As fun as its going to be for us Heat fans over the next decade, it will be equally hard to see the team in person. All available season tickets disappeared in a matter of hours and now all that is left are single game tickets up in the 400 level balconies. There will always be the option of splurging for tickets on StubHub or other broker sites, but when the demand is this high that raises the prices significantly.
The reason I bring this is up because I came across an article on FanSnap.com which showed the average ticket prices for the opening week and holiday games. The top three are all Heat game, with the home opener, season opener and the Christmas game in L.A.
10/29 Magic @ Heat- $805
12/25 Heat @ Lakers- $717
10/26 Heat @ Celtics- $545
10/26 Rockets @ Lakers- $321
1/17- Thunder @ Lakers- $279
That's pretty insane...that the average ticket price for opening night at the AAA is over $800. Last year's home opener against the Knicks averaged at $116. As ridiculous as that seems, it's likely a sign of things to come.
While I don't think the prices will stay this high, at least for the regular season, I think that the Heat will lead the league in average ticket prices for their games over the next several years. Yeah, people are going to hate all over the Heat. I still think they are going to draw better then any team, home or away, because people are going to want to see this team in person.
Any way you size it up, the Heat and the Lakers are the mecca of the NBA right now. Who knows how long it will stay that way but all signs point to ‘a while'. Unfortunately, that means that the common Miami Heat fan is going to have a very hard time seeing his/her team. Hopefully those of you who fall into that category have a nice TV and can enjoy the Heat in beautiful HD.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying a game from your house, where the beer and food is free and the bathroom is only a few feet away. This will also add a level of exclusivity to attending Heat games, making it a very special night regardless of what team they happen to be playing against.
Miami will put on a good show every night and there will probably be some celebrities sitting courtside as well for you to take pictures of. I remember thinking it was pretty cool when I went to a Knicks game and saw Jeremy Piven and John McEnroe sitting along the sideline...and that's nothing compared to what I'm expecting to see attending Heat games this year.
So yeah, it sucks that ticket prices are going to be through the roof but think of the alternative. Would you rather root for an amazing team but rarely get to go to games, or would you prefer to be able to afford tickets to see an average-ish Heat team?