Are you experiencing post-World Cup depression? Fear not, because must-see soccer is about to return with the MLS’ Heineken Rivalry Week, which is set to run August 22-26. The special schedule pits the league’s top teams against their regional rivals, including notable city-wide battles in New York and Los Angeles. But which match-ups are generating the most enthusiasm, and which ones will seemingly deliver the hype?
The most intriguing matches are hands-down the crosstown rivalries promised on both the East and West Coast. New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls will kick off the series August 22 with a monumental clash on the former’s home turf at Yankee Stadium. On the Golden Coast, strong contenders LA Galaxy are taking on newcomer expansion team Los Angeles FC, the current No. 2 in the Western Conference. The two squads not only have the compelling story of a city divided riding on their rivalry game, but records that place them neck and neck in the standings.
These buzzed-about matches have combined to feature some of the most sought-after tickets across Rivalry Week, most notably with the LA-based clubs averaging $100 per ticket to the battle, according to Ticket Club data. Just up the coast, the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders will face off in an epic match that has already built up an average ticket price of roughly $108. These prices for both games run significantly higher than each team’s regular season average, proving that the rivalry at hand is in fact one fans are passionate about. While Portland and Los Angeles FC have some of the season’s highest ticket prices, their anticipated rivalry games blow those standard figures out of the water. See the season averages for the league below, from most expensive to most affordable.
MLS Teams 2018 Average Ticket Prices
| Home Team | 2018 Average Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Atlanta United FC | $88.68 |
| Portland Timbers | $80.25 |
| LAFC | $69.75 |
| Toronto FC | $66.17 |
| Sporting Kansas City | $56.42 |
| DC United | $56.16 |
| LA Galaxy | $54.91 |
| Houston Dynamo | $49.11 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | $49.03 |
| Seattle Sounders | $45.83 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | $44.15 |
| Colorado Rapids | $43.91 |
| Minnesota United FC | $41.04 |
| New York Red Bulls | $38.45 |
| FC Dallas | $37.42 |
| Real Salt Lake | $36.45 |
| Philadelphia Union | $36.17 |
| Orlando City | $35.43 |
| Chicago Fire | $35.34 |
| Columbus Crew SC | $35.30 |
| New York City FC | $35.05 |
| New England Revolution | $32.57 |
| Montreal Impact | $31.16 |
Eastern Conference leader Atlanta United have unsurprisingly led the league thus far this season in average ticket prices, with fans dishing out nearly $90 for a seat at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for some of the highest-attended games in the league. However, for those who are looking to save some bucks, Heineken Rivalry Week may be the best time to see the top squad. Atlanta United FC will be on the road taking on Orlando City for the Southern-region rivalry, with average ticket prices coming in at under $40 – a bargain for Atlanta’s fans and on par for Orlando’s regular season average of roughly $35 apiece.
With all but six teams seeing average home ticket prices fall below $50, the Heineken Rivalry Week schedule throws a wrench in certain squads’ season norms with a considerably higher price tag (ahem, Portland and Seattle), while others fall far below their regular value (Chicago and Columbus). See the average prices of each rivalry game in the table below.
Heineken Rivalry Week Average Ticket Prices
| Game Date | Matchup | Average Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|
| August 22 | New York City FC vs New York Red Bulls | $39.02 |
| August 23 | Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew SC | $20.21 |
| August 24 | Orlando City vs Atlanta United FC | $39.06 |
| LA Galaxy vs LAFC | $100.94 | |
| August 25 | Philadelphia Union vs New England Revolution | $43.00 |
| Toronto FC vs Montreal Impact | $66.36 | |
| Sporting Kansas City vs Minnesota United FC | $55.80 | |
| Colorado Rapids vs Real Salt Lake | $39.00 | |
| August 26 | New York Red Bulls vs DC United | $48.00 |
| Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders FC | $107.86 |
Even if the upcoming matches run the gamut of ticket values, Heineken Rivalry Week will surely be a spectacle that will leave any soccer fan marveling. Catch some of the action up close, and browse all MLS tickets without any fees here.