TAMPA, Florida - Can’t beat the rush online to get those coveted Eastern Conference Finals tickets Monday afternoon?
Fear not – you can still get tickets - if you’re willing to pay a premium.
10Investigates has been tracking NHL tickets on the secondary market (authorized resellers like StubHub and Ticketmaster), where the hype and excitement over the Lightning’s run toward the Stanley Cup has created a strong market for ticket-holders who are looking to resell their tickets for a profit.
However, that hype subsides greatly after a bad loss. The Bolts’ 6-2 home defeat to Boston in the first game of the last series sent game two ticket prices plunging approximately 30%, where tickets could be obtained to the Monday night game for just about $10 over face value.
But after each subsequent Lightning win, prices for their next home game (Sunday’s game 5) climbed. After their third straight win, the cheapest tickets to get into game 5 had soared to over $200 for an $81 balcony seat, with more than $40 in fees tacked on to each ticket.
Conversely, ticket prices for tickets to the games in Boston – even Friday night’s game - dropped each time the Bruins lost. Similar trends can be seen in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins are on the verge of elimination.
So while the hype surrounding the conference finals in Tampa Bay will be even greater, and the face values of tickets soar as well (the cheapest start at $111 plus fees), you may be able to score a deal or two later in the series if the Bolts fall behind early, as they did in round two.
Tickets for the Eastern Conference finals went on sale Monday afternoon at 1 p.m.
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