Trendlines: NBA playoff ticket prices are out of control
Trendlines: Harry Enten breaks down what's trending up and what's trending down in sports
Welcome to Trendlines, your weekly installment of what's trending up and what's trending down in sports.
This week we're talking about the NBA playoffs, which are hot, hot, hot in the city that I am currently in (New York).
Advertisement
The New York Knickerbockers (or Knicks) are up 2-0 on their rival Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Can the Knicks go all the way? I don't know, but what I do know is tickets to Game 3 of their series against the Celtics are some of the hottest items in town.
That's where we start with trending up.
Trending up — Ticket prices for Knicks-Celtics Game 3: Up $200 in the last week
The cheapest ticket right now on Vivid Seats is about $600. Last week, it was under $400. That's an increase of somewhere between 70% and 80%, depending on what time you check the website.
I don't know who has that much money to spend on a seat, though it speaks to the fact that ticket prices are out of control.
Advertisement
The last time the Knicks were this good (the mid 1990s) you could get a face value playoff seat in the semifinals for $25. Even if you take inflation into account and that tickets were 10 times as high on the secondary market, such a seat would still be less than what a playoff ticket is going for now.
Who can afford this stuff?
The last time the Knicks were this good, ticket prices were much cheaper. - Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Trending up — Three point attempts: Up 28 since 1993-94 season
I will admit that I'm not the most ardent NBA fan, hence my references to mid-90s basketball. I didn't quite realize how often the Celtics would be attempting and missing three-pointers this series.
Indeed, the whole league is attempting more and more three-pointers. The average team is now attempting a little less than 38 three-pointers per game. When I was a kid, it was slightly less than 10.
Advertisement
I don't know if I like the new style of play. I guess it works for some teams and doesn't work for others.
It hasn't been working for the Celtics who have been a combined 25-for-100 (yes they're averaging 50 attempts a game) in this series.
Did somebody say brick?
Trending up — Google searches for 'Roundball Rock': Up 614% from last month
The Celtics may be missing, but John Tesh's basketball anthem does not. The famous theme song for NBC is coming back next season as NBC has regained NBA television rights.
Apparently, a lot of people are, like myself, looking forward to that theme song. Google searches for 'Roundball Rock' are averaging more this month than any month on record.
Advertisement
I guess I can say I'm not too surprised? Tesh's live performance of the song has nearly three million views on YouTube.
But more than anything else, the theme song is full of nostalgia. The NBA has never had more viewers than it did in the 1990s, when 'Roundball Rock' was the league's anthem for viewers.
The NBA will probably never be that popular again, though maybe the theme can bring them some good mojo.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
20 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Noah Brown carted off field at Commanders minicamp. Jeremy Reaves gets extended, AP source says
Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown was carted off the field after getting injured during minicamp in Ashburn, Virginia, on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear what happened to cause the injury or its extent. Reporters in attendance reported Brown walked off slowly after making a catch, threw his helmet in frustration when he reached the sideline and was carted up the hill to the practice facility.
San Francisco Chronicle
21 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Can schools like St. Bonaventure and FIU thrive in college athletics without the big bucks?
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — As schools prepare to begin sharing millions with their athletes, there is no avoiding the reality that if you're not a Power Four school, you're at a disadvantage. With major conferences running the show, St. Bonaventure and Florida International don't even have a seat at the table. FIU and St. Bonaventure aren't necessarily worried about a head-to-head fight over top players with deeper-pocketed schools. The priority has become survival and finding a balance between athletics ambition and financial sustainability. Adrian Wojnarowski spoke candidly about the challenges he faced during his inaugural season as the general manager of the St. Bonaventure men's basketball team. Solidifying a recruiting class that would improve the team and embrace the school culture was not easy. After July 1, when lucrative paychecks will pretty much become mandatory for blue-chip prospects, it's not going to get any easier. With some 2,000 undergraduate students, the Bonnies are outnumbered in resources and revenue when competing even against other Atlantic 10 teams like VCU, Dayton, and Saint Louis. Wojnarowski, ESPN's former lead NBA reporter, thinks he has identified a formula for locating the ideal prospect. To him, St. Bonaventure is a landing spot for international players adjusting to a new culture and college life, transfers who may have fallen short at a high major and need development, or those looking to move up to a mid-major. He admits the school upstate New York could be a pit stop on a player's journey. 'I want them to see that our environment, our coaching staff, our small school, especially for international players coming over, what I really try to sell is your adjustment to American college life," he said at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and Affiliates Convention this week. 'I think for a lot of kids, it's easier in a school with 1,900 students than a school with 19,000. And you'll come to have two great years with us, and then you'll probably end up at schools with 19,000 or 29,000,' he said. "And so you're selling, for us, we're your first step on the way to somewhere else, or the other one to me is we're the place to come when you've got to get the basketball right.' If the plan goes awry and a recruit slips away, one thing the former NBA insider refuses to do is blame the money. 'Fundraising is hard, creating new revenue streams is hard, but the one thing that I try to stay away from with us is not saying, 'Oh, we didn't get him because they offered more money,' and using that as a crutch all the time. I really examine when we lost a player,' Wojnarowski said. 'Are we being honest with ourselves in saying that we did everything outside the economics to make our case to this person?' FIU has more than 40,000 undergraduates, but the athletic department is using a similar philosophy, pinpointing advantages and opportunities to come from the settlement instead of the negatives. Similar to St. Bonaventure, FIU doesn't expect to come close to the $20.5 million revenue-sharing cap available over the next year. For a competitive edge, unlocking new revenue streams is fundamental. 'To compete, from a revenue standpoint, you have to think outside the box of your conventional fundraising and targeting donors,' senior associate athletic director Joseph Corey said. 'That's why you're looking at concerts being held at different venues, different festivals to generate extra revenue to bring in, different revenue streams, and not just fundraising going after the same donors. You've got to go beyond that in order to be able to compete.' Being based in Miami has its perks. Proximity to celebrities is one of them. In August, FIU secured a 10-year partnership with Pitbull, the singer and rapper who coins himself 'Mr. 305.' 'We did the partnership with Pitbull – Pitbull Stadium. He's on tour, but part of the deal was that he would be collaborating with us and doing events for us from a fundraising standpoint," Corey said. "You've got to think outside the box. Especially in a city like Miami, it's about the experience too.' Schools unlocking creative revenue streams is something that can be expected. FIU competes in Conference USA alongside teams like Liberty, Louisiana Tech, UTEP, Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State. The football team went 3-5 in 2024, finishing sixth in the conference. The men's basketball team finished last with a 3-15 conference record. It's hard to sell donors on losing teams. 'Let's call it what it is, FIU's not going to be able to keep up with the Alabama's of the world, the Georgia's, Michigan, or Texas, but what can we do? We can be the best in our conference. That is our goal,' Corey said. 'Let's be the best in our conference and really compete there because once you're at the top of your conference, that means more revenue in other areas. Everyone wants to donate to a winner.'
Fox News
22 minutes ago
- Fox News
Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter: Simone Biles, Riley Gaines debate trans athletes after softball controversy
PERSONAL ATTACK – Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles took aim at OutKick host and former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines over her criticism of a Minnesota softball state championship. The two sparred over the debate surrounding trans athletes in girls' and women's sports, with Biles making a personal attack on Gaines' appearance. Continue reading… APOLOGY ACCEPTED – American gymnast Simone Biles issued an apology to "Gaines for Girls" host Riley Gaines days after she body-shamed the former University of Kentucky swimmer in a debate over the inclusion of trans athletes in women's sports. Gaines invited Biles to join "the fight to support fair sports." Continue reading… UNDER REVIEW – USA Gymnastics (USAG) has removed pages from its website regarding its transgender eligibility policies and resources, telling Fox News Digital that the decision was made last month "to assess compliance with the current legal landscape." Continue reading… CONTESTED CHAMPS – A Minnesota high school softball team was named state champions on Friday after Marissa Rothenberger, a transgender player on the Champlin Park Rebels, pitched a complete-game shutout. Continue reading… ACCOUNTABILITY – The White House addressed the Champlin Park Rebels' state championship win over the weekend, noting that any state that violates President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order "will be held accountable." Continue reading… BITTERSWEET – New York Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez lamented Pete Rose's potential of being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2028, telling Fox News Digital that he wished it had happened during Rose's lifetime. Continue reading… NEWLYWED – Not long after revealing his intentions for the upcoming football season, newly signed Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers shared that he recently tied the knot. Continue reading… MARKETING OPPORTUNITY – UNC football coach Bill Belichick used questions about his personal life during a press conference this week to plug his new book as a potential Father's Day gift. Continue reading… COUNTDOWN BEGINS – With exactly one year away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Team USA legend Landon Donovan believes the pressure is on for the Americans as the host nation of next year's tournament. He also believes it's a good opportunity for soccer in the U.S. Continue reading… WATCH NOW – FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd discusses the expectations for Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh and why the veteran quarterback said signing with the Steelers was "good for his soul". Continue reading… FROM FOX SPORTS – New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs spoke to reporters for the first time since his controversial boat outing on Tuesday, but he declined to share the specifics of the talks he's had with the team and coach Mike Vrabel. Continue reading… Fox News FirstFox News Opinion ' Fox News FirstFox News Opinion
