Schedule & Tickets
The current average price of an NFL playoff ticket is $270. There are many factors that affect the face value of tickets, and prices can also vary on secondary purchasing sites, depending on the demand for a certain game. Prices can also change as the game approaches based on non-game reasons, such as weather. A game where fans are going to have to sit through three to four hours of rain will be less desirable and can cost less, as the game approaches. This is a good way for diehard fans to see a playoff game at a possibly more reasonable price, as long as they’re willing to brave the elements. Of course, that wouldn’t affect ticket prices for the handful of teams that play in an indoor stadium, such as the Superdome in New Orleans, the home of the Saints.
Playoff ticket prices can vary substantially by market, or city, and some teams are known for having higher ticket prices during the playoffs, as well as during the regular season. Teams in big cities such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston (New England), and those with national followings, such as the Dallas Cowboys, can demand higher ticket prices no matter who the opposing team may be. When regional rivals face off in a playoff game (such as the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers), these games, despite the smaller market locations, can also garner higher prices, especially in the secondary market. As in all major sports, there are simply matchups that will be more popular once the playoffs start and ticket prices will rise accordingly.
Outside of traditional rivalries, this matchup factor can also come into play, based on the current makeup of a team, or the climate of the season as a whole. If there’s a chance the two best quarterbacks could go head-to-head, even in the opening round of the playoffs, the seats to what people hope will be a shootout will certainly become more desirable. This also goes for the entire team, such as when two top-rated defenses have a chance to face off and get to prove who truly is the best.