The average cost of NBA tickets has been rising for years, and 2022 is no exception as people are looking to get back into the world. With higher prices, it’s important to find out what the average NBA ticket price is so you can determine your NBA viewing options.
The average NBA ticket price will change based on your requirements, which teams you want to see, whether it’s a regular game or a playoff game, and of course, what type of seating you’re willing to pay for.
How Much Are NBA Tickets?
The average NBA ticket price is $211, and that ranges from the Minnesota Timberwolves, that charge $91, up to the Golden State Warriors, that charge $589 on average per ticket.
If you’re willing to pay more upfront for season tickets, you can get cheaper per ticket prices. However, if you’re looking for playoff or finals tickets, the average prices start to skyrocket as demand is much higher.
| Type Of Ticket | Average Price | Cheapest Price | Expensive Price |
| Regular Tickets | $211 | $91 | $589 |
| Season Tickets | $3,784 | $1,590 | $5,874 |
| Playoff Tickets | $648 | $235 | $1,508 |
| Finals Tickets | $2,768 | $2,601 | $2,894 |
Regular Tickets (Average $211)
Single regular NBA tickets will cost you anywhere from $91 to $589 on average. If you see less popular games during the week, you will see prices drop, or you can use the same cost to get better seats than during busy games
| Average Ticket Prices | $211 |
| Lowest Average Ticket Prices | $91 |
| Highest Average Ticket Prices | $589 |
Prices during the regular season will vary wildly depending on where you want to sit, what teams you want to see, and when during the week you want to see them.
Season Tickets (Average $3,784)
Average NBA season ticket prices are $3,784 for 44 regular-season games, which work,s out to be $86 per ticket, which is an incredibly low price when you consider the average single ticket is $211.
Buying season tickets is well worth the price if you plan to see all of the games, or you can spread the cost across friends or a workplace.
| Average Ticket Prices | $3,784 |
| Lowest Average Ticket Prices | $1,590 |
| Highest Average Ticket Prices | $5,874 |
Playoff Tickets (Average $648)
NBA playoffs range from the lowest average prices of $235 for Utah Jazz games up to $1,508 for Los Angeles Lakers games. The average price is $648 across all of the playoff games but does dip down depending on which teams progress further.
| Type Of Ticket | Price |
| Lowest Average Ticket | $235 |
| Average Ticket Price | $648 |
| Highest Average Ticket | $1,508 |
| Most Expensive Ticket | $10,947 |
Finals Tickets (Average $2,768)
The average NBA ticket price for the NBA finals was most recently $2,768, which is a drop from the high of $4,395 in 2019 but is an overall increase from previous years of more than $1,000.
Prices will increase as the series progresses, with the cheapest tickets for the NBA finals being around $654 when the series starts, with the cheapest tickets increasing to $1,530 for the final game of the series.
| Type Of Ticket | Price |
| Lowest Average Ticket | $2,601 |
| Average Ticket Price | $2,768 |
| Highest Average Ticket | $2,894 |
| Most Expensive Ticket | $51,000 |
Average NBA Ticket Price By Sections
Each section of the NBA arena will provide different benefits, and you can determine which provides the best options for you. Lower-priced tickets will almost always be found in the upper levels.
| Seating Area | Average Regular Ticket Price |
| Lower Level | $408 |
| Upper Level | $179 |
| Club Level | $335 |
| Court Side | $2,072 |
If you want to be more comfortable but don’t mind being further from the action, it’s possible to get club-level seating at lower prices while still having good views from most locations.
Lower-level seating provides the best views for similar costs as other sections, so for major fans that want to be close to the action with want to keep prices reasonable, then lower-level seating is optimal.
If price isn’t a factor in your decision and you simply want the best view of the game, then courtside seats will get you within a few rows of the court to get the best views and potentially mingle with stars watching the game as well.
NBA Lower Level Prices
The average price for a lower-level NBA ticket is $408, with average prices depending on the area of the lower level ranging from $314 to $599.
| Seating Area | Average Regular Ticket Price |
| Lowest Average Price | $314 |
| Average Price | $408 |
| Highest Average Price | $599 |
Lower level seating will be your best option to see the game unless you’re willing to pay much higher prices for courtside seats, which can often be double or more than the highest cost seats in the lower level.
NBA Upper Level Prices
The average ticket price for NBA upper-level seating is $179, with prices ranging on average from $145 to $241, depending on location in the upper levels that you decide on.
| Seating Area | Average Regular Ticket Price |
| Lowest Average Price | $145 |
| Average Price | $179 |
| Highest Average Price | $241 |
Prices around different sections may overlap in price, but if you’re looking to experience an NBA game without paying too much, then the cheapest seats will be found in the upper-level sections at every arena.
NBA Club Level Prices
Average NBA club level prices start around $125 and go up to $726, with the average being $335. Prices for club level vary wildly throughout the season and for different teams.
| Seating Area | Average Regular Ticket Price |
| Lowest Average Price | $125 |
| Average Price | $335 |
| Highest Average Price | $726 |
Access to the club level provides wider, higher, and more comfortable seating. You also get access to exclusive food and beverage locations, and the views are unobstructed.
Some complimentary food is available, and dedicated bathroom facilities only available to club level ticket holders.
Club level seating is typically in front of the upper-level sections with clear views of the court but generally not better than lower-level seated areas.
NBA Courtside Prices
The average cost of an NBA courtside ticket is $2,072, with prices ranging from $1,334 to $3,000. Prices are determined by how close to center court you are in most arenas.
| Seating Area | Average Regular Ticket Price |
| Lowest Average Price | $1,334 |
| Average Price | $2,072 |
| Highest Average Price | $3,000 |
NBA courtside ticket prices are generally the highest-priced tickets, excluding boxes or VIP passes. It’s often possible to buy the tickets directly from the team rather than utilizing third-party marketplaces as the costs are high, and sellers don’t want to eat the cost if they can’t sell the ticket.
Average NBA Ticket Price By Team
The average NBA ticket price varies across teams, and it reflects the average home game prices during the regular season and excludes things like luxury boxes or VIP passes.
Demand for tickets in each market is the biggest factor in the difference between the lower-end prices of the Minnesota Timberwolves, that charge $91, vs. the higher-end prices of the Golden State Warriors, that charge $589.
| Team | Average Cost |
| Golden State Warriors | $589 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | $562 |
| New York Knicks | $394 |
| Brooklyn Nets | $339 |
| Boston Celtics | $309 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | $265 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | $242 |
| Chicago Bulls | $225 |
| Atlanta Hawks | $219 |
| Miami Heat | $219 |
| Phoenix Suns | $213 |
| Toronto Raptors | $208 |
| Philidelphia 76ers | $204 |
| Denver Nuggets | $200 |
| Houston Rockets | $169 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | $163 |
| San Antonio Spurs | $163 |
| Dallas Mavericks | $160 |
| Utah Jazz | $157 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | $144 |
| Charlotte Hornets | $142 |
| Indiana Pacers | $141 |
| Washington Wizards | $130 |
| Portland Trailblazers | $127 |
| Sacramento Kings | $126 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | $107 |
| Orlando Magic | $105 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | $102 |
| Detroit Pistons | $102 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | $91 |
Average NBA Ticket Price Increase
The average NBA ticket price has been increasing steadily for years, there was a slight dip in 2020, but as of 2022, the average ticket price is at an all-time high with one of the biggest increases of any recent year.
It’s a similar trend as seen in most other professional sports, such as NFL, NHL, and MLB average ticket prices.
| Year | Average Ticket Price |
| 2005 | $82 |
| 2012 | $125 |
| 2014 | $155 |
| 2018 | $168 |
| 2020 | $154 |
| 2022 | $211 |
Best Place To Buy NBA Tickets
NBA tickets can be purchased directly from teams who primarily use Ticketmaster, but those tickets will often sell out quickly, so you need to turn to third-party marketplaces that resell tickets at higher prices.
Often you can get better prices and more availability if you’re willing to purchase season tickets, but for individual tickets to games happening shortly, you’ll either get cheap poor quality seats or will need to use third-party ticketing options.
Sites like Stubhub and TicketIQ offer the widest selection of tickets with varying fees, so you can check them for similar tickets to get the best price.
Be wary of unknown or smaller third-party marketplaces that are offering tickets for much lower than other ticketing sites as they may be a scam.
Benjamin is a certified financial advisor, with over 10 years of experience in the industry. He is knowledgeable about various business and financial topics, such as retirement planning and investment management. Ben has been recognized for his work in the financial planning industry. He has also been featured in various publications.
