Ranked: The Most (And Least) Expensive Stadiums for NFL Fans to Watch a Football Game
Released by Katie Johnston, GOBankingRates.com
While some NFL stadiums cater to their fans with affordable tickets and food prices, others are notorious for some pretty steep charges.
GOBankingRates.com looked at the following five factors to determine how much it costs, on average, for two people to attend a home game for 31 NFL teams:
- Two tickets
- Two hot dogs
- Two beers
- Two soft drinks
- Parking
The study found that a day spent watching a Washington Redskins game at FedEx Field will cost $272.17 for two people, over twice as much as a Cincinnati Bengals game at Paul Brown Stadium ($131.93).
| 10 Most Expensive NFL Experiences | 10 Least Expensive NFL Experiences | |
| 1. Washington Redskins at FedEx Field | 1. Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium | |
| 2. San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium | 2. Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium | |
| 3. Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium | 3. Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium | |
| 4. Chicago Bears at Soldier Field | 4. Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium | |
| 5. Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field | 5. Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field | |
| 6. New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium | 6. Arizona Cardinals at Univ. of Phoenix Stadium | |
| 7. Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field | 7. Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium | |
| 8. New York Giants at MetLife Stadium | 8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium | |
| 9. Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field | 9. Detroit Lions at Ford Field | |
| 10. Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field | 10. Miami Dolphins at New Miami Stadium |
Stand-Out Study Insights:
- You could buy two game tickets to a Buffalo Bills game at Ralph Wilson Stadium ($72.66) for less than the cost of parking at a Dallas Cowboys game at AT&T stadium ($75.00)
- While hot dogs at a Seattle Seahawks home game are half the price of those at a Detroit Lions home game, expect to pay almost five times more for parking at the Seahawk’s CenturyLink field
- Beer prices are similar in Oakland and San Francisco, but a 49ers ticket will cost you over twice as much as a Raiders ticket
“Going to a football game on a Sunday is the equivalent of going to church for some fans,” said Kristen Bonner, lead researcher on the GOBankingRates study. “The cost of these games, however, is something that fans have to think about and, in some cases, budget for in advance. Luckily, there are stadiums that make the experience more affordable so fans can return for more games throughout the season.”
A few select teams are included below. To learn where more teams rank, see the full findings at www.gobankingrates.com/personal-finance/ranked-expensive-stadiums-nfl-fans-watch-football-game.
Carolina Panthers Game at Bank of America Stadium: $159.33
- Ticket price: $54.67
- Price for a beer: $5
- Price for a soft drink: $5
- Price for a hot dog: $5
- Parking: $20
The Carolina Panthers joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1995. Only two years after their birth, the underdog Panthers made it to the NFC Championship against the eventual Super Bowl victors, the Green Bay Packers. Since then, the Panthers have appeared in the 2004 Super Bowl and 2015 Super Bowl, losing to the Patriots and Broncos, respectively.
Defeat in Super Bowl 50 might have been tough to swallow, but game day prices at Bank of America Stadium will go down smooth. Beers will only run you $5. Soft drinks are a good deal as well, while parking costs a manageable $20.
Denver Broncos Game at Sports Authority Field: $196.00
- Ticket price: $67.00
- Price for a beer: $6.75
- Price for a soft drink: $4.50
- Price for a hot dog: $4.75
- Parking: $30
The Denver Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1998 and 1999 under all-star quarterback John Elway. Throughout the 2000s, the Broncos remained a competitive franchise, but when they acquired Peyton Manning in 2012, the team really took off and won Super Bowl 50 against the Panthers.
Fans who endure the altitude at Sports Authority Field can take advantage of inexpensive beers and hot dogs. Parking and ticket costs are on the higher end, bringing the cost for two to attend a Broncos game to just under $200.
Pittsburgh Steelers Game at Heinz Field: $228.27
- Ticket price: $76.13
- Price for a beer: $8
- Price for a soft drink: $4.75
- Price for a hot dog: $5.25
- Parking: $40
The Pittsburgh Steelers boast the most Super Bowl wins in the NFL with six Super Bowl championships. Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL in 2006 and Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.
Averaging $76.13 per ticket, Heinz Field rounds out the top 10 most expensive NFL stadiums to watch a home game. Beers, soft drinks and parking all cost higher than average.
Methodology:
GOBankingRates.com surveyed five costs of attending a football game at all 31 National Football League stadiums: (1) ticket prices, calculated by averaging the cost per game for the three cheapest season ticket prices advertised on the football team’s official NFL site; (2) parking, (3) beer, (4) soft drink and (5) hot dog prices, as reported in the September 2015 Team Marketing Report. To find the cost of attending a game, GOBankingRates assumed two guests and calculated the total cost of two tickets, two hot dogs, two beers and one parking spot. Stadiums were ranked by this amount to find the least and most expensive stadiums for NFL fans attending a game.
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