Little change in Packers ticket prices as fans wait to see what kind of season it will be

GREEN BAY –  The five most expensive games on the Green Bay Packers schedule include the usual suspects — Bears, Vikings and Saints — plus the Buccaneers. 

The Oct. 18 game in Tampa, Florida, remains the highest-priced game on the Packers schedule. The average cost of the lowest-priced tickets was $227, compared with $230 on May 18.

The separation between the top five games and the rest of the schedule is notable. The top five are Tampa, $227; the Vikings at Lambeau Field, $195; the Bears at Lambeau Field, $194; the Packers at the Saints, $184; and the Packers at the Vikings, $179. The next most expensive games are four tied at $148.

Prices are generally lower since the schedule was released in mid-May, but with few wide swings in a thin market. 

Sales remain subdued, said Dennis Garrity, president and CEO of Event USA in Ashwaubenon. Customers are waiting to see what will happen with the coronavirus pandemic.

"We do believe a primary reason is that many fans are dubious that the games will go forward with attendance permitted," he said. "There seems to be significant desire by many to get back to normal life, including attending the games, but a wait-and-see approach prevails." 

Warnings, such as the one Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, gave to CNN on Thursday, contribute to the doubt.

"Unless players are essentially in a bubble — insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day — it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall,” Fauci said during a CNN interview. “If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year."

For its part, the NFL is proceeding as if 2020 will be a normal year, but with the caveat that something other than normal might occur. It's possible the league could decide to have games with no fans or with limited fans. Games with limited fans could dramatically affect the price of tickets if demand exceeds supply, which is likely.

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Back to the Packers schedule, prices increased for six games since May. Two of those, not shockingly, are against the Vikings. The Sept. 13 season opener in Minnesota was at $179 this week, compared with $159 in May, and the Nov. 1 game at Lambeau Field was $195, up from $191.

Also higher, from $3 to $12, were games against the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 5, the Houston Texans on Oct. 25, the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 22 and the Detroit Lions on Dec. 13.

Of particular importance to Packers fans, the season-ending game on Jan. 3 in Chicago was at $148 this week, compared with $150 on May 18 and $163 on June 1.

Secondary market broker StubHub said that based on its sales, the average price of tickets sold for the Packers top four home games are 19% higher than for the bottom four home games. That is the smallest gap among the league's top 10 teams.

The average price of tickets sold across the league was $254, down from $278 when the schedule was released, StubHub said. The Packers ranked seventh in the league with an average $287, down from $290. The Packers are fifth among all teams in total sales.

“The Packers continue to drive demand as fans anticipate the forthcoming season,” said Akshay Khana, general manager of North America at StubHub. “We saw an immediate demand for the team on StubHub as soon as the schedule was released and that demand has sustained, raising them to the No. 5 highest-selling team so far this season, based on ticket sales.”

For our look at Packers' tickets prices, we average the lowest ticket prices at eight secondary-market websites: Event USA, Green Bay Ticket Service, NFL Exchange, SeatGeek, StubHub, TickPick, Ticket King and Vivid Seats. Note that ticket brokers can add fees on top of the prices listed here, so actual costs might be higher.  

Sept. 13, noon, Minnesota Vikings, U.S. Bank Stadium, Fox

• Face-price range: N/A
• Average lowest-cost seat: $179
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $147-$239

Sept. 20, noon, Detroit Lions, Lambeau Field, Fox 

• Face-price range (not including premium seating): $118-$149
• Average lowest-cost seat: $148
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $125-$160

Sept. 27, 7:20 p.m., New Orleans Saints, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Sunday Night Football, NBC

• Face-price range: N/A
• Average lowest-cost seat: $184
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $145-$249 

Oct. 5, 7:15 p.m., Atlanta Falcons, Lambeau Field, Monday Night Football, ESPN 

• Face-price range (not including premium seating): $118-$149
• Average lowest-cost seat: $148
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $140-$158

Oct. 18, 3:25 p.m., Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Raymond James Stadium, Fox

• Face-price range: N/A
• Average lowest-cost seat: $227
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $175-$319 

Oct. 25, noon, Houston Texans, NRG Stadium, Fox

• Face-price range: N/A
• Average lowest-cost seat: $132
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $109-$189 

Nov. 1, noon, Minnesota Vikings, Lambeau Field, Fox

• Face-price range (not including premium seating): $118-$149
• Average lowest-cost seat: $195
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $173-$210

Nov. 5, 7:20 p.m., San Francisco 49ers, Levi's Stadium, Thursday Night Football, Fox 

• Face-price range: N/A
• Average lowest-cost seat: $148
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $98-$189

Nov. 15, noon, Jacksonville Jaguars, Lambeau Field, Fox

• Face-price range (not including premium seating): $118-$149
• Average lowest-cost seat: $133
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $114-$155

Nov. 22, noon, Indianapolis Colts, Lucas Oil Stadium, Fox

• Face-price range: N/A
• Average lowest-cost seat: $124
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $102-$169

Nov. 29, 7:20 p.m., Chicago Bears, Lambeau Field, Sunday Night Football, NBC

• Face-price range (not including premium seating): $118-$149
• Average lowest-cost seat: $194
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $179-$213

Dec. 6, 3:25 p.m., Philadelphia Eagles, Lambeau Field, CBS

• Face-price range (not including premium seating): $118-$149
• Average lowest-cost seat: $148 
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $128-$160

Dec. 13, noon, Detroit Lions, Ford Field, Fox

• Face-price range: N/A
• Average lowest-cost seat: $91
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $64-$129

Dec. 19 or 20, time to be determined, Carolina Panthers, Lambeau Field, network to be determined

• Face-price range (not including premium seating): $118-$149
• Average lowest-cost seat: $135
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $114-$153

Dec. 27, 7:20 p.m., Tennessee Titans, Lambeau Field, Sunday Night Football, NBC

• Face-price range (not including premium seating): $118-$149
• Average lowest-cost seat: $137
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $119-$153

Jan. 3, noon, Chicago Bears, Soldier Field, Fox

• Face-price range: N/A
• Average lowest-cost seat: $142
• Range of lowest-cost seat: $123-$169

Contact Richard Ryman at (920) 431-8342 or rryman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at  @rrymanPG or  on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG/