The Super Bowl is a given to make an appearance, but what about the rest of the list? Boardroom breaks down which sporting events in 2023 garnered the highest ticket prices.
It’s no secret that if you want to attend a high-profile sporting event, it will cost you. It was no different in 2023.
With inflation hitting the country across the board, sports are not exempt. Relative to other categories, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps track of year over year, the admission price of sporting events recorded the highest annualized inflation rate out of the hundreds of categories that make up the to-come.
So, which sporting events were the most expensive to attend? Boardroom breaks down the top 10 with the highest ticket prices in 2023.
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Data courtesy of TickPick. The ticket prices are the average for each respective event.
1. Super Bowl LVII: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs — $5,795
Again, no surprise here. It’s not even close and likely won’t ever be. The Super Bowl remains one of the marquee sporting events across the globe, and it doesn’t really matter who is even playing. However, in 2023, the matchup between the Chiefs and the Eagles brought a ton of intrigue, from a young superstar QB battle with Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts to a brotherly rivalry between Jason & Travis Kelce. And with a 38-35 finish, the game lived up to the hype.
2. US Open Championship: Session 25 (Men’s Final/Women’s Doubles Final) — $1,778
With how much of a spectacle the US Open has become in the last few years, it’s no wonder the ticket prices to attend continue to rise. This year, Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in the men’s final, while Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe bested the duo of Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva in the women’s doubles final.
It was an exciting US Open throughout the entire tournament — the top three seeds in the men’s semifinals (then-World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz fell to Medvedev in this round) as well as the rise of American phenom Ben Shelton — which likely contributed to the crescendo that was the final.
3. 2023 NBA All-Star Game — $1,512
It’s funny how everyone complains about the NBA All-Star Game, with players somewhat goofing around and having fun (imagine that) during the event, yet folks are still willing to pay top dollar to see it live. Given, the experience of seeing the biggest stars of the NBA in one place and up close in person is much different than sitting on one’s couch and watching it all on TV.
4. NBA Finals: Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat (Game 5) — $1,414
While it wasn’t the sexiest matchup in the 2023 NBA Finals, it makes sense why Game 5 was an expensive one. It was also the first chance the Denver Nuggets had to clinch their first NBA title in the series being up 3-1 heading in. With the win and securing the championship, Denver fans certainly got what they paid for.
5. NHL Finals: Las Vegas Golden Knights vs. Florida Panthers (Game 5) — $1,398
Las Vegas’s rise as one of the nation’s top sports cities came to a peak this year. From F1 to not one, but two championships, Sin City is becoming one of the hottest destinations for sports fans.
Speaking of fans getting their money’s worth, the Golden Knights provided their faithful with that by winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in their home arena by a dominant 9-3 score.
6. Formula 1: 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix — $1,355
7. Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia — $1,312
8. NBA Finals: Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets (Game 4) — $1,244
9. Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo — $1,127
10. NFC Championship: San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles — $1,113
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