AFC Championship Game Tickets Are Most Expensive on Secondary Market Since at Least 2010

Only four teams remain in the NFL Playoffs with a chance to make the Super Bowl. While there's no real favorite to come out of that group, the two matchups are drawing very different demand on the secondary ticket market.
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Only four teams remain in the NFL Playoffs with a chance to make the Super Bowl. After an exciting Divisional Round, the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots are the final four teams left with hopes of lifting the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara.

While there's no real favorite to come out of that group, the two matchups are drawing very different demand on the secondary ticket market. According to secondary market ticket aggregator TiqIQ, the current average price for the NFC Championship Game between the Cardinals and Panthers is $669.32, which makes it the third least expensive NFC Championship Game since 2010. Only a 2012 game between the New York Giants and San Francisco Giants and the 2013 game between the 49ers and Atlanta Falcons had a lower average on the secondary market. However, this game does come in as the most expensive NFL football game TiqIQ has tracked at Bank of America Stadium over the past six seasons.

Meanwhile the AFC Championship Game is setting records in Denver. The current $846.88 average price for Broncos vs Patriots tickets is the most expensive average for an AFC Championship Game since at least 2010. At its current price this year's AFC Championship Game eclipses the previous record, which was in 2014 and the last time the Patriots and Broncos met in the Conference Championship. The average price for that game was $740.13, making this year's meeting 14.4% more expensive than 2014.

Two of those fan bases will be looking to head out to California following Sunday's games. While many would have their focus on San Francisco, other surrounding areas could give incoming fans a better deal. According to data from priceline.com, flights into San Jose are averaging cheaper prices than those going into San Francisco around the Super Bowl. The low end of flight costs into San Jose is $116.20, while the low end to San Francisco is $182.20.

However, the city of San Francisco will be holding many of the Super Bowl Week events leading up to the game, and flying into San Jose puts fans about an hour away from the festivities. Per the pricleline.com data, rental cars in San Jose are ranging from $80 to $103 as a daily rate. In San Francisco, the low range starts at $55, but the highest price goes up to $120. For those who are just flying into the game, and even those wanting to spend the week in San Francisco, San Jose prices could provide the best deal if purchased at the low end.

Of course getting to the site of the Super Bowl cheap is only half the battle. According to TiqIQ, Super Bowl tickets have a get-in price of $3,106 on the secondary market.

For more information on NFL Playoff tickets and a chance to win a trip to Santa Clara, visit the TiqIQ Blog.

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