As the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat prepare to battle in the NBA Finals for the second straight year, the average secondary ticket price will be significantly lower during this year’s Finals compared to 2013. According to TiqIQ, the current average price for the 2014 NBA Finals is $865.32, down over 11 percent from last year’s average of $974.21.
The drop in this year’s average price may derive from the NBA’s newest playoff series format, which is now played in a 2-2-1-1-1 structure as opposed to the previous 2-3-2 design. Last year, Miami held the first seed, allowing them home court advantage as they hosted Game 1,2,6 and 7. The tables have turned this year, however, as San Antonio controls the number one seed and will host Game 1 and 2 and, if necessary, Games 5 and 7.
Last year’s games in San Antonio had an average price of $870.10, 5.4 percent above the average price this year of $825.71. The price decrease is even bigger in Miami where this year’s average price of $947.59 is 13.6 percent below last season’s average of $1,097.37.
This year, Games 1 and 2 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio will be the cheapest of the series, with an average price for Game 1 NBA Finals tickets going for $673.36 and a get-in price of $229. Game 2 tickets have an average price of $719.75 and a $270 get-in price. This year’s averages are fairly lower than last year’s first two games at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, which saw a Game 1 average of $882.30 and, surprisingly, a decline in price for Game 2’s average of $831.50.
As the series shifts to Miami for Games 3 and 4 this year, the average secondary ticket price will continue to rise. Game 3 Miami Heat tickets currently have an average price of $774.93, a 5.7 percent jump from last year’s Game 3 average of $733.48 at the AT&T Center. Game 4 NBA Finals tickets have an average of $857.10 this year but will see an 18 percent drop in comparison to last year’s Game 4 in San Antonio, which averaged at $1046.30. Get-in price for this year’s Game 3 is $226 while Game 4 is $251.
If the series reaches Game 5 in San Antonio, average price for Spurs tickets for Game 5 are currently $917.41, up just 2 percent from last year’s Game 5 average of $897.54. A potential Game 6 back in Miami has a current average price of $1159.46, marking a 4.9 percent increase from the 2013 Game 6 average of $1103.08. The get-in price for Game 6 this year is currently $310.
Should the series extend to Game 7, San Antonio’s AT&T Center will see average Game 7 tickets go for $1109.90, which would mark the biggest disparity in average ticket price between 2013 and 2014 NBA Finals games, though this year’s average would likely increase once a Game 7 is deemed necessary. Last year’s Game 7 in Miami had an average price of $1346.60, which is 17.6 percent higher than this year’s potential Game 7 in San Antonio
While this year’s Finals will see a lower average ticket price, fans shouldn’t expect any drop-off in level of play between San Antonio and Miami. As the two teams meet for just the second time in the NBA Finals this year, both will look to add yet another Larry O’Brien Trophy to their long and storied franchises.
