August 16, 2016
Over the next two weeks, TicketIQ will break down secondary market ticket prices for each NFL team during the 2016 season. Today's focus will be on the AFC North, where the Pittsburgh Steelers rule as the top-priced team in the division
Preseason football is officially underway, and while starters set to take limited snaps over the next three weeks, many players will look to make their mark as September draws closer. Perhaps the most notable new face in the AFC North is Robert Griffin III, who takes over under center in Cleveland's post-Johnny Manziel era. The divisional champion Cincinnati Bengals added to their postseason misfortunes with a fifth straight loss in the Wild Card Game last year. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, who welcome back a healthy Joe Flacco this season, will be gunning to take back the divisional crown.
As the regular season approaches, check out where each team in the AFC North stacks up in terms of ticket demand on the secondary market below, according to data provided by TicketIQ:
Pittsburgh Steelers | 2016 Avg. Home Price: $339 | % Change from 2015: +42%
Uncertainty has plagued the Steelers right out of the gate, as tight end Ladarius Green has struggled to return to the field after undergoing surgery on his ankle during the offseason. The 26-year-old has experienced constant headaches that have placed him in "concussion protocol", according to head coach Mike Tomlin.
It appears that optimism remains high in Pittsburgh despite the potential loss of Green, as the Steelers own the most expensive resale tickets in the AFC North this season. As it stands now the average price for Steelers tickets on TicketIQ is $339 across all eight games at Heinz Field, up a whopping 42% from the 2015 average at the start of the season.
The team will play its top-priced home game against the Dallas Cowboys on November 13. As it stands now the average resale price for tickets to the game is $577.45. If looking just to get in the cheapest ticket is $220. A New Year's Day game against the Browns will be the Steelers' least expensive game, with tickets averaging $215.04 and the get-in price is $66.
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Baltimore Ravens | 2016 Avg. Home Price: $232 | % Change from 2015: +17%
The Ravens' first preseason game shed little light on what the team will look like during Week 1, as PUP list players Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith Sr., Elvis Dumervil and Brashad Perriman all did not play. Joe Flacco was also kept off the field as the Ravens scraped by with a 22-19 victory over the defending AFC champion Carolina Panthers.
While each is expected to start in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills, it comes as no surprise that the Ravens will post big ticket demand on the secondary market this season. Ravens tickets at M&T Bank Stadium are averaging $232 on the secondary market, good enough for the second most expensive in the division.
Perhaps expectedly, the Ravens' most expensive home game will come against the Steelers on November 6. Tickets to the game currently average $294.69 and the cheapest ticket is listed from $109. Conversely, the Browns' visit to Baltimore just four days later will be their cheapest game at an average resale price of $171.86 and $48 get-in price.
Cincinnati Bengals | 2016 Avg. Home Price: $174 | % Change from 2015: +30%
Despite winning their ninth divisional title last season, the Bengals were the benefactors of their fifth straight loss in the Wild Card Game, this time at the hands of the rival Steelers. They'll hope the tides will turn in 2016, but the injury bug has found its way into camp during the preseason. On Monday Brandon LaFell was diagnosed with a ligament tear in his right hand, joining the likes of top draft pick William Jackson III (torn pectoral muscle), Andrew Billings (torn meniscus in right knee) and Cedric Ogbuehi (toe injury).
Can the Bengals bounce back and defend their divisional crown? None of the above injuries are listed as season-ending, so there is hope that the team can weather the storm early. However, muscle tears are white-and-black injuries with varying timetables for return, and the Bengals will be pressed right out of the gate this season.
Still, even with injuries piling up, Bengals tickets at Paul Brown Stadium this season have experienced a huge increase in demand on the secondary market. The average price for Bengals tickets on TicketIQ is $174 across all eight home games, up 30% from 2015' season average. The Bengals take on the Steelers on December 18 in their most expensive home game this season, where tickets own a secondary market average of $218.03 and the cheapest ticket is $68. The Bills will serve as the cheapest opponent for their visit on November 20. That game currently has a $146.03 average and $37 get-in price.
Cleveland Browns | 2016 Avg. Home Price: $145 | % Change from 2015: +4%
RGIII's debut in a Browns uniform was a turbulent one, with a 49-yard bomb to to Terrelle Pryor quickly overlooked by an interception just five plays later. It will be an interesting year in Cleveland, especially when Josh Gordon and rookie Corey Coleman begin play after missing the first preseason game. The Browns won't likely make noise in the AFC North against top-flight teams like the Bengals and Steelers, but it will be fun watching Griffin's revival tour all season long.
With Manziel now out of the picture, Browns tickets on the secondary market haven't experienced much of a price bump from 2015. The average price across all eight games at FirstEnergy Stadium is now $145, up just 4% from last year's average price. The Browns will play their most expensive game against the New England Patriots on October 9, where tickets are averaging $224.14 and the cheapest tickets are $82 each. A Christmas Eve matchup with the San Diego Chargers will be the cheapest game in Cleveland this season. Tickets average $97.56 and the get-in price is $17 on TicketIQ.
