As the NBA and NHL playoffs forge ahead, you might keep an eye on the games’ fluctuating ticket prices.
It’s a practice called Dynamic Pricing, and it’s taken hold across major league sports. Essentially, teams adjust ticket prices according to demand for the games. Prices aren’t supposed to go above a certain ceiling, but they can drop and rise as the teams see fit.
The San Antonio Spurs, the defending NBA champions, are caught in a tight series with the Los Angeles Clippers that is currently tied 1-1, and ticket prices have fluctuated greatly with the team’s fortune.
Heading into their first match up against the Clippers, the Spurs commanded the third most expensive average ticket price in the NBA playoffs at approximately $321 a seat, according to the San Antonio Business Journal.
But after San Antonio dropped that game in a disappointing 107-92 loss, their average ticket price dropped to $296.
The Golden State Warriors, which commanded the NBA’s top regular season record (67-15), have the most expensive postseason tickets at $366, according to the San Antonio Business Journal. The Warriors currently lead the New Orleans Pelicans 2-0 in their first-round series.
Meanwhile in the NHL, New York Rangers fans are finding that it’s much cheaper to watch their team in the postseason by traveling to rival territory. The Rangers lead the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 in the first round.
Average resale ticket prices for the Rangers’ home games are $373, but the price drops by as much as $277 if New York fans are willing travel to away games in Pittsburgh, according to Bloomberg.
Keep an eye on Seatgeek as the NHL and NBA postseasons continue.
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