Barclays Center Driving Highest Ticket Prices Over First Two Rounds of NCAA Tournament
It’s that time of year again: brackets are being printed at every work office, pools are full with the hope of monetary gain, and the next Cinderella team embarks on its quest to put its mark on history.
The 2016 NCAA Tournament will pit the best 68 schools in the country in a win-or-go-home format. And for those hoping to attend one of the 34 upcoming games (36 including the First Four games), a strong demand for NCAA Tournament tickets on the resale market exists over the three-week affair.
With eight venues set to host the first two of rounds of play through the weekend, each offers an “All Sessions Pass” that grants access to all games being held in that particular arena through Sunday.
This provides fans with the best bang for their buck and eliminates the hassle of purchasing individual session tickets. Of course, those planning to take in a single day of action can find individual session tickets, but buying in bulk offers the most for the least. And who can say no to that?
According to ticket aggregator TiqIQ, the most expensive All Sessions pass will be for first and second round games at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. As it stands now the average secondary market price for all six games being held on Friday and Sunday is $739.43.
If looking just to get in, the cheapest All Sessions pass at Barclays Center is currently listed for $187.
Among the teams set to descend upon Brooklyn this week include No. 2 Xavier and No. 3 West Virginia from the East region and No. 2 Villanova and No. 7 Iowa out of the South region.
Though ticket prices may be steep, fans heading to Brooklyn this week can take advantage of the low cost of travel in the Greater New York Metro Area. According to Hipmunk.com, hotels in New York City can be found starting from $128 per night. Flights to New York can also be arranged with a simple click of a button on Hipmunk.
Among other venues generating big price points over the first two rounds of play include PNC Arena in Raleigh and Spokane Arena in Washington. With Midwest contenders in No. 1 Virginia, No. 8 Texas Tech and No. 9 Butler as well as East top seeds in No. 1 North Carolina and No. 8 USC all touching down in North Carolina, the average resale price for an All Sessions Pass at PNC Arena is $705.40. The cheapest pass can be found for $265. An All Sessions Pass to games at Spokane Arena currently averages $664.95 and a $300 get-in price.
Not every hosting venue will elicit such lofty prices, however. Scottrade Center in St. Louis currently owns the cheapest All Sessions pass during the first two rounds at an average price of $439.52, more than 40 percent cheaper on average than Barclays Center.
The get-in price remains on par with most venues, though, with the cheapest All Sessions pass fetching for $178. Midwest region teams set to play in St. Louis include No. 2 Michigan State and No. 7 Dayton as well as East teams in No. 2 Xavier and No. 7 Wisconsin.
Expect to pay up the deeper the tournament goes. The Final Four will take up residency at NRG Stadium in Houston on April 2, and as is the case each season, ticket demand is big on the secondary market.
The average price for All Session 2016 Final Four tickets is now $1,400.00—26.7 percent more expensive on average than last year’s games at Lucas Oil Stadium ($1,104.65). The cheapest All Sessions pass to both games this season is $360.
