing (Face-Value)
As I’m sure most of you would guess, there’s quite a mark up on Super Bowl tickets. The secondary market (sites like StubHub and SeatGeek) have created extreme demand (and higher prices) versus the face value. The problem being, it is incredibly difficult for the average fan to obtain tickets at face-value.
The NFL gives 75% of the tickets available to the league’s 30 teams. Of which 35% go to the two teams that are playing in the Super Bowl. The Arizona Cardinals will receive approximately 6% of the tickets since they are the host team. The 27 other teams split the remaining 34%, which comes to a little over 1% each. Most of those teams hold lotteries among their fans to distribute those tickets.
The 25% that is left over is for the NFL to disperse as it pleases. They are divvied out among several groups. NFL affiliated companies, TV networks, corporate sponsors, media, VIPs, charities and fans. This distribution method creates high demand, which keeps the prices climbing.
How You Can Buy Tickets at Face Value
There is a way, however, to purchase Super Bowl tickets at face value. Every year the NFL gives out 500 pairs of tickets to fans through an annual lottery. Although your chances of being drawn is slim, it may be worth a shot since it is free to enter.
If chosen, you will have the opportunity to purchase a pair of Super Bowl tickets at face value. Unfortunately it’s too late to get in on the action for this year’s Super Bowl. The lottery sign up takes place from February 1st through June 1st.
If this is the first you’ve heard of the Super Bowl lottery, it could get you a couple affordable tickets in the future. Just be prepared to cover the expenses of actually going to the game.
It’s also worth noting that the NFL has recently put a restriction on the lottery tickets. Winners are required to pick up their tickets on game day and immediately walk into the stadium. This is to prevent anyone from attempting to sell their tickets for a profit.
Want to attend a major sporting event that costs a lot less? Check out the NCAA tournament ticket prices. You’ll definitely get more bang for your buck.