Your favorite NFL team is headed to Super Bowl LVIII and you’ve now decided that you’re going to cross off a bucket list item and travel to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to see your favorite team compete for the Lombardi Trophy in person.
But what's the best way to go about buying the hottest ticket on the North American sports calendar? Super Bowl tickets aren't released for sale to the general public and the NFL doesn't disclose face-value prices, making the process of trying to score a deal a daunting one.
Well, NBC's Noah Pransky has tracked ticket prices to a number of big events and offers these tips on navigating the resale market:
1. Wait!
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Don’t let the euphoria of that conference title triumph rush you into a ticket purchase. Remember, there’s a two-week lead-up to the Super Bowl and the first moments after your favorite team secures a spot in the Big Game isn't the right time to buy tickets if you're looking for the best value.
"We always recommend: do not go out and rush to purchase tickets right after your team clinches their (Super Bowl) berth in their conference championship game," StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli told NBC. "The market typically will set, in terms of a maximum inventory, about a week before the game."
Last year, the average ticket price actually dropped from around $10,000 on Conference Championship Sunday down to below $6,000 on Super Bowl Sunday, according to data from TicketIQ.
If you don't mind potentially not seeing Reba McEntire sing the national anthem and the opening kickoff, Pransky says you'll often find the steepest discounts a few minutes before or a few minutes after an event begins.
2. Sit alone
Not being able to watch the Super Bowl alongside friends and/or family may take away from the overall experience. But if you're looking for the best possible deal, sitting alone could be a price you have to pay.
"It may sound strange going to a sporting event (and sitting alone), but I can assure you there's probably 70,000-plus sports fans that you can high-five during the game," Budelli said.
3. Shop all-in prices
Those dreaded hidden fees. When shopping around at the different ticket marketplaces, make sure you toggle on "all-in pricing." This way, you don't get tricked into thinking you've stumbled upon a deal that's within your budget.
Then again, if you’re looking right now to buy Super Bowl tickets on the resale market, 'budget' may not be a part of your vocabulary.
According to TickPick, the average Super Bowl LVIII ticket costs a mind-boggling $9,932, with prices ranging from roughly $8,100 to $110,800.
