What is going on with the tickets for Saturday’s Patriots-Bills game?
It’s been a while since the Buffalo Bills were able to host a full-capacity playoff game (last year’s postseason games at Highmark Stadium were played in front of just over 6,000 people due to COVID restrictions). The last time the Bills were able to pack their building in the postseason was Dec. 28 1996, for a Wild Card loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Given that drought, the heat of the Patriots-Bills rivalry, and the supposed unmatched fervor of the Buffalo fanbase, one would expect this to be one of the hottest tickets in recent sports history. However, that’s been far from the case.
Throughout this week, tickets on secondary market websites such as StubHub and Ticketmaster have been listed for as low as $30. That’s less than half of the get-in price of the next-closest NFL Wild Card game, with tickets to the Monday night Rams-Cardinals matchup starting at $70*. In fact, it would be more expensive to go see the 11-19-6 Buffalo Sabres’ next weekend home game. Tickets for their matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers next Saturday start at $50 on Ticketmaster.
What’s keeping fans away from the biggest game the Bills have played in 30 years? Single-digit temperatures are in the forecast for Saturday night, but that shouldn’t be a problem for a fanbase that has historically embraced the inclement weather. Then again, this is a fan base that – despite having one of the best climate advantages in the NFL – has begun campaigning for the team to build a dome to replace their current stadium.
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Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.
