The stage for the NCAA Basketball Championship is set! Duke vs Kentu…no wait I’m sorry, Wisconsin for all the marbles.
Yes, Wisconsin knocked off the previously unblemished Kentucky Wildcats last night, and in the process clicked the star-power of the championship game down just a notch. Duke vs. Kentucky would’ve undoubtedly been the most pricey ticket in town, but now; with Wisconsin toppling the perfectly prepared table (and what’s left of many of our brackets), some of the luster has been rubbed off the game and as a result ticket prices have dropped. Forbes explains how this happens:
With anticipation running high for a potential Duke vs. Kentucky final, ticket prices on the secondary market shot up 13% immediately following Duke’s victory. Prior to the game, the average championship game ticket on the secondary market carried a price tag of $653.14 according to TiqIQ. The least expensive tickets were $160 per seat. After Duke emerged victorious, tickets rose to an average of $730.80 with a get-in price of $175.
Following the Wisconsin victory, ticket prices actually declined 15.4% to an average of $617.88, below the average price prior to tonight’s games. The get-in price also declined, albeit by a lesser degree. After falling 5.7% following Wisconsin’s victory, the get-in price now stands at $165.
Don’t cry too many tears for the NCAA though. Even if these ticket prices hold (they’ll probably still increase some), this will still be the highest priced NCAA basketball final since tracking began in 2011.
[h/t CBS Sports, Forbes]
