If there’s one thing to unite sports fans, it’s how deep their wallets become when it comes to seeing their favorite teams on the sports events. No matter your sport — basketball, hockey, golf, Grand Prix, soccer, football, or even MMA — you can quickly drop $1,000 on a single ticket. And when history is on the line, even that will seem like a bargain.
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Courtside NBA
Basketball is the most lovable sports events among people. Fans rejoice at the wide-ranging ticket prices to see their favorite NBA teams play, but if you want courtside seats, prepare to spend a pretty penny. The most expensive team in the league is the Golden State Warriors. No surprise has given their dominance over the last several years and the draw of big names like Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. To catch the game from the VIP section could set you back as much as $11,400 per ticket for a regular season game. And if you’re interested in the playoffs to prepare to shell out a lot more: in 2017, a fan paid $133,000 for two tickets to sit courtside at Game 5 of the NBA Finals. One perk is rubbing shoulders with celebrity fans of various teams (the Kardashians are often seen at basketball games) and your favorite players.
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Super Bowl LII
While it is still unknown who is playing in the 2018 Super Bowl, held this year in Minneapolis, MN, football fans are avidly snapping up tickets to the big game. The “cheap seats” are starting at $3,400 each, but to sit closest to the action you’ll be paying $19,995 per seat. Expect those prices to increase as the game gets closer and the two lucky teams’ fans begin out-bidding each other for seats. In 2013, tickets averaged $1,210 at face value but skyrocketed to as high as $316,000 on third-party ticketing sites. It might just be worth it if you can see odds-on favorites, The Patriots, seal the sixth win for their quarterback, Tom Brady.
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FIFA World Cup Finals
In most awaited sports events like FIFA world cup tickets are sold in stages, with two random selection draws and three first come, first serve opportunities. Since December 5, more than 2.3 million tickets have been requested, making the chance to get tickets to the Russia-hosted event harder, and therefore, more expensive. A single Category 1 ticket to the finals is priced to sell at $1,125, but the third-party ticket market has sent that price skyrocketing. Super-fans can guarantee their ticket for the amount of $68,735. Plus, unless you live in Russia, where the event will take place, you’re looking at a hefty international airfare and other travel expenses.
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Legends Suite for sports events at Yankee Stadium
Pricing for the 122 front-row suite seats varies, but you have to be prepared to commit. Fans lease seats for a minimum of one year to rejoice the sports events organized in this stadium (but can lease for up to 10 years to guarantee their favorite spot for a decade to come). Depending on the quality of the seat, a one-year lease will run you anywhere from $562 to $850 per game. With the Yankee’s scheduled to play 78 home games in 2018, that’s a total of $44,000 to $68,000 for a season ticket, not including playoffs. Perks include access to a bi-level private club, in-seat wait service, and two dugout lounges. If you’re not a Yankee’s fan, you’ll find your home team probably has a similar package available.
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The Finals at Wimbledon
Tickets for the classiest event in tennis (and maybe all sports) are already hovering at nearly $9,000 for the Gentlemen’s Singles Final and almost $4,000 for the Ladies’ Singles Final. With fans eager to catch a glimpse at what might be Roger Federer’s last Wimbledon (again) expect these prices to increase exponentially as the early months of 2018 give fans a picture of his fitness this year. Plus, with Serena Williams out of the Australian Open to give herself more time to recover after the birth of her first child, The Championships at Wimbledon could end up being her first major back and her chance to tie Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record (24). When the chance to witness history is this high, tennis fans are known to shell out: the 2013 Wimbledon final between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic saw prices go as high as $65,000 each – well worth it considering it was the first time a Brit picked up the title since 1936.
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