Chiefs-Browns: Playoff tickets to Arrowhead are soaring on secondary market. Here’s why
Ticket prices are soaring for AFC Divisional Round playoff game between the Chiefs and Cleveland Browns — in part for reasons you might expect, and because of one you might not.
Seating in Arrowhead Stadium will be, as has been the case all season, limited to 22 percent of usual capacity — about 16,000 fans — because of Kansas City’s COVID-19 pandemic gathering restrictions.
Fewer seats + playoff game ... that explains in some part the $862 average ticket price on the secondary market posted Monday by ticket search engine Ticket IQ.
But also consider the opponent. The Browns, coming off a Wild Card Round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night, are making their first playoff appearance since 2002. Their fan base is among the NFL’s most loyal, and that loyalty has been rewarded this year, even though the Browns will not get a playoff game at home.
Chiefs president Mark Donovan said the Chiefs expect high interest from Browns fans in tickets to the game at Arrowhead.
“When we confirmed we’d be hosting playoff games we starting talking about teams that haven’t been in the playoffs in a long time, much like we were a few years ago,” Donovan said. “They’re going to do everything they possibly can to be here, so we have to be prepared for that.
“That will affect prices this week on the secondary market.”
Also from Ticket IQ: The cheapest Chiefs-Browns ticket — known in the industry as the “get-in” price — is $613. And if these numbers hold, the weekend’s game will be the most expensive playoff ticket in Arrowhead history. Last year’s AFC title game against the Tennessee Titans holds that mark for now at $415.
As of Monday late afternoon, there were about 500 Chiefs-Browns tickets still available on the secondary market, according to Ticket IQ.