After the Browns' Tuesday announcement that QB Johnny Manziel will start Sunday's home game against the Bengals, "tickets on the secondary market are up" 46%, with the average price going from $123.73 to $181.50, according to TiqIQ data cited by Jessica Golden of CNBC. The game's "get-in price" rose by 70% from $37 to $63. TiqIQ Founder & CEO Jesse Lawrence said, "This is not only one of the biggest events in Browns history, but it has a lot of potential impact on next season's ticket prices." The Browns "currently rank 22nd in the league in average home price, compared with 31st last year, and ticket inventory is down" about 29% year over year. Lawrence said that he "expects that number to rise dramatically if Manziel can live up to the hype." Meanwhile, Golden reported Fanatics also "is seeing sales spike" for Browns merchandise. Manziel merchandise "has been selling well all week with a pop on Tuesday after the announcement." Overall, "sales are up" 15% (CNBC.com, 12/10). Cleveland-based Amazing Tickets Owner Mark Klang last week said fans were "excited thinking Johnny was going to play, and they wanted to spend money." He said the prices on the secondary market for last Sunday's Colts-Browns game “went down" after Browns coach Mike Pettine announced that QB Brian Hoyer would remain the starter "just because everybody expected Johnny" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 12/9).
