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Events and Attractions

Tight Inventory, High Demand For Super Bowl Tickets Drive Up Prices On Secondary Market

A "mad scramble" for tickets to Super Bowl XLIX and a "mysterious lack of inventory on the open market have sent prices soaring this week," according to Charles Robinson of YAHOO SPORTS. Multiple brokers said that they are "having issues filling pre-sold orders," due to "tight inventory and 'worst seat available' prices that have pushed as high as $5,700 per ticket." That is considered an "astronomical 'get-in' price." As of yesterday afternoon, the cheapest seats in Univ. of Phoenix Stadium were "going for nearly $5,000 each with taxes and fees included." TiqIQ yesterday said that Super Bowl seats are "selling for an average of 82 percent more than this time last year," when the Seahawks faced the Broncos at MetLife Stadium. Tickets with a face value of $950 in the upper-bowl 400-level "were going for $4,500 each" on StubHub yesterday. The lack of inventory has "left some brokers scratching their heads and pointing fingers." One ticket broker said that he believes the NFL "privately instructed teams to delay the release of tickets to coaches, players and corporate sponsors until as late as Friday." The broker said that the goal of that philosophy would be to "financially squeeze ticket brokers who mark up the NFL's product to the tune of millions of dollars, money that the league wants to keep by funneling tickets through its own broker partnerships" like PrimeSport (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/28).

PRICE POINT: In Newark, Ted Sherman notes the average ticket selling price for Super Bowl XLIX on StubHub is $3,275. By comparison, the average ticket price for Super Bowl XLVIII last year was $2,527. A StubHub spokesperson said that ticket sales for Super Bowl XLIX are up 4% "compared to the same time last year." Around 20% of sales "have been from Washington," while only 7% are "going to accounts in Massachusetts" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 1/29). NFL Ticket Exchange, the league's official ticket reseller and operated by Ticketmaster, said that Washington residents have "outpaced Massachusetts residents 5 to 1 in purchasing tickets online." Washington residents have purchased 25.6%, Arizonans purchased 11.6%, Californians have purchased 8.8% and Massachusetts customers purchased 5.1%. In Seattle, Jack Broom noted the exchange last Sunday "listed more than 700 tickets available, ranging from $4,644 to $15,077" (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/26).

SECURITY GETTING RAMPED UP: CBS’ Gayle King reports U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has not identified any "specific credible threats" against Super Bowl XLIX, but law enforcement "is not taking any chances." CBS’ Jan Crawford notes Johnson toured Univ. of Phoenix Stadium yesterday, and his presence showed this "is not just another game.” Security includes a “no-fly zone” over the stadium and cameras that send "real-time video to command centers.” That is “all part of a detailed security plan to protect tens of thousands of fans who will attend the nation’s biggest sporting event” (“CBS This Morning,” 1/29). ABC’s George Stephanopoulos said the Super Bowl will feature “more security than ever this year," as the latest technology is "being deployed to counter possible attacks amid heightened concerns about threats from ISIS, al Qaeda and the lone wolves they inspire" (“GMA,” ABC, 1/29).

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