How much do NCAA Tournament tickets cost? The least and most expensive opening round games
The road to the Final Four is officially underway, as the reveal of the NCAA men’s basketball bracket means it’s time for March Madness to begin.
Each qualifying team knows who – and where – they will be playing in the first round, and who they could meet in the second round, should they win. But of course, nothing is guaranteed during the tournament.
With eight cities across the country hosting the opening rounds, some fans can see their favorite teams just a few hours away from home, while others have to travel thousands of miles to see opening round action. That, along with other factors, will affect how much tickets for opening round games cost, with prices much higher for some.
Here’s what to know about NCAA Tournament opening round tickets:
FINAL FOUR TICKETS: Trying to buy NCAA men’s Final Four tickets? Here’s what to know about going to the championship game
Survive and win: March Madness Survivor Pools from USA TODAY
THE BRACKETS ARE BACK: The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back. $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket.
What cities are hosting opening round games?
First and second round games are being held in the following cities and arenas:
- Albany, New York: MVP Arena
- Birmingham, Alabama: Legacy Arena
- Columbus, Ohio: Nationwide Arena
- Denver, Colorado: Ball Arena
- Des Moines, Iowa: Wells Fargo Arena
- Greensboro, North Carolina: Greensboro Coliseum
- Orlando, Florida: Amway Center
- Sacramento, California: Golden 1 Center
How much are NCAA Tournament tickets?
There are a few things to remember about NCAA Tournament opening round tickets:
- Each opening round site hosts six games – four first-round games and two second-round games.
- Tickets are NOT sold for individual games, but in sessions. A session consists of two games, typically the teams scheduled to face each other in the next round. Example: No. 1 seed vs. No. 16 seed in Game 1, No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed in Game 2.
- Session 3 are tickets to both second-round games at a site.
- Tickets can also be sold in all-session packages, which gives access to all six games at each site.
Because games are sold in sessions, tickets may cost more for one than another in the same site. StubHub told USA TODAY blue blood teams will boost demands in the opening rounds.
“Blue blood teams UCLA, Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona, Indiana and Duke are highly ranked heading into the tournament and will be sought after games for fans of the teams and basketball fans in general,” StubHub said.
Another factor will be teams playing close to home; an example would be in the Birmingham site, where tickets for the session that includes Alabama will cost more than the other sessions. For the opening round, get-in prices range from $50-$369, according to Vivid Seats.
What are the least expensive men’s NCAA Tournament tickets?
The least expensive opening round tickets can be found in Birmingham, where tickets for the first session at Legacy Arena cost $57 ($74 with fees), according to TicketSmarter. Here are five least expensive opening round games, as well as what session they are:
- Birmingham, AL, Legacy Arena Session 1: $57 ($74 with fees).
- Sacramento, CA, Golden 1 Center Session 1: $58 ($75 with fees).
- Greensboro, NC, Greensboro Coliseum Complex Session 1: $62 ($81 with fees).
- Orlando, FL, Amway Center Session 1: $64 ($83 with fees).
- Orlando, FL, Amway Center Session 2: $64 ($83 with fees).
What are the most expensive men’s NCAA Tournament tickets?
The most expensive opening round ticket is in Albany, where tickets for the second session are $141 ($183 with fees), according to TicketSmarter. The first session in Albany is the second-most expensive opening round game.
Here are five most expensive opening round games, as well as what session they are:
- Albany, NY, MVP Arena Session 2: $141 ($183 with fees).
- Albany, NY, MVP Arena Session 1: $128 ($166 with fees).
- Denver, CO, Ball Arena Session 2: $106 ($137 with fees).
- Denver, CO, Ball Arena Session 1: $95 ($124 with fees).
- Des Moines, IA ,Wells Fargo Arena Session 1: $87 ($107 with fees).
Gannett has a partnership with TicketSmarter that provides readers with access to tickets through Gannett’s websites, including USA TODAY.com.
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.