American Monetary AssociationLike death and taxes, American pro football fans can expect an annual rise in ticket prices to their favorite sporting event. And why not? Through player strikes and owner lockouts, prima donna athletes and dog fights, hideous play and taxpayer funded stadiums, a single fact remains – the National Football League is head and shoulders above all the rest in popularity. Keep in mind, prices rise for everything else and why do New England Patriots fans think they won’t have to pony up part of the bill for Tom Brady’s new contract?

Here are the nuts and bolts to help you prepare for how much deeper you’ll have to dig into your pocketbook for next year’s tickets.

Next season, single game tickets will average $76.47, approximately $3 more than this season on a 4.5% increase. 21 of the 32 league teams raised ticket prices, with the unlucky New York fans leading the way, courtesy of the new $1.6 billion stadium the Jets and Giants share, which still must be paid for. Jets fans can expect a 38% increase in single game ticket prices, while the Giants fans are looking at 26%.

The interesting fact is that 15 of the league’s 32 teams have either kept rates steady or lowered them. Only 9 have above average prices, with the New England Patriots leading the way – a ticket in Foxboro will set you back $117.84. No complaints though. You want a chance to win the Super Bowl right? You’re going to have to pick up the cost of quarterback Tom Brady’s new contract to make it happen.

While success on the field seems to equate to higher ticket prices, many NFL executives are having to face the harsh economic reality of today’s world. At some point, fans simply quit attending games, which invokes television blackout rules (if the game isn’t sold out within 72 hours of game time, it will not be shown on local television). In case you haven’t guessed, fans don’t like blackouts much but, so far, have always returned to watch their favorite team when financial times improve.

Teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have even taken to discounting tickets in an attempt to fill the stadium because you know what fans do in stadiums – drink beer and soft drinks, eat hot dogs and and nachos! In America, concessions are king, and the price to get into the game a mere formality, though an increasingly expensive formality.

The American Monetary Association

AmericanMonetaryAssociation.org

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