Sports Venues
ranked by
Average Ticket Prices
Sports are a major part of every culture across the planet and have been for thousands of years. Early sporting events have been a hallmark of historians and archaeologists who continue to uncover more connections between our modern love of stadiums to the people who lived in the past.
And it’s the same today— everyone knows at least one person who has a favorite team and religiously follows both their successes and failures.
But sports always have and always will continue to inform the human experience when it comes to ability, talent, & pushing past boundaries to bring us all together.
Consider going to a professional sports game, for example. From the first moment you arrive in the parking lot and begin to make your way towards the stands, the feeling of excitement and anticipation builds. You have your ticket, wend your way through the crowds and up stairways to your seat, and settle in to wait for the true action to begin.
But the experience of the entire event has already begun, whether it’s an NFL or NBA game, watching hockey with the NHL or baseball with the MLB. For most sports-goers, it’s the whole feeling that makes the game worth it.
From getting some lukewarm beers and hotdogs, to literally sitting at the edge of your seat to watch that coveted goal, the experience arguably begins when you buy sports tickets that grant you access to all these aspects of sports stadiums.
So, let’s take a look at those who frequent sporting events to see teams in person, what the whole event costs, and what that entails— as well as how the financial aspect of sports tickets and how it has morphed and grown over the years.
Read on for a discussion about teams, turf, and which sports have the highest average ticket prices!
Famous
Stadiums
As you likely already know, sporting events rely on having a venue for the teams and fans to be in. And for many people, getting to see these monolith stadiums is part of the allure of going to a game in the first place!
There’s something thrilling about being part of the crowd cheering on a team in person; a feeling of shared and scintillating community.
So much so, that many tourists even add stadiums and arenas to their travel bucket lists when first visiting an area, even if there’s no game on, or they don’t plan on attending one. Being able to view and tour these venues is exciting enough on its own!
To understand the allure of such big institutions of sport, let’s talk about the history and importance of some of the greatest and most well-known stadiums across America.
Wrigley Field
Located in Chicago, Illinois, this is the second oldest baseball stadium in the entire country. Construction began in the spring of 1911, and the venue opened three years afterward on April 23, 1914, with the first game between Chicago’s Federals and Kansas City.
At the time, the stadium was named after the owner of the property, Charles Weeghman, and called Weeghman Park, but was renamed Wrigley Field to honor the new owner in 1926. Since then, the stadium has been home to the Chicago Cubs, a major MLB team, and the original scoreboard from a later renovation in 1937 still remains intact today.
The stadium currently sits at a capacity of over 41.5 thousand seats, with a center field of 400 feet. It is known for the classic red marquee sign over one of the entrances spelling out “Wrigley Field”, and the lush, green ivy that sprouts across the red brick outfield wall.
Other sporting events have also been held in this stadium, including Chicago Bears NFL games for many years, concerts, and even a ski jumping contest in the 1940s!
Old Yankee Stadium
Another iconic stadium in America, the original Yankee Stadium was built in New York City’s Bronx neighborhood. The old Yankee Stadium is also known as the “Cathedral of Baseball” and the “House That Ruth Built”, referring not only to its monumental stature, but also the famous player Babe Ruth who hit home run after home run during his time as the Yankees’ favorite slugger outfielder.
This stadium was first constructed in 1922 with the grand opening taking place on April 18, 1923, as the official home of the New York Yankees MLB team.
Almost immediately, the Yankee Stadium was hailed as a modern marvel that was able to accommodate a variety of events— and not just baseball. For example, the record attendance held by Yankee Stadium was set in 1958 when just over 123.7 thousand people gathered for a Jehovah’s Witnesses International Convention.
Later in 2009, the old Yankee Stadium was replaced by a new one, situated only one block away from the original.
The new Yankee Stadium did include some of the design features of its previous iteration, including high facades and a limestone exterior, and the frieze that sat atop the old stadium for fifty years was carefully replicated as well. The New York Yankees continue to play out of this stadium, which is actually the sixth-largest in MLB standards by seating.
Fenway Park
As the oldest baseball stadium in the United States, Fenway Park was constructed in 1912 and has been the home of the MLB Boston Red Sox team ever since.
Though having undergone significant renovations during 1934 and most recently in 2002, and with the team almost being moved to a new location in 1999, Fenway Park still remains the Red Sox stadium.
Ironically, though its home team is known for their red uniforms, Fenway Park is nicknamed “the Green Monster”.
This comes from the color of the outfield wall that was erected during the early years of the stadium’s life, and the subsequent paint job that happened after a fire broke out in 1933. This turned the huge outfield wall into an iconic green monstrosity— hence, the title. And the current Fenway Park continues to use the same hue to continue its prominence!
Other teams have also frequented Fenway Park, with notable mentions being the football team Boston Redskins using it for their franchise during the 1930s before being transferred to Washington.
NFL team the Boston Patriots also had a stint in Fenway Park, but the Red Sox returned for good with baseball bats in hand and games to win in 1968 and have remained ever since.
Madison Square Garden
The Madison Square Garden, or MSG, is a classic sporting institution in the New York franchise of team venues. It takes up a good portion of Midtown Manhattan, right in the heart of the already bustling city, between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue. It is popular with city tourists and sports fans alike and is doubly historic as it’s built right above the original Pennsylvania Station on the subway line.
As for the history of the MSG, the current building is actually the fourth iteration, with the first two being built in the late 1800s. The first Madison Square Gardens became famous for being the circus-ground of legendary performer P.T. Barnum, but was demolished later on. Madison Square Garden II was unsuccessful compared to the first, even though it was the second-tallest building in NYC at the time.
Madison Square Garden III was open between 1925 and 1968. During those years, it was home to an NBA and NHL team each, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers, respectively.
But after its predecessor closed the doors in 1968, Madison Square Gardens IV was open for the public nearly immediately, located just a few blocks away from the original locations. And it continues to be the home of those previously mentioned NBA and NHL teams.
From then, this indoor arena has been used for hockey, basketball, wrestling, boxing, and many more sporting events. Other entertainment events hosted at the modern MSG also include circus performances, ice skating, and concerts.
Lambeau Field
Finally, Lambeau Field is situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and is home of the Green Bay Packers— an NFL team of great renown across the nation.
It was originally dubbed the City Stadium when first constructed in 1957, but the name was changed to Lambeau Field in 1965 to commemorate the founder, mentor, and coach of the Green Bay Packers.
And after defeating their long-time rivals— the Chicago Bears— on the opening day of 1957, the Packers have been in residence ever since.
In fact, Lambeau Field is known as the oldest stadium in the National Football League with a team in residence over consecutive years and was built especially for the Packers to replace the old and outdated stadium previously in place.
Though this football stadium is the oldest football-only venue in America, it has experienced many renovations to bring it up to modern standards, and to provide guests and players alike with as much comfort as possible.
And because of its proximity to Lake Michigan, people attending this open-air stadium can experience some fairly chilly temperatures, leading to Lambeau Field’s nickname “The Frozen Tundra”, when the weather turned inclement during a Packers vs Dallas Cowboys game and the name stuck.
Unlike other sporting venues mentioned previously, Lambeau Field is not known for hosting a lot of other events outside of team faceoffs, but locals can still enjoy some rare concerts in the stadium, with the most recent being Paul McCartney in 2019.
Factors To
Consider
Even cheap sports tickets give you access to concession stands and souvenir booths to complete the day and round out the experience of going to a sports venue, as opposed to sitting on your couch and watching the game being broadcasted.
But, as we go into evaluating which sports have the highest average ticket prices and which are the most popular, we need to keep the entire experience in mind, including the following factors to consider in the price of one ticket.
Based on the entire experience of a sports game and attending the venue, let’s assume parking lot admission and concession goods on top of the price of one ticket. Though some passes come with free parking, many don’t and sports fans might not have available public transport, and you might be paying around $25 for a spot.
On top of that, if we factor in a snack and some drinks— like one hotdog and two beers for the duration of a two to three-hour game— then the price gets higher. Depending on the stadium you attend, the price for a hotdog and a beer can range between $1.50 and $6.50, and the drink up to $10.50!
On top of these factors, many ticket pricing agencies use psychological messaging to net the best bang for their ticket stub buck. That includes hyping up the event to possibly overblown proportions, creating a fear of losing out on the experience of a lifetime, and even using a countdown timer to inexplicably push you into buying tickets ASAP.
But these are outside considerations for the most part, as buying and selling tickets rely primarily on the consumer urge to attend the event. And, as we will see, that wish is in no short supply across the nation! But it’s also important to keep those basic additional charges in mind while looking at which sports have the highest average ticket prices.
So, let’s take some time to go through the top four sporting franchises— the MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL— and discuss the most expensive sports tickets and why they are, thanks to numbers taken from studies conducted on associated pricing factors.
Major
League
Baseball
As you likely already know, sporting events rely on having a venue for the teams and fans to be in. And for many people, getting to see these monolith stadiums is part of the allure of going to a game in the first place!
The MLB was founded in 1876 as the oldest surviving sports organization in the world that still plays. It’s made up of 30 teams that are split evenly between the National League and American League divisions and play each other all season.
During the World Series, the top teams battle it out for the Commissioner’s Trophy and the coveted title of winner. The final stadium is generally a neutral one to keep the playing— or batting— field fair.
New York Yankees
Yankee Stadium
As a baseball institution, people flock to Yankee Stadium to watch the New York Yankees play, since 1923 in the old location and 2009 in the new one.
Yankee Stadium has plenty of amenities for sports fans as well, including party suites, luxury seating, and club benefits.
You can also find a martini bar, steakhouse, and even a Hard Rock Cafe near the MLB museum indoors.
As such, MLB tickets are pricey — approximately $95.91 per ticket, with the addition of the most expensive parking.
Boston Red Sox
Fenway Park
The Red Sox have been a fan favorite for decades, and not the least for the cheeky cardinal-colored uniforms they wear. They have also used their home of Fenway Park to win nine world series finals, which is a tie for third in MLB records.
But if you are planning on going to see this team, you can expect some great fan treatment from both the venue and the players, though it might not be as modern as other stadiums.
You can find Red Sox legends signing memorabilia in Autograph Alley, as well as a street event called the Yawkey Way with souvenirs and food before the game even starts.
The MLB tickets are about $96.62 with amenities like snacks and parking.
Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field
After winning the 2016 World Series, the Chicago Cubs ended the longest winning droughts in MLB history, and continue to pull fans into the stands today.
Wrigley Field Stadium has gone through many renovations, which include better parking, flatscreens for back-stand viewing, and many additions to the surrounding area called Wrigleyville like food, clubs, and taverns.
You can expect to see the highest average ticket price for an MLB stadium here, at around $109.78.
National
Football
League
Football is by far the most popular sport in the United States, and the National Football League is the organization that drives it. With 32 teams split between the AFC (American Football Conference) and NFC (National Football Conference) sectors, the NFL has existed since 1920, and people around the country continue to gather in the hundreds of thousands to watch professionals throw the pigskin around.
And for many fans, looking forward to the NFL Super Bowl all year long, not only for the excitement of determining the best football team to carry the Vince Lombardi Trophy but also for the extravagant halftime show that has become more prominent over the years.
20 of the 32 teams in the NFL have won the Super Bowl, and 15 of them have won multiple times. Super Bowl tickets are among the most expensive sports tickets available throughout the cycling stadiums that host them each year.
Dallas Cowboys
AT&T Stadium
The Dallas Cowboys are a team within the NFC sector, and playing out of Texas. And regardless of their name, their home arena is actually the AT&T Stadium located in Arlington, instead of Dallas.
The team has been active in the NFL since 1960 when they joined the league and swiftly became a fan favorite, with a streak of 190 sold-out games consecutively starting in 2002, and are one of the teams that appeared second-most in the Super Bowl.
If you attend the AT&T Stadium, you will find a variety of amenities, including restaurants, a hall of fame, shopping venues, bars, and more.
Prices for NFL tickets here cost around $198.00, showing how popular football really is.
San Francisco 49ers
Levi’s Stadium
For San Francisco fans, a 49ers’ game at Levi’s Stadium is the place to be. The Californian team itself was created in 1946 and the San Francisco 49ers have been part of the NFC division since joining the NHL three years later. Levi’s Stadium was built for the team in 2014 and is located with all modern updates in Santa Clara.
The stadium itself has amenities like clubs, restaurants, bars, and luxury seating, but also uses eco-friendly systems like recycled water and landscape irrigation to do its part in keeping the planet safe.
You can expect to see the price around $205.75 for the whole experience.
Las Vegas Raiders
Allegiant Stadium
The Las Vegas Raiders make up another perennial favorite in the NFL, with iconic silver and black uniforms and a home stadium in Paradise, Nevada.
The team has been part of the AFC division since 1970, and actually only recently moved to Las Vegas from its foundation location of Oakland, CA.
The Allegiant Stadium is also well-known, and is the second-most expensive sports venue today, following behind the NFL’s SoFi Stadium for the Los Angeles Chargers.
As such, your visit to see the Los Vegas Raiders includes the most expensive hotdog, beers, and NFL tickets, valued at 236.96 in total.
National
Basketball
Association
NBA tickets are popular commodities among many sports fans, as basketball continues to be another trending sport in America. And these are not cheap sports tickets, either— the prices range between below $200 and just over $260.
And driving this passion for basketball is the National Basketball Association, with 32 teams and many legendary players like Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and many others. The NBA was formed in 1946 with 17 original teams, including the famed New York Knicks, and now holds 32 teams in total.
Every year, superfans gather around televisions or courtside to watch the aptly named NBA Finals, which is one of the most expensive final sporting playoffs in the United States.
Based on a best-of-seven win, the NBA Finals conclude with the coveted Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy and national acclaim for the victors.
Los Angeles Lakers
Crypto.com Arena
Ever since their 1947 founding, the Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most successful and popular NBA teams, with fans flocking to games sporting their trademark purple, gold, and black team attire.
The Lakers can sport many NBA Hall of Famers including Elgin Baylor and MVA winners like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who transformed the entire team.
As for their venue, the Crypto.com Arena was completed in 1999 and is famed for the variety of entertainment and music events hosted every year, outside of the sporting season.
Visitors to the Crypto.com Arena can expect options for premium paid services like luxury seating and lounge memberships, as well as a variety of concessions, souvenirs, and drink bars. Tickets for this location start at around $190.76.
Golden State Warriors
Chase Center
By dtstuff9 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/dtstuff9/50491413391/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=96162989
Playing out of the Chase Center near the middle of San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors are one of the original NBA teams formed in 1946. The Warriors have many NBA records, including best regular season and best postseason run, and continue to be one of the highest valued sports teams of all time.
The Chase Center was built in 2014 and has many features that the previous location lacked, including plenty of seating, a large LED scoreboard with 360 views, and courtside suites.
To get a seat at a Golden State Warriors game, you can expect a fee of $203.30.
New York Knicks
Madison Square Garden
As one of the founding members of the NBA’s precursor, the Basketball Association of America, the New York Knicks have been around since 1946 and successful ever since.
Their arena lies in the famed Madison Square Garden which offers patrons a wide variety of special perks, including club access and suites.
And if you want to experience the game with fewer amenities, but still have access to food, drink, and visible seating, the NBA tickets here start around $260.38.
National
Hockey
League
Finally, we come to the icy sport of hockey and the National Hockey League that stretches between the U.S. and Canada, for a total of 32 teams.
Though the NHL was originally founded in Canada in 1917, it quickly became primarily made up of American teams and has remained that way after the Boston Bruins joined in 1924.
The culmination of each inter-team rivalry comes to a head during the Stanley Cup playoffs, a massive competition that challenges the top four teams in each of the two NHL divisions to battle it out for the championship.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Scotiabank Arena
Canada’s hockey darlings, the Toronto Maple Leafs play out of the Scotiabank Arena and are one of the original members of the NHL during the Great Depression.
The team’s main rivals are the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Detroit Red Wings, drawing in fans to watch the battle.
The Scotiabank Arena opened in 1999 and is one of the most famous Canadian hockey arenas, seating over 20 thousand hockey fans with standing room.
And for one of those seats, you can expect $160.01 in fees.
Boston Bruins
TD Garden
Photo Credit: NHL.com
As the first American branch of the NHL in 1924, the Boston Bruins are the oldest hockey team in the U.S. And they have had an illustrious career, winning the second-most Stanley Cups out of the entire American NHL.
After moving to the TD Garden arena in 1995, the Bruins experienced a structural rejuvenation and went back to winning more championships.
And if you want to see them in action, the ticket costs around $162.36, with access to the TD Gardens’ state-of-the-art experiences, including food, shopping, and viewing.
New York Rangers
Madison Square Garden
Sharing the Madison Square Garden venue with the NBA Knicks, the New York Rangers are the most popular and expensive hockey team to see in NYC.
They were founded in 1926 and quickly came under the NHL, actually being the first American team in the league to win the Stanley Cup in 1928.
Madison Square Garden remains a hotspot for fans and tourists alike, and for a hockey game, you can expect to pay around $182.43 to see the Rangers play.
Championship
Tickets
It should come as no surprise that the most expensive sports tickets are centered around the yearly championships that each of the previously discussed teams compete in. From the Super Bowl to the Stanley Cup, here is an overview of each championship ticket price.
1/1
World Series- 2021
Baseball might be an incredibly popular sport, but it still is the cheapest option for getting to a championship game.
However, even MLB World Series tickets come at a hefty price, with fans spending around $2,063.00 to experience the crack of a baseball bat firsthand during the 2021 finals.
1/2
NBA Finals- 2021
Watching the final competition between NBA players is a very expensive experience, but many people still find it worthwhile.
If you wanted to be courtside at the 2021 NBA Finals, you could expect to pay about $2,768.00 for your ticket, which was still cheaper than the all-time peak for the 2019 finals that rose above $4,000.
1/3
Stanley Cup- 2021
As a close second to the Super Bowl in cost, hockey fans need a decent amount of cash to go and see some of their favorite ice-skating legends whip past on the rink.
Tickets to the Stanley Cup final in 2021 cost at least $4,659.00 to get into the arena, with wide variations in price all over the country, and even in Canada where certain teams play. This price has nearly quadrupled from the 2011 playoff prices of just over $1,200.
1/4
Super Bowl – 2021
And finally, if you have ever wondered, how much are super bowl tickets— we have saved the answer for last, and it might shock you. Super Bowl tickets are the most expensive sports tickets on offer and the price goes up every year.
Currently, tickets for the 2022 NFL playoffs are going for a whopping $8,869.00 for resale, which is the highest price ever seen on secondary retailers’ sites.
Compared to the first Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968, the ticket prices were still exponentially lower, even with inflation— around $12 then and worth about $106 in today’s currency. This means prices will undoubtedly just continue to rise!
This is due not only to the prevalence of football in American culture, and the status symbol of going to the Super Bowl in person, but also essentially includes a concert ticket with your sports stub, thanks to the halftime show that gets bigger each year.
Conclusion
For many, the liveliness and excitement of going to a game in person versus turning on the television are worth the price, and it’s something they save up for and look forward to for a long time.
When you buy sports tickets, it’s not just about claiming the seat that you will inhabit during the game. Most fans can agree that it’s the entire experience that you are essentially paying for— from the communal atmosphere to the snacks.
This is why many fans will still opt to enjoy a game in the sports venue, even if the price is fairly high. After all, it’s about the entire package, not just watching the score!
- How has the significance of stadiums affected our love for sports?
- What are some of the most historic baseball fields in the U.S.?
- What is the historical significance of Madison Square Garden?
- What is the oldest NFL stadium?
- When buying sports tickets, what are all the amenities you are paying for?
- What are some of the most famous MLB teams and stadiums?
- What can you expect to pay for a ticket at Fenway Park?
- What are some of the most famous NFL teams and stadiums?
- What are some of the most famous NBA teams and arenas?
- What can you expect to pay for a NBA ticket at Madison Square Garden?
- What are some of the most famous NHL teams and arenas?
- What are the average ticket prices for championship sporting events?
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