Justin Rogers asks Lions coach Dan Campbell about ‘consummate pros’ Tracy Walker, Charles Harris. More videos at detroitlions.com.
Justin Rogers asks Lions coach Dan Campbell about ‘consummate pros’ Tracy Walker, Charles Harris. More videos at detroitlions.com.
Allen Park — Detroit Lions fans have traveled well all season, and a costly trip to California for the NFC Championship is shaping up to be more of the same. With the team on the cusp of its first Super Bowl appearance, ticket marketplace Vivid Seats, using proprietary data, are projecting nearly one in five fans at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday will be clad in Honolulu blue, cheering on the Lions.
Vivid Seats uses a formula they call “Fan Forecast” to project the makeup of the crowd for major sporting events. Factoring in early-week ticket sales, they are currently forecasting an 82/18 split for the NFC Championship matchup.
That’s in stark contrast with Vivid Seats’ projection for last week’s playoff game between the 49ers and Packers, where Green Bay supporters were projected to represent only 3% of those in attendance. Despite having a fan base that historically travels well, broadcast footage appeared to confirm those estimations.
Lions fans have shown a willingness to pay a premium all season as the team experiences a level of success not seen in more than three decades. Ticket resale prices for the team’s wild-card and divisional-round matchups at Ford Field exceeded others around the league. The NFC Championship will be different.
According to Vivid Seats, the average sale cost per ticket for Sunday’s game is $941, easily topping the AFC matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, which has average ticket sale prices of $658.
The $941 average ticket cost is among the highest Vivid Seats has seen for an NFC Championship game in its 13 years of collecting data, barely trailing last year’s matchup between the 49ers and Eagles in Philadelphia, which averaged $974.
With two home playoff games, Vivid Seats said Detroit’s average resale ticket cost of $291 this season was the highest in the league. The team’s newfound success and that demand are both factors in the franchise’s sharply rising season-ticket costs in 2024.
@Justin_Rogers
NFC Championship
Lions at 49ers
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
TV/radio: FOX/97.1
Records: Detroit (12-5), San Francisco (12-5)
Line: 49ers by 7
AFC Championship
Chiefs at Ravens
Kickoff: 3 p.m., Sunday, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
TV/radio: CBS
Records: Kansas City (11-6), Baltimore (13-4)
Line: Ravens by 3 1/2
