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The Golden State Warriors are very popular. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Having a pair of MVPs, a quintet of reigning All-Stars, and three titles in the last four years will do that to you.
And popularity can be reflected in ticket sales. So it’s no surprise that for the 2018-19 NBA season the Warriors have the highest average price of ticket, four the fourth consecutive year.
Not only that, but it’s a huge spike compared to last year. According to data from Ticket Club, the projected cost to see a Warriors game this year is $322, up a whopping $115 over last year’s league-leading $207.
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The addition of LeBron James has put the Los Angeles Lakers right on the tails of the Warriors. And, interestingly, it’s made the Lakers a bigger road draw in many ways. According to the Ticket Club data, the Lakers are the most expensive visiting team to see in 14 different NBA cities, which leads the league. The Warriors are second, leading the average price in nine cities.
Of course, this is something of a mixed bag. Having the highest ticket prices is emblematic of great success - who could have imagined, five years ago, that the Warriors would be more popular than a LeBron-led Lakers team? But of course, on the other hand, it means that going to Warriors games isn’t feasible for a lot of people.
As someone who spent a lot of time in high school going to $8 games at Oracle Arena, these figures both impress, and sadden me.