November 4, 2014
The Super Bowl has come a long way from its initial offering. Once played as the championship game between the NFL and AFL with a merger between the two league, the game is now its own spectacle. The same goes for the host venues of the Super Bowl. The games were originally played in the location of college football bowl games with Super Bowl II and III played at the Orange Bowl. Super Bowl I was played at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. The first Super Bowl was not held in an NFL stadium until 1978 when New Orleans hosted Super Bowl XII at the Superdome.
Now typically played in warm climate weather or indoors, the Super Bowl broke with tradition last season when it was hosted at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Despite the arctic chill that makes itself ever-present in the Northeast come February, ticket prices on the secondary market were significantly higher than 2012’s game between the Ravens and 49ers at the Superdome in New Orleans. This year’s game will transition back west to University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. Unlike the temperature, however, secondary prices for Super Bowl XLVIX tickets won’t increase.
The average price for this year’s Super Bowl is currently $3,190.96 and get-in price starts at $1,721 on the secondary market. This marks a drop of 5.4% from last season’s Super Bowl average of $3,375.88 when the Broncos and Seahawks met at MetLife Stadium. That game proved to be rather uneventful as the Seahawks routed the Broncos in a 43-8 victory. The one-sided matchup from a season ago may have had an impact on the slight price drop this season, but with the Cardinals owning the best record in the NFL through Week 10, prices would likely skyrocket in the coming months if the team were to play in a hometown Super Bowl this February.
At the end of the 2012 season, the Ravens and 49ers played in Super Bowl XLVII at the Superdome and saw a secondary ticket average of $3,152.21. Get-in price for the game started at just $67. Of the last five Super Bowls, only Super Bowl XLIV owned a lower average on the secondary market. Played in February of 2010, that game between the Colts and Saints had a secondary average of $2,679.63, more than 16% lower than what this season’s game in Arizona currently sees on the secondary market. Get-in price for the game was $1,721.
The Giants and Patriots met at Lucas Oil Stadium at the end of the 2011 season and saw the most expensive secondary average in the last five years at $4,214.53 and a get-in price of $2,325. The only Super Bowl to exceed the $4000 average since TicketIQ began tracking data in 2009, Super Bowl XLVI’s average on the secondary market is currently 32% more expensive than this season’s game. The rematch of Tom Brady and Eli Manning on the NFL’s biggest stage allowed ticket prices to soar that year. Manning would ultimately better Brady that year as he claimed his second Super Bowl title, both coming against the Patriots.
One season prior to the Giants’ triumphant win, the Packers and Steelers met at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and saw the second most expensive secondary average in the last five seasons. The average price for Super Bowl XLV tickets was $3,621.93 and get-in price started at $2,260 on the secondary market. The Packers would go on to win 31-25 and claim their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history.
While this season’s Super Bowl has seen a decrease in secondary ticket price, it will likely fluctuate on the secondary market over the next three months leading up to its February 1 date. As the regular season continues into the second half, find the best deals on all of the league’s tickets at TicketIQ.com.
