As the Big Dance paces towards crowning a new college basketball national champion, scoring cheap March Madness tickets is the hot topic on everyone’s mind. But with No. 1 seed Duke still a threat in the bracket, that may be far-fetched. The Blue Devils have consistently brought in higher March Madness ticket prices compared to the rest of the field.
Ticket Club data shows that when Duke is playing, March Madness ticket prices are exponentially higher than other games, even those featuring other top-seeded teams. The schools that join them in the Sweet Sixteen have built up their fair share of buzz throughout the tournament and therefore in-demand tickets. However, Mike Krzyzewski’s squad remain on top. See how Duke’s impressive run has influenced March Madness ticket prices so far, and what that could mean as the rest of the tournament plays out.
March Madness Ticket Prices – Sweet Sixteen
All four No. 1-seeded teams advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, but their roads there each came at different prices. Tickets to see Duke’s early-round action averaged around $265 apiece, putting them above fellow top seeds UNC, Virginia and Gonzaga, who all fell between $220 and $240 averages. While Duke’s March Madness ticket prices are actually a savings compared to their regular season average (more on that below), there is a steep increase felt for Virginia and Gonzaga fans, who caught regular season games for under $100 a ticket this year.
The rest of the Sweet Sixteen teams followed suit with many of their March Madness ticket prices hovering within the $170 to $220 range. As for the regional action games getting underway, Duke’s clash with Virginia Tech makes the East Regional ticket the most expensive of the four both in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds. See how the pricing compares by region in the graphic below.
March Madness Ticket Prices – Final Four
While Duke may be a favorite to reach their 17th Final Four, local fans don’t seem convinced enough to make the trek to Minneapolis. Our geographic consumer data found that buyers attending this year’s Final Four at US Bank Stadium hail from 26 states, with North Carolina notably excluded from the bunch. That is likely to change, however, should either in-state rivals Duke or North Carolina advance to the final weekend.
In the mean time, should either team advance hypothetically, fans will likely be facing steep cost of admission. Pricing data from the past five Final Four weekends have both Duke and UNC accounting for the most expensive ticket. When Duke won the tournament in 2015, a ticket to catch both the semifinals and championship games ran fans roughly $900 – the highest price since 2013. Catching only semifinal action that same year was also the most expensive ticket, costing just under $550 a ticket. When UNC took home the title in 2017, they sent championship game prices to a five-year high at around $325. Preliminary prices to get into this year’s games currently stand at $670 for an All Sessions pass, $399 for just semifinal action, and $342 for the championship.
Duke Men’s Basketball Ticket Prices
It’s not surprising that Duke has been driving up 2019 March Madness ticket prices. Their track record for success in NCAA basketball has made them one of the most expensive college teams to see throughout the season. The past four seasons they have been drumming up regular season ticket prices averaging well over $200. The only other team still in the bracket to even come close to that price is the North Carolina Tar Heels, whose four-year high came last season at $173 average price per ticket. Duke’s numbers are staggering compared to this year’s No. 1 and 2 seeds.
How to Save on March Madness Tickets
No matter what effect Duke’s presence in the NCAA Tournament has on March Madness ticket prices, savings are always possible as a Ticket Club member. Our no-fee-guarantee ensures that you can find some of the cheapest March Madness tickets on the market for every session of the tournament and enjoy savings of 10, 20, or even 30% compared to other sites. Browse our inventory and confirm your way in to the final exciting games of the Big Dance. Find all NCAA Tournament tickets here.