Knicks set a record for opening-night tickets: over $2,500. The club: a pricing error
This is the highest price among the fixtures in the first week of the US basketball league. The club has explained that it will revert to last season’s prices, applying an average increase of 12 per cent, and that it will refund the difference to those who have already purchased tickets
There’s already a lot of excitement in New York, but attending the ceremony at which the Knicks will celebrate winning their first National Basketball Association (NBA) title since 1973 is likely to cost a fortune. For the match on 20 October against the Philadelphia 76ers – the season’s opening night at Madison Square Garden – the average price of tickets on the secondary market has reached $2,560, the highest price of any match in the NBA’s opening week.
Tickets have sold out and are only available on secondary market websites. On StubHub, prices range from $1,314 to $36,210, whilst Vivid Seats offers tickets ranging from $1,335 to $20,951 and SeatGeek from $1,400 to $36,004. On Ticketmaster, for those without an access code, prices range from $1,521 to $52,650.
Top-of-the-table clash
The match between the New York Knicks (or New York Knickerbockers, from the old name for the inhabitants of New York) and the 76ers is also the one attracting the most interest amongst the season’s opening fixtures. The average price to watch the Knicks in the first week is $1,212, whilst for Philadelphia the average is $1,538. To see the reigning champions at a more affordable price, you could wait for their away match at Boston’s TD Garden on 23 October, with an average price of $523, or their home match on 25 October against Orlando, at $555.
Knicks’ countermeasures
Meanwhile, the Knicks have decided to take action regarding their official ticket prices by suspending the sale of individual tickets after identifying an error in the price list. “We are pausing sales of individual Knicks tickets due to an error in our pricing,” the statement reads. The club explained that it will revert to last season’s prices, applying an average increase of 12 per cent, and that it will refund the difference to those who have already purchased tickets.
“It was never our intention to place an undue burden on our most loyal fans,” the Knicks added, thanking supporters for their patience. However, the correction relates to the face value – that is, the official price set by the franchise – and not to the secondary market. Prices on resale platforms, which are driven by supply and demand, may therefore remain very high.
