For fans of any professional team, the hidden cost of success is the expense of supporting the team following it.
Cleveland Browns fans are finding that out with just one game announced for the 2024 NFL regular season.
After the team’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys was announced Monday, fans searching for single-game tickets may have experienced sticker shock.
Podcast host Chris McNeil shared on Twitter the ticket prices for the home-opening contest against Dallas on Tuesday morning with upper-deck tickets starting at $200 apiece.
Cheapest opening day Browns/ Cowboys ticket rn is over $200 upper deck. $600- $1400 per ticket club level. 😭 pic.twitter.com/kQkHfaa7BQ
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) May 14, 2024
Browns fans can thank a national fanbase that follows the Cowboys as one reason for the increased prices, especially as the demand for this contest will exceed normal levels.
Yet fans should expect all eight home games to have increased ticket prices thanks to the improved level of competition.
Once the NFL releases its full schedule on Wednesday, fans can purchase single-game tickets for the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs in addition to AFC North rivalry games.
That’s six of eight home games fans can expect to shell out significantly more to attend in 2024.
This is part of a trend for Browns fans now that Cleveland has made the playoffs in two of the past four seasons.
Statista recorded the average ticket price for the Browns from 2006 until 2023, showing prices increased by only $18 from 2006 to 2018.
But from 2019 until 2023, the average ticket price has nearly doubled to $122.18 in 2023.
Cleveland is not the only NFL franchise seeing the price of tickets soar.
In 2023, the average ticket for NFL games jumped to $377 per seat, up almost 60 percent over the previous year’s average ticket.
For Browns fans, the team’s success is a double-edged sword cutting into their wallets.
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