What are PSLs? Explaining divisive ticketing tool possible at Chiefs’ new stadium
The new Kansas City Chiefs stadium going to Wyandotte County won’t be ready until 2031, but fans are already wondering about tickets.
Chiefs president Mark Donovan said the new stadium will be smaller than Arrowhead, which lists its capacity as 73,426. The new stadium will be “65,000-plus,” Donovan said.
The domed stadium will cost $3.3 billion, according to the Chiefs. State lawmakers will issue STAR bonds for 60% of the estimated cost of the Chiefs stadium project, including a surrounding entertainment district, and private money will fund the rest.
As the team looks ahead, one question Chiefs owner Clark Hunt received at Monday, Dec. 22’s announcement in Topeka related to the future of ticket sales. Specifically, personal seat licenses.
“We haven’t made a decision on that,” Hunt said. “We’ll be looking at the overall financing in the coming months in terms of how we put that together.
“Every new stadium in the NFL that’s been built in the last 10 or 20 years have included personal seat licenses.”
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium doesn’t have PSLs, but are they coming to the future home of the Chiefs? How do PSLs work at stadiums that have them?
Here’s what you need to know about personal seat licenses.
What is a Personal Seat License?
If you ever a liked a seat inside a stadium so much you wanted to keep it, a personal seat license is made for you.
A PSL is a paid license that entitles a ticket-holder the right to buy certain seats and keep them for as long as you want. It’s not a season ticket, which is a different purchase and an added cost.
According to the Atlanta Falcons website, the license grants you ownership of particular seats inside the stadium and gives you access to purchase season tickets. In order to purchase season tickets, you must also purchase a PSL, and the PSL stays intact as long as the team plays at the stadium.
The PSL also gives the seat holder access to purchase tickets in their seat to events outside of football taking place at the stadium, like concerts.
Twenty NFL teams currently have PSLs active, and it’ll be 21 when the Buffalo Bills move to their new stadium in 2026. Two NHL teams, four NBA teams and five MLB teams also have PSLs at their stadiums.
How much do Personal Seat Licenses cost?
Franchises can set different PSL price points. For example, the Falcons’ PSL pricing starts at $750 for a reserve membership in the 300-level seats, and prices in this membership range get as high as $1,225 due to the seating placement.
Select membership prices range from $2,500 to $2,670 in the 100-, 200- and 300-level seats, premium memberships in the club level cost $5,965-$6,300, and a founders membership in the club level costs $10,190.
In Baltimore, Ravens PSL prices start at $750, and season tickets in this price point cost $776 or $798. The most expensive PSL in Baltimore is $12,000 for field seats, and the season-ticket cost in this area is $10,500.
The prices are a one-time per-seat fee, and the team gives you the option to pay it in full or by a payment plan.
Why do franchises use Personal Seat Licenses?
Hunt said that every new stadium in the NFL that’s been built in the last 10 or 20 years have included personal seat licenses, but why?
A report from television station News 5 Cleveland on Dec. 2 says PSLs are a money-raising concept that gained popularity in the 1990s, used across the NFL to help fund stadium projects.
PSLs are set to be a key piece of the puzzle, reporter Michelle Jarboe said. The Browns’ new enclosed stadium costs $2.4 billion, and the money from PSLs and season ticket holders would help cover the team’s portion for a project that taxpayers are projected to pay $900 million for .
The report from Cleveland also says the Bills have raised about $245 million so far from PSL sales for their new stadium. A team report filed with New York state officials shows Buffalo has sold more 48,000 PSLs, with around 6,000 left in prices ranging from $1,000 to $50,000.
The Chiefs are expected to contribute 40% to the new stadium. It’s yet to be determined if PSLs will be a part of that contribution.
This story was originally published December 23, 2025 at 5:06 PM.
