Packers' slide could drive ticket prices lower as fans find other entertainment
GREEN BAY− After Sunday's loss to Washington, Green Bay fans can't be blamed if they start reconsidering their plans to attend Packers games in person.
The Packers, who are 3-4, lost their third consecutive game Sunday, the first time that happened under fourth-year coach Matt LaFleur. And, the team didn't look good doing it.
The Packers on-field struggles aren't noticeably affecting secondary market ticket prices yet, but downward pressure could be building.
"Demand is off from the pace we were seeing up until a few weeks ago," said Dennis Garrity of Event USA in Ashwaubenon. "We are bound to see the inexorable laws of supply and demand. When the product deteriorates, demand diminishes."
The average of lowest prices at 10 secondary market sites for the Sunday Night Football game at Buffalo was $300 on Monday, down from $335 last week and $407 on Oct. 3, before the Packers' weaknesses were so glaringly apparent. But prices normally fall as the day of the game approaches and the decreases are not exceptional − so far.
If the Packers don't improve, the most fervent fans will go to games, Garrity said, but marginal fans will decide they have better things on which to spend their money.
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"To be rather blunt, not only are the Packers losing, but the last 10 quarters of football have been rather boring for the most part. People want to be entertained," Garrity said.
Even the Nov. 6 game against the Detroit Lions, who took a beating their last two games, can't be counted on to offer up a win, given how dysfunctional the Packers have been. However, ticket prices have not fallen as much as might be expected. The average get-in price on Monday was $121, down $4 from a week ago and $19 from Oct. 3.
After the 1-5 Lions, the Packers have games against the Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles, who have a combined 15-4 record.
Dallas, and former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, come to Lambeau Field on Nov. 13. Dallas is 5-2, led to four of those wins by backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Starter Dak Prescott returned to the lineup on Sunday, leading to the Cowboys' 24-6 shellacking of the Lions.
The average lowest price for the Nov. 13 game is $353, down $8 from last week. That's more than double the price of the most expensive bowl seats in Lambeau Field. The continued high price can be attributed to the return of McCarthy, who was fired before the end of the 2018 season after winning a Super Bowl and more games than any coach except Curly Lambeau, and to a long-running rivalry with the Cowboys dating to the 1960s.
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Four days later, the Packers host the Tennessee Titans, who are 4-2 and leading their division. It's a Thursday Night Football game and a Gold package game, which explains why the average lowest price is $134, close to the actual face-value lowest price of $123. The Titans defeated Washington this season and were pasted 41-7 by the Bills, which isn't likely to give Packers fans any comfort. Tennessee defeated Indianapolis on Sunday.
After Tennessee comes perhaps the least enticing game on the Packers' schedule, even taking into account the game in Detroit. The Packers travel to Philadelphia on Nov. 27. The negatives just pile up on this game: it's three days after Thanksgiving, the last day of deer hunting season, in the least hospitable stadium in the NFL, on a Sunday night, and the 6-0 Eagles are the only undefeated team in the NFL.
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The average lowest price is $201, up from $151 in August, before anyone realized Philadelphia was going to be in the running for a Super Bowl trip. The Eagles were on a bye last week, but previously defeated the Cowboys 26-17 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Garrity said there is still time for the Packers to right the ship before fans throw in the towel.
"We need something very positive to occur. Perhaps an upset of the Buffalo Bills on the Road? Perhaps signing a marquee receiver?" he said.
Green Bay Packers ticket prices
The following are secondary market ticket prices as of Monday.
For our look at Packers' tickets prices, we averaged the lowest ticket prices at 10 secondary market websites: Event USA, Gametime, Green Bay Ticket Service, SeatGeek, StubHub, TicketIQ, Ticketmaster, TickPick, Ticket King and Vivid Seats.
Note that ticket marketplaces can add fees on top of listed prices, so actual costs might be higher.
Several websites offer standing room only tickets for Packers home games. The Packers have designated these tickets as "not available for resale," so buyers proceed at their own risk. If the ticket does not scan as valid, fans won't be admitted to the stadium, and their recourse for a refund is to contact the seller of the ticket.
Oct. 30, 7:20 p.m., Buffalo Bills, Highmark Stadium, NBC
Face-price range: N/A
Average lowest-cost seat: $300
Range of lowest-cost seats: $230-$373
Nov. 6, noon, Detroit Lions, Ford Field, Fox
Face-price range: N/A
Average lowest-cost seat: $121
Range of lowest-cost seats: $99-$147
Nov. 13, 3:25 p.m., Dallas Cowboys, Lambeau Field, FOX
Face-price range: $123-$156
Average lowest-cost seats: $353
Range of lowest-cost seats: $261-$437
Nov. 17, 7:15 p.m., Tennessee Titans, Lambeau Field, Amazon
Face-price range: $123-$156
Average lowest-cost seats: $134
Range of lowest-cost seats: $104-$160
Nov. 27, 7:20 p.m., Philadelphia Eagles, Lincoln Financial Field, NBC
Face-price range: N/A
Average lowest-cost seats: $201
Range of lowest-cost seats: $142-$302
Contact Richard Ryman at rryman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG/.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Packers' slide could drive ticket prices down as fans go elsewhere
