An NFL game is not a cheap outing. As a fan, you can expect to spend hundreds of dollars on a single outing which involves seeing your favorite team, buying tickets, food, beverages, and possibly, goods.
Not all tickets are equal, though. Prices vary widely across the league, especially when it comes to resale sites, based on the popularity of the club, how their season is going, and how many seats are in the stadium. Read on to learn about the cost of attending an NFL game and whether it’s worth it.
The Cost of Attending an NFL Game
The cost of attending an NFL game varies depending on where you reside and who you want to see. However, the average cost is $646.88, a 17% rise over the previous year.
While concessions are generally kept flat, ticket prices have risen as the general public returns to a post-pandemic, full-time experience mindset. In general, successful teams are getting significantly more expensive to witness in person. Because of the great demand, NFL tickets on the secondary market might cost $500 or more for the lowest seats in the house.
The Las Vegas Raiders have surpassed the San Francisco 49ers as the most expensive NFL gameday. A family of four should expect to pay $1,381.96 – over $300 more than what Niners games cost last year as the most expensive.
Meanwhile, a family of four may enjoy an NFL game for less than $300 at an Atlanta Falcons game. Falcons games cost an average of $293.10, which is approximately $1,000 less than Raiders games. The Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, and Buffalo Bills round out a strong top-four. Notably, Bills games last year were the 27th most expensive, costing $347.10. It’s now a little under $950.
Costs actually decreased for certain teams. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have suffered the most significant decrease. In Tampa, the Tom Brady-less era begins. Last year’s game expenditures averaged $947, which was the second-highest. This year, it is $459, placing it 24th.
Is It Worth It?
NFL games aren’t so cheap to attend anyway, but it’s worth it. There’s pre-game tailgating with friends, the game-day excitement, and the exhilaration of having a little role in your team’s success. However, with the good comes some drawbacks, such as crowd sizes, weather, and overall cost. But what do these matter?
Here are some of the perks of attending an NFL game:
The Atmosphere
The magnitude of the spectators is the first thing you notice when you attend an NFL game. Most NFL stadiums have at least 60,000 seats, and some have over 100,000.
When that many people are rooting for the same side, the cacophony may be indescribable. The crowd roar may get your adrenaline going when the home team makes a major play. This is not something you can experience while watching the game from home. Going to a major sporting event, such as an NFL game, is one of the few places where you can have this experience.
There will be a lot of people sitting around you during an NFL game. It may be a lot of fun getting to meet new people and supporting the same team as a complete stranger. You leave the game knowing that you had a modest impact on the outcome and helped your side win. Being present at the game is the only way to feel this. Banging the remote against the TV screen doesn’t work.
Meeting and Observing NFL Players
One of the most enjoyable aspects of being a sports fan is getting to know and support individual athletes. Seeing these players in person can enhance fandom (particularly among children). The very best players will feature high in the NFL player props markets, these are the players who attract most attention and are most valuable to the league and their respective teams.
Furthermore, you may have the opportunity to meet the players before and after the games. Meeting or having your child meet their sports heroes can be a wonderful experience.
After games, players will frequently distribute keepsakes such as wrist bands or even footballs. These memories can become valuable treasures for children and even adults. If you arrive early enough, you may be able to obtain autographs from some of the players.
NFL In-Arena Entertainment
Throughout the game, home teams try a variety of tactics to get the fans involved and hyped up. It is their responsibility to keep the crowd interested and rooting for the home team. One method is to display a pre-game highlight film of the team’s most important plays.
Music and/or audio calls from the play-by-play broadcasters accompany these videos. These videos can be quite thrilling and get the audience pumped up and ready to scream.
Music is an excellent method to get the audience to sit up, pay attention, and get enthused about the rest of the game. Another thing they do is play music or beats that encourage crowd chants during key moments in the game.
Watching an NFL Game Live
Watching the game live gives you a new respect for how talented and swift these players are. We’re used to seeing how fast the players are in relation to one another, but you don’t realize how good they are until you see them live.
When you’re at the game, you can watch any section of the game you wish rather than just the view provided by the TV team. Going to the game is your best option if you enjoy observing how the defense moves when the ball is snapped or how the receivers execute their routes.
TV won’t show you those viewpoints because the camera is always pointed at where the football is.
Creating Memories with Family and Friends
NFL games might bring strangers together, but they can also be fantastic bonding experiences for families and friends. Sports do an excellent job of bringing people together and uniting them behind a common goal.
People enjoy telling stories when they get together. One of the best anecdotes is about an incredible NFL game they attended. They make for excellent social media and water-cooler conversation.
The experience of attending an NFL game, particularly a playoff game, can become one of the most memorable memories you will ever tell. As previously said, you may have the opportunity to meet a player, obtain an autograph, enjoy tailgating, and feel the energy of 100,000 screaming fans. Then, when your team wins a huge game thrillingly, it becomes a narrative you can tell for years and years.
In Conclusion
While attending NFL games can be quite costly, they can be fun and even more enjoyable if you plan accordingly and dress appropriately for the weather. Going with friends and family makes the in-game experience even better and can also help lower the overall cost of parking per person.
