August 19, 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 West, where the Denver Broncos are riding high following their Super Bowl 50 win over the Carolina Panthers.
The landscape of the AFC West changed for good following Peyton Manning's retirement in March. With Brock Osweiler now dressing for the Houston Texans, the Denver Broncos will turn to Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch to lead them back to the promised land. Still, for how poorly Manning played in his final year, the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 win has allowed for a notable price increase for tickets on the secondary market in 2016. The Broncos lead the way as the most expensive team in the division, followed by the Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.
Check out the complete team-by-team price breakdown below, according to data provided by TicketIQ:
Denver Broncos | Average Home Price in 2016: $454 | % Increase from 2015: +20%
Maybe the saying is true - no Manning, no problem in Denver. The Broncos are coming off their third Super Bowl victory in franchise history but will not have their future Hall of Fame quarterback taking snaps any longer. It hasn't appeared to have much effect on resale ticket prices, however, as Broncos tickets at Sports Authority Field this season now own a $454 average. That's good enough for third best in the league behind the New England Patriots ($461) and Seattle Seahawks ($466).
Leave it to the league's biggest teams to give fans the biggest price premiums in Denver this season. The Patriots and Panthers serve as the most expensive opponents in the Mile High City, with December 18 matchup against the Patriots averaging $523 and the September 8 SB50 rematch posting a $522 average. The cheapest tickets for those games start from $116 and $160, respectively.
Prepare to pay up for even the Broncos' cheapest games. A New Year's Day battle with the Raiders is currently the most affordable Broncos home game this season at a $369 average and $103 get-in price.
Oakland Raiders | Average Home Price in 2016: $215 | % Increase from 2015: +69%
Could this be the year the Raiders finally break out of their funk? The team hasn't clinched a playoff berth since the 2002 season, when they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. However, armed with Derek Carr, Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper, the Raiders have a formidable roster that has the ability to make noise in a tough division. That's being shown on the secondary market, too, where Raiders tickets at O. co Coliseum are averaging $215 - up 69% from last season.
The team's home opener against the Atlanta Falcons on September 18 will be the most expensive game in Oakland this season. That game now owns a $301 average and $120. The Buffalo Bills are the cheapest opponent on the Raiders schedule. Their December 4 visit has a $193 average and $62 get-in price.
San Diego Chargers | Average Home Price in 2016: $157 | % Increase from 2015: -26%
A forgettable 2015 season has made its mark on the secondary ticket market for the Chargers. After going just 4-12 on the year, Chargers tickets on TicketIQ have dropped 26% on average and now sit at $157. That is the largest drop-off in the league this year. Still, the Chargers won't be the cheapest ticket in the AFC West, as the Chiefs take that title despite their playoff appearance last season.
The most expensive game at Qualcomm Stadium this season comes against the Raiders on December 18. That game owns a secondary market average of $225 and the get-in price is $82. If searching for the cheapest Chargers home game this season, a December 4 matchup with the Buccaneers is posting a $125 average and the least expensive ticket is just $22.
Kansas City Chiefs | Average Home Price in 2016: $143 | % Increase from 2015: +14%
The Chiefs are coming off their first playoff win this century, and that has appeared to influence resale ticket prices at Arrowhead Stadium during the 2016 season. Alex Smith will again lead the streaky Midwestern team, who have quietly posted three winning seasons in a strong AFC West. As it stands now the average price for Chiefs tickets on TicketIQ is $143 across all eight home games, up 14% from the beginning of the 2015 season.
With the Broncos leading the way in the division, it comes as no surprise that their visit to Kansas City on Christmas Day is generating the highest prices for Chiefs tickets this season. That game currently owns a $196 average and $44 get-in price. Conversely, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be the cheapest opponent at Arrowhead Stadium this season. The November 6 game is averaging $107.77 and the get-in price is just $17.
