Need great tickets to a hot live event?  There’s now an app for that.

We are excited to announce the launch of the FanSnap Application for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.  Our live-event tickets iPhone application is free in the iTunes app store [link] just in time for the NFL and NCAA football seasons, the approaching MLB playoffs, the concert and Broadway seasons, and the announcement of the new NBA schedule.

Perfect for fans who are looking for hot, even sold out, events, while they are on the go, the FanSnap tickets app puts 15 million sports, theater and concert tickets in your pocket!  With the FanSnap app, fans who want to catch a nearby game, concert, or show – even the same day – can find and buy tickets from their iPhone.

With the FanSnap tickets app, you can:

• See a list of the hottest live events nearby using the iPhone’s built-in location finder.
• Access local sports teams, concert and theater events via one-touch icons that the app automatically generates.
• Refer to FanSnap’s detailed venue maps, including row level labeling.
• See photos of the view from sections of the venue (available for many venues).
• Access previous saved searches for their favorite teams, performing artists, or shows.
• Click through to buy online, or even call to buy tickets with quick one-touch dialing.

No matter where you are,  you can find the best sports, theater, and concert tickets for less with the FanSnap app. The mobile ‘web app’ version of FanSnap.com was recently named one of Boston Globe Magazine’s ‘15 Must-Have Local Apps.’  We have improved upon that with the addition of the maps and venue photos with the goal of making the FanSnap app an indispensable resource for fans.

The FanSnap app is particularly useful for spur of the moment ticket buying, business travelers, and vacationing fans.  FanSnap search results include tickets from dozens of the most trusted ticket companies in the U.S., so a search, for example, for tickets behind home plate to tonight’s game, or for concerts playing locally this weekend for less than $50 a ticket, is a snap.

Here are a few screenshots:

The hottest ticket in sports right now? Most years that’s easy… the NBA Finals. This year with the historic implications of the Celts and Lakers, you’d think it be even easier.

It’s not.

…and it’s not close.  It’s the Stanley Cup Finals. The average ticket price of a Stanley Cup Finals game is $1,379, which ranks third to the Olympic Gold Medal Game (USA-Canada) and the Super Bowl. The average cost for an NBA Finals game is $853, which is almost 40% lower than those for the Stanley Cup.

The difference between the Stanley Cup Finals and the Super Bowl or the Gold Medal game is those are single events. The Stanley Cup is a series of games. For events like the Stanley Cup, fans have between 4 and 7 chances to go a game.

What’s more, Stanley Cup Game 5 tickets in Chicago now average $2,400. If the Hawks win tonight in Philly, Game 5 will give the Hawks a chance to win the Cup at home so you can expect that $2,400 average price to go up. To put that in perspective, a few days before the Super Bowl, tickets were selling for $2,200.

Even comparing the Stanley Cup as a whole against other big events, that’s two hockey events in the top three events of the year.

Average ticket prices for comparable events:
- Olympic Gold Medal Hockey (U.S. v Canada) tickets =  $3,600 – $4,300
- Super Bowl tickets =  $2,200 – $3,200
- Stanley Cup = $1,325
- Masters Badges = 1,143
- World Series game tickets =  $910 – $1,100
- BCS National Championship ticket =  $865 – $1,000
- 2010 MLB Opening Day (Yankees @ Red Sox) tickets = $600
- Final Four Championship tickets = $230

FanSnap ticket search shows 3,000+ tickets to Game 5 from eight ticket sites: StubHub, TicketsNow, TicketNetwork, RazorGator, eBay, Gold Coast Tickets, Prestige Entertainment, Big Time Worldwide.

Stanley Cup Game 5 Tickets Breakdown:
- Lowest price tickets = $635 (standing room only)
- Lowest price seats = $838 (Upper Level Goal 309)
- Lower bowl tickets start at $1,844 and go up to $8,800
- Tickets on the Glass range from $4,188 to $7150

Stanley Cup finals tickets average:
- in Chicago = $1519
- in Philly = $1192

NBA Finals average:
- in L.A. = $1027
- in Boston = $644

FanSnap is the largest search engine for tickets. As such, we have the broadest possible view of the open market for tickets. FanSnap checks ticket prices from 60+ tickets sites so fans don’t have to. We then make comparing and buying tickets a snap. Here’s a snapshot of Stanley Cup tickets.

Average ticket prices are higher in Chicago than Philly

Stanley Cup ticket listings for games in Philly are up $60+ on average since the Flyers beat the Canadiens in the Conference Finals. On the 24th, Stanley Cup tickets in Philly averaged $753. Today, tickets average $812.

The trend in Chicago is the opposite. Stanley Cup ticket prices in Chicago are trending down. On the 24th, Cup tickets in Chicago averaged $1,080. Today, the average price is down nearly $100 to $786.

The lowest price tickets are in Chicago

While the average price of tickets in Chicago are higher than Philly. The lowest price tickets — sometimes called the get-in price — are more than $100 lower in Chicago.

• Game 1 tickets in Chicago for $250 for SRO. (There are Game 2 SRO tickets for $295).
• Game 3 in Philly for $345 for SRO. (There are Game 4 SRO tickets for $381).

Best Overall Value is in Philly

Buying tickets for super hot events can be daunting for fans. FanSnap takes the guesswork out of the equation by comparing the prices for comparable tickets throughout the venue and then showing fans the Best Value Tickets (sm). Best Value Tickets are the tickets priced significantly lower than comparable tickets.

There are ticket currently listed for Stanley Cup Game 3 in Philly in Lower Center 123 for $699 each. Comparable tickets average $1527. Fans who search with FanSnap save 54% off the average.

Lowest Price tickets on the Glass… are in Philly

Game 1: in Chicago $2,838 for Platinum Glass Seating 114 (single ticket)
Game 2: in Chicago $2,639 for Platinum Glass Seating 109 (single ticket)

* Two tickets together on the glass in Chicago range from $5,000 to $10,000

Game 1: in Philly $2,195 for Lower Center 123, Row 1 (single ticket)
Game 2: in Philly $1,319 for Lower Goal 121, row 1 (4 tickets)

* Two tickets together on the glass in Philly range from $2,500 to $4,000

20,000 tickets from 16 ticket sites

We’re currently seeing more than 20,000 ticket listings for the first four games of the Stanley Cup Finals. Sixteen ticket sites currently have tickets to see the Hawks and Flyers vie for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Fans can use FanSnap to compare Stanley Cup Finals tickets from StubHub, TicketNetwork, RazorGator, TicketsNow, eBay, Gold Coast Tickets, Prestige Entertainment, ASC Ticket Company, Totally Tickets, Ace Ticket, A Great Place to Sit, 714Tickets.com, Ticket Solutions, The Ticket Guys, ABC Tickets, Wanamaker Ticket Office.

Average ticket prices for comparable events:

- BCS National Championship ticket =  $865 – $1,000
- World Series game tickets =  $910 – $1,100
- Super Bowl tickets =  $2,200 – $3,200
- Olympic Gold Medal Hockey (U.S. v Canada) tickets =  $3,600 – $4,300
- 2010 MLB Opening Day (Yankees @ Red Sox) tickets = $600
- Final Four Championship tickets = $230

The Flyers: The team that won their final game of the season by shootout to secure the 7-seed in the Eastern Conference. The team that was down 3 games to none against the Bruins in the second round before putting together one of the great playoff series comebacks in NHL history. The Flyers just knocked off the top seed Canadiens 4-1 and once again we are seeing the swagger of the “Broad Street Bullies” as the Flyers return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 13 years.

Flyers tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals average $753
Blackhawks tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals average $1,080

At those prices, the Stanley Cup is among the hottest sports event of the year and well ahead of the NBA Finals.

Average ticket prices for comparable events:
- BCS National Championship ticket =  $865 – $1,000
- World Series game tickets =  $910 – $1,100
- Super Bowl tickets =  $2,200 – $3,200
- Olympic Gold Medal Hockey (U.S. v Canada) tickets =  $3,600 – $4,300
- 2010 MLB Opening Day (Yankees @ Red Sox) tickets = $600
- Final Four Championship tickets = $230

FanSnap searches 60+ ticket sites so fans don’t have to. We’re currently seeing nearly 5,000 ticket listings for the Flyers Stanley Cup Finals games. Nine sites currently have tickets for the Stanley Cup Finals.

Fans can use FanSnap to compare Stanley Cup Finals tickets from StubHub, TicketNetwork, RazorGator, TicketsNow, ABC Tickets, eBay, Wanamaker Ticket Office, ASC Ticket Company, Totally Tickets.

Showing the most comprehensive selection of Flyers tickets from so many ticket sites let’s FanSnap show fans the Best Value Tickets available for the Flyers games. The single Best Value Tickets are in Lower Center for $759. That is 53% less than comparable tickets.

FanSnap shows Best Value tickets in a variety of sections throughout the venue and at a variety of price points to make is easy for fans to find those just-right tickets and a great value any time.

Stanley Cup Finals Schedule

Also check out Stanley Cup Tickets by the Numbers

Big Buff’s Big Goal = Big Win

The coolest jerseys in the NHL just made it to the biggest series in hockey. The Chicago Blackhawks completed a four-game sweep of the San Jose Sharks sending the Hawks back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992 where they will face the Philadelphia Flyers or the Habs of Montreal.

Chicago Blackhawks tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals average $1,245

The Hawks will face the winner of the Flyers - Canadiens so we took a look at what tickets to see either of  those teams average for the Finals:

• Philadelphia Flyers tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals average $760
• Montreal Canadiens tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals average $1,524

At $1,245, the Stanley Cup is second only to the Super Bowl and the USA-Canada Gold Medal game for the hottest tickets in sports.

FanSnap searches 60+ ticket sites so fans don’t have to. We’re currently seeing nearly 7,000 ticket listings for the Hawks Stanley Cup Finals game. Fourteen sites currently have tickets for the Stanley Cup Finals.

Fans can use FanSnap to compare Stanley Cup Finals tickets from StubHub, TicketNetwork, RazorGator, TicketsNow, eBay, Gold Coast Tickets, Prestige Entertainment, ASC Ticket Company, Totally Tickets, Ace Ticket, A Great Place to Sit, 714Tickets.com, Ticket Solutions and The Ticket Guys.

Showing the most comprehensive selection of Hawks tickets let’s us show fans the Best Value Tickets. For the Hawks games, the single Best Value Tickets are Upper Level Center for $575. That is 56% less than comparable tickets.

Average ticket prices for comparable events:
- BCS National Championship ticket =  $865 – $1,000
- World Series game tickets =  $910 – $1,100
- Super Bowl tickets =  $2,200 – $3,200
- Olympic Gold Medal Hockey (U.S. v Canada) tickets =  $3,600 – $4,300
- 2010 MLB Opening Day (Yankees @ Red Sox) tickets = $600
- Final Four Championship tickets = $230

The NBA and NHL Playoffs are starting to heat up. Fans can almost taste the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup. We thought it’d be a good time to dig into the numbers a bit to see what’s hottest and, more importantly for fans, where the values are.

Top sports ticket searches on FanSnap:
1. Lakers
2. Blackhawks
3. Flyers
4. Celtics

Looking ahead to the NBA Finals, fan expectations and ticket prices are up substantially over the conference finals. If the Lakers, Suns or Celtics make it to the Finals, fans can expect to pay $800 per ticket on average. If the Magic make the NBA Finals — with an average ticket price of $450 — it may be cheaper for Suns or Lakers fans to see the game in Orlando than at home.

NBA Finals Home Game 1
Lakers – $840
Suns – $808
Celtics – $799
Magic – $450

A similar trend holds true in the NHL where Stanley Cup tickets prices in Montreal and Chicago are substantially higher than in San Jose or Philadelphia.

NHL Stanley Cup Home Game 1
Canadiens – $1,645
Blackhawks – $1,332
Flyers – $825
Sharks – $687

Using FanSnap ticket search, fans can find tickets for the upcoming playoff games from eighteen ticket sites representing thousands of sellers. Among them are 800buytickets.com, Ace Ticket, ASC Ticket Company, Big Time Worldwide, eBay, Gold Coast Tickets, Just Tix, Prestige Entertainment, RazorGator, Seacoast Ticket Agency, StubHub, TicketNetwork, Ticket Solutions, TicketsNow, TopStarTickets, The Ticket Guys, Totally Tickets, and Wanamaker Ticket Office.

CELTICS – MAGIC tickets

Magic @ Boston Celtics Game 3 tickets average $252
Magic @ Boston Celtics Game 4 tickets average $265

Tickets to a possible Game 5 in Orlando average $201. Averages are great for comparing fan interest in games, but averages are less useful for fans who want to buy tickets. Averages mask the tremendous values to be had. FanSnap makes finding the values simple by showing fans the Best Value Tickets(sm) — the tickets priced substantially lower than comparable seats.  The Best Value Tickets in Boston can be had for Monday’s Game 4 where fans can save 60 percent off the average price.

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SUNS – LAKERS tickets

Lakers @ Phoenix Suns Game 3 tickets average $277
Lakers @ Phoenix Suns Game 4 tickets average $245
Tickets to a possible Game 5 in L.A. average $423. The Best Value Tickets for the Lakers – Suns matchup in Phoenix are for Game 4 on Tuesday where fans can find tickets in lower level center for $250 each. That’s 63 percent lower than comparable seats.

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SHARKS – BLACKHAWKS tickets

Sharks @ Chicago Blackhawks Game 3 tickets average $288
Sharks @ Chicago Blackhawks Game 4 tickets average $297
Tickets to a possible Game 5 in San Jose average $345. The Best Value Tickets to see the Blackhawks play the Sharks in Chicago are for Game 3. Fans can find Upper Level Center tickets for $170, or 41 percent below comparable seats.

—————-

HABS – FLYERS tickets

Flyers @ Montreal Canadiens Game 4 tickets average $517
Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers Game 5 tickets average $303
Tickets to a possible Game 6 in Montreal average $714. The Best Value Tickets to see the Habs – Flyers are in Philadelphia for Game 5 where fans can find tickets in Mezzanine  Center for 58 percent less than comparable seats.

The NHL Conference Finals are set. The 1- and 2-seeds in the Western Conference made the Finals, and the 7- and 8-seeds in the Eastern Conference survived the top seeds and made the Conference Finals. The story has to be in the East. True, the Habs made the Conference Finals as an 8-seed, but the 7-seed Flyers overcame a 0-3 round 2 deficit to come back and beat the Bruins.

There are tremendous differences in tickets prices for each teams’ home games on the open market for tickets. The market is pretty efficient, which is why we see teams with lots of tickets available with lower prices and teams like the Habs with very few tickets available and the highest priced tickets.

Average ticket prices for the first two home games:

• Flyers tickets average = $322
• Canadiens tickets average = $667
• Blackhawks tickets average = $355
• Sharks tickets average = $274

NHL Eastern Conference Finals: Flyers vs Canadiens Tickets

May 16: Game 1: Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers tickets average $300 – low price = $144 with 3,000+ tickets listed
May 18: Game 2: Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers tickets average $344 – low price = $151 with 3,000+ tickets listed
May 20: Game 3: Philadelphia Flyers @ Montreal Canadiens tickets average $644 – low price = $252 with 600+ tickets listed
May 22: Game 4: Philadelphia Flyers @ Montreal Canadiens tickets average $690 – low price = $304 with 600+ tickets listed
May 24: Game 5: Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers tickets average $395 – low price = $140 with 2,500+ tickets listed
May 26: Game 6: Philadelphia Flyers @ Montreal Canadiens tickets average $770 – low price = $340 with 300+ tickets listed
May 28: Game 7: Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers tickets average $551 – low price = $182 with +1,500 tickets listed

NHL Western Conference Finals: Sharks vs Blackhawks tickets

May 16: Game 1: Chicago Blackhawks @ San Jose Sharks tickets average $269 – low price = $139 with 1,000+ tickets listed
May 18: Game 2: Chicago Blackhawks @ San Jose Sharks tickets average $280 – low price = $161 with 1,000+ tickets listed
May 21: Game 3: San Jose Sharks @ Chicago Blackhawks tickets average $325 – low price = $87 with 3,000+ tickets listed
May 23: Game 4: San Jose Sharks @ Chicago Blackhawks tickets average $385 – low price = $103 with 4,000+ tickets listed
May 25: Game 5: Chicago Blackhawks @ San Jose Sharks tickets average $400 – low price = $193 with 2,000+ tickets listed
May 27: Game 6: San Jose Sharks @ Chicago Blackhawks tickets average $536 – low price = $127 with 3,000+ tickets listed
May 29: Game 7: Chicago Blackhawks @ San Jose Sharks tickets average $417 – low price = $219 with 2,000+ tickets listed

Check out our post with the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs Brackets.

Following your favorite hockey team as they make their way through the NHL playoffs, on their way to the Stanley Cup can be confusing. Keeping track of NHL playoffs tickets can be harder still. We’ve gone ahead and made it easy to follow your favorite NHL team’s tickets throughout the playoffs. We dropped the NHL playoff teams into an NHL Western Conference bracket and and NHL Eastern Conference bracket. They show playoffs matchups with a link to tickets for that matchup.

NHL Western Conference Bracket 2010

NHL Eastern Conference Bracket

Stanley Cup Finals Schedule

Also check out Stanley Cup Tickets by the Numbers

With the Celtics and Bruins in the playoffs, the Red Sox hosting the Yankees and some of the most popular performing artists in the world making tour stops in Boston, live event tickets are absolutely on fire.

Multiple factors are at play to make Boston tickets so hot. Boston is the only market in the country with teams in both the NHL and NBA Playoffs. Red Sox tickets are the most coveted in Major League Baseball and the Yankees series is the biggest rivalry in sports (based on ticket demand).

Hottest tickets in Boston:

1.  Lady Gaga tickets average $264 (July 1, 2)
2.  Diana Ross tickets average $258 (May 15)
3.  Patriots home game tickets average $235 for the eight home games
4.  Yankees @ Red Sox tickets average $233 (May 7, 8, 9)
5.  Jimmy Buffet tickets average $207 (June 17, 19)
6.  Conan O’Brien tickets average $198 (June 4, 5)
7.  Tim McGraw with Lady Antebellum tickets average $191 (July 17)
8.  NHL Playoffs Game 1 & 2: Flyers @ Bruins tickets average $194 (May 1, 3)
9.  Rihanna tickets average $187 (Aug.
10. NBA Playoffs Game 3 & 4: Cavaliers @ Celtics tickets average $185

Bruins tickets: NHL Eastern Conference Semifinals

May 1 -  Game 1: Flyers @ Bruins:  Tickets average $196
May 3 -  Game 2: Flyers @ Bruins:  Tickets average $192

FanSnap now shows fans the Best Value Tickets in popular areas of most arenas and stadiums. These are available tickets with asking prices substantially lower than comparable tickets being offered elsewhere in the venue. FanSnap searches dozens of trusted web sites, making it fast and easy to compare price and choices. Comparing tickets available for both Bruins home games, the Best Value Ticket is currently in Balcony 309 - Row: 13 for game 2. It’s listed at $95 or 64% lower than comparable seats on the open market.

Celtics tickets: NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals

Game 3: Cavaliers @ Celtics:  Tickets average $184
Game 4: Cavaliers @ Celtics:  Tickets average $186

Comparing tickets available for both Celtics home games, the Best Value Ticket is listed at
$64 (Balcony 321 - Row: 14 for game 4), 70% lower than comparable tickets on the open market.

Red Sox tickets to huge May home games:

May 3 – 6:     Los Angeles Angels @ Red Sox: Tickets average $70
May 7 – 9:     New York Yankees @ Red Sox:  Tickets average $233
May 10 – 12: Toronto Blue Jays @ Red Sox:   Tickets average $69
May 19 – 20: Minnesota Twins @ Red Sox:     Tickets average $70
May 27 – 30: Kansas City Royals @ Red Sox: Tickets average $125

Comparing tickets available for the Red Sox – Yankees May series, the Best Value Ticket is listed at 56% lower than comparable tickets on the open market (Right Field Roof Box 35 Row: F for Sunday May 6), listed at $119.

Hottest Boston Concert Tickets found with FanSnap ticket search:

May 15 -      Diana Ross tickets average $258
May 17 -      Pearl Jam tickets average $ 173
June 4, 5 -    Conan O’Brien tickets average $198
June 7, 8 -     Dave Matthews Band (DMB) tickets average $176
June 17, 19 - Jimmy Buffet tickets average $207
June 19, 20 - James Taylor & Carole King tickets average $153
June 22 -      Phish tickets average $95
July 1, 2 -      Lady Gaga tickets average $264
July 10 -       Jack Johnson tickets average $157
July 17 -       Tim McGraw with Lady Antebellum tickets average $191
Aug. 3 -        Black Eyed Peas tickets average $154
Aug. 8 -        Rihanna tickets average $187
Aug. 16 -      Green Day with AFI tickets average $119

Christian Anderson

I just got home from a blazing NHL playoff game and I can’t wait to watch the SportsCenter highlights!  The Sharks, down in the series 1-0 after the Avalanche got the road win the other night, matched every Avs goal and actually scored in the last minute of EVERY period tonight to force a 5-5 overtime, which the Sharks went on to win 6-5 on a power play goal by Devin Setoguchi.

So that means all five NHL series where the first two games have been played are knotted at 1-1!

Senators – Penguins tickets

Devils – Flyers tickets

Predators – Blackhawks tickets

Coyotes – Red Wings tickets

Avalanche – Sharks tickets

Of course, Bruins – Sabres tickets for game #2 tomorrow are available as well!  Using FanSnap, fans can save a substantial amount on great NHL playoff tickets!

Have fun!

Which NHL Playoffs tickets are hottest?

The Canadians — just like the Olympics — are in the lead. The Canucks and Canadiens tickets are both averaging $293 for each team’s two home games. The Pens, Caps and Blackhawks round out the top 5. Team number six was a bit of a surprise. Sabres tickets are averaging $163, placing Buffalo fans at number six on the fan demand list.

That puts the Sabres tickets ahead of historically hot hockey tickets like Wings, Bruins, Avs and Devils. Sabres tickets are even outpacing Preds tickets — the NHL ticket with the biggest post-Olympic bounce.

Hottest NHL Playoffs tickets – Round 1

Vancouver Canucks (tickets) -   $293
Montreal Canadiens (tickets) -  $293
Pittsburgh Penguins (tickets) – $246
Washington Capitals (tickets) – $246
Chicago Blackhawks (tickets) – $210
Buffalo Sabres (tickets) -          $163
San Jose Sharks (tickets) -        $159
Philadelphia Flyers (tickets) –   $155
Los Angeles Kings (tickets) -    $142
Ottawa Senators (tickets) -       $137
Nashville Predators (tickets) -  $137
Detroit Red Wings (tickets) -    $127
Boston Bruins (tickets) -          $126
Colorado Avalanche (tickets) – $123
Phoenix Coyotes (tickets) –      $119
New Jersey Devils (tickets) -    $97

NHL Best Value Tickets(sm)

Hottest teams is interesting, but we took it a bit deeper. We’re seeing tremendous choice available right now — from roughly 1,000 to 5,000 ticket listings per game.  With that comes tremendous variability in price for comparable tickets. The biggest variations in Home Game 1 tickets are in Boston where comparable tickets vary by as much as 52%. Interestingly, we’re seeing the more searches for Bruins tickets than any other NHL team right now. Today, Bruins ticket searches rival what we are seeing for the Yankees and Twins Home Openers.

Which conference has the hotter tickets?

Eastern Conference            Average ticket price (home games)
1. WASHINGTON CAPITALS   $246
2. NEW JERSEY DEVILS           $98
3. BUFFALO SABRES              $163
4. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS     $246
5. OTTAWA SENATORS         $137
6. BOSTON BRUINS               $126
7. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS      $155
8. MONTRÉAL CANADIENS   $293

Average Eastern Conference ticket = $183

Western Confernece            Average ticket price (home games)
1. SAN JOSE SHARKS              $159
2. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS    $210
3. VANCOUVER CANUCKS     $293
4. PHOENIX COYOTES           $119
5. DETROIT RED WINGS         $127
6. LOS ANGELES KINGS         $142
7. NASHVILLE PREDATORS    $137
8. COLORADO AVALANCHE   $123

Average Western Conference ticket = $163.75

The fun thing about tickets is this will all be different tomorrow. We’ll stay on top of it and report back.

Christian

Last week, at the conclusion of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, we shared some interesting stats on how NHL Ticket Demand was on the Rise Following Thrilling USA – Canada Olympic Gold Medal Game

We said then, and it seems even more true today, that with a week to reflect, “sports fans around the world got to see hockey at its finest and they like what they saw.” We took a look at NHL ticket demand to see if the Olympic hockey interest was translating to the NHL. We found that  “demand is now surging for NHL tickets as hockey’s elite players return from Vancouver to resume the NHL season.”

Biggest Movers as of March 1: The following were the teams that saw the biggest demand in tickets while the  NHL season was on hiatus for the Olympics (Feb 12 – March 1).

1. Nashville Predators (tickets) are up 10.57%
2. Detroit Red Wings (tickets) are up 10.15%
3. San Jose Sharks (tickets) are up 9.56%
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (tickets) are up 9.14%
5. St Louis Blues (tickets) are up 8.00%

So, a week later, with a week more of the NHL season under their belts, are the Olympics a distant memory? Was the thrill of the Gold Medal game just a blip on the NHL ticket demand radar, or have teams been able to parlay that excitement into something more lasting. We took a another look at those same teams to find out.

Biggest Movers as of March 8: This time we looked at the period between the start of the Olympics and today (Feb 12 – March 8).

1. Nashville Predators (tickets) are up 60.51%
2. Detroit Red Wings (tickets) are up 9.24%
3. San Jose Sharks (tickets) are up 7.91%
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (tickets) are up 15.97%
5. St Louis Blues (tickets) are up 14.70%

The Predators continue to be the hot ticket with the biggest post-Olympic bump. The Pens and Blues are also up over last week. The Wings and Sharks, while they remain up since the Olympics are not up by as much as they were last week.

Christian

According to the Media Decoder blog at the New York Times, “the Canada-USA gold medal hockey game was seen by a huge audience of 27.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched hockey game on American television since the famous U.S. upset over the Soviet Union in 1980.

The 27.6 million viewers put the game ahead of such recent high-profile sports contests as the Masters golf tournament (14.3 million), the Daytona 500 (16 million viewers), the top game from last year’s NBA Finals (16 million), the NCAA basketball final (17.6 million), Game 4 (the most watched) of the 2009 World Series (22.8 million) and the 2010 Rose Bowl (24 million).”

SportsBusiness Daily calls the 17.6 Nielsen overnight For Gold Medal Game from 3:15-6:15pm ET, a 45.5% increase from the same matchup in ’02.

Puck the Media has the regional breakdown and says, the audience peaked at 34.8 million viewers (18.6/34 hh rating) from 5:30-6 p.m. ET, when the USA’s Zach Parise(notes) (New Jersey Devils) sent the game to overtime with the tying goal with just 24.4 seconds left in regulation.

Top 5 Metered Markets for USA-Canada Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Game:
1. Buffalo, 32.6/51
2. Pittsburgh, 31.9/50
3. Detroit, 26.9/47
4. Minneapolis, 26.4/53
5. Milwaukee, 24.5/43

Check out the Puck the Media post for the top 25.

As we wrote earlier today, NHL ticket demand is on the rise following the USA – Canada Olympic Gold Medal Game.

Christian

“Thrilling” is not a big enough word to describe the Team USA Olympic hockey run or the Gold Medal final against Canada. Sports fans around the world got to see hockey at its finest and they like what they saw. Demand is now surging for NHL tickets as hockey’s elite players return from Vancouver to resume the NHL season.

Following the most highly anticipated matchup of the Winter Games, and perhaps in the history of Canadian sports — USA – Canada in the Gold Medal hockey final — NHL tickets are heating up in the U.S and Canada. The hottest teams saw average ticket prices for remaining home games increase by between eight to 10 percent during the Olympic Games. This of course, is unusual given no NHL games were played during the Winter Olympics. Not coincidentally, the teams with some of the biggest stars of the Olympics are seeing the biggest gains.

Biggest Movers: The hottest NHL tickets since the Olympics began:

1. Nashville Predators (tickets) are up 10.57%
2. Detroit Red Wings (tickets) are up 10.15%
3. San Jose Sharks (tickets) are up 9.56%
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (tickets) are up 9.14%
5. St Louis Blues (tickets) are up 8.00%

These teams sent a huge number of stars to play for Team Canada and Team USA during the games, including: Shea Weber, Sidney Crosby, Marc-André Fleury, Dan Boyle, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, and Joe Thornton, Ryan Suter, Brian Rafalski, David Backes, D Erik Johnson, Brooks Orpik, and Joe Pavelski. Seeing those players so successful on the world stage has certainly added to fan interest in their NHL teams.

The NHL Teams with the hottest tickets

1. Montreal Canadiens tickets start at roughly $70 and average $246
2. Pittsburgh Penguins tickets start at roughly $95 and average $228
3. Toronto Maple Leafs tickets start at roughly $55 and average $223
4. Vancouver Canucks tickets start at roughly $65 and average $208
5. Chicago Blackhawks tickets start at roughly $20 and average $208
6. Washington Capitals tickets start at roughly $40 and average $155
7. New York Rangers tickets start at roughly $50 and average $154
8. Calgary Flames tickets start at roughly $33 and average $151
9. Ottawa Senators tickets start at roughly $35 and average $138
10. Buffalo Sabres tickets start at roughly $50 and average $106

Here’s a look at Olympians by NHL team

Olympic Gold Medal hockey tickets are available for the most highly anticipated matchup of the Winter Games, and perhaps in the history of Canadian sports.

Tickets to see Team USA play Team Canada for Olympic Hockey gold are averaging $4,313. That’s more than three times the average price of Stanley Cup Finals tickets and $1,000 more than the average price for Super Bowl tickets.

U.S. and Canadian hockey fans who missed out on an NHL All Star Game this year, are getting something even better as the Sharks’ Joe Thornton, Penguins’ Sidney Crosby, Rangers’ Chris Drury and Sabres’ Ryan Miller and their teammates face off on behalf of their countries.

Average Price of Olympics Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game

Prices for Olympic Gold Medal hockey tickets have mirrored Canadian fans’ excitement for their national team’s prospects throughout the Winter Games. Prices started high and rose to nearly $5000 per ticket following early wins by Team Canada. Average ticket prices then plummeted after the Team USA win over the host team. Prices continued to decline to $3,613 until the inspiring Canadian win over Russia. Gold Medal game ticket prices have rebounded strongly as it became apparent there would be a USA – Canada rematch in the final, and are now $4,313.

Yes, we’re suckers for the big events here at FanSnap. Big events tend to be the matchups with the biggest ticket price and availability fluctuations. There are often tickets priced well below other tickets in the same row and fans find tremendous values, which adds to the fun. It turns out there is no hotter event than Men’s Olympic Gold Medal Hockey tickets.

Average price of an Olympic Ice Hockey ticket to the men's Gold Medal game on Sun, Feb 28 at 12:15PM

Currently, Men’s Olympic Gold Medal Hockey tickets are averaging more than $4,000. To put that into perspective, Super Bowl tickets earlier this month averaged between $2,500 and $3,000. World Series tickets averaged roughly $1,500. That makes Men’s Olympic Gold Medal Hockey tickets the single hottest ticket of the year — based on price.

Looking at the graph, you can see that ticket prices went up with each win by Team USA and Team Canada. What was less clear was which team’s fans were driving prices. After Team USA’s surprise win over Team Canada on February 21, it became clear that Team Canada fans were drive ticket prices.

How do we know? Take a look at the Whistler Mountain-shaped graph. Ticket prices were steadily increasing until the Team Canada loss. Ticket availability on the dozens of sites across the web FanSnap scours was also decreasing. Because Olympic Hockey is double elimination, Team Canada was not knocked out, but it was a lot less clear to Team Canada fans that their team would make it to the Gold Medal game. As a result Team Canada fans with tickets started selling.

Team Canada’s win over Germany slowed the decrease in price of Gold Medal tickets as some Team Canada fans regained hope that their team could in fact be golden. When they beat Russian last night, Team Canada fans again became believers… and started buying Gold Medal game tickets once again.

Canada must beat Slovakia to make it to the Gold Medal game. Team USA must beat Finland.

bracket from NBCOlympics.com

There’s no need to watch for scores tomorrow night to see if Team Canada will play for gold on February 28, just watch the ticket market for prices and availability. If ticket prices are going up and seats are scarce, Canada won.

Christian

It’s finally tournament time! March Madness and the NCAA Tournament are just around the corner. The fun starts with the conference tournaments! We love this time of year! The Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO is the site of the 2010 Big 12 Basketball Tournament.

• Big 12 Tournament (Full Strip – All Sessions) - 1,000+ tickets from $403
• Big 12 Tournament (Session 1) - Wed, Mar 10 at 11:30AM –   900+ tickets from $8
• Big 12 Tournament (Session 2) – Wed, Mar 10 at 6:00PM –     900+ tickets from $13
• Big 12 Tournament (Session 3) – Thu, Mar 11 at 11:30AM –   900+ tickets from $89
• Big 12 Tournament (Session 4) – Thu, Mar 11 at 6:00PM –     900+ tickets from $86
• Big 12 Tournament (Session 5) – Fri, Mar 12 at 6:00PM –       800+ tickets from $168
• Big 12 Tournament Championship Game Sat, Mar 13 at 5:00PM -   700+ tickets from $109

Tickets to the first session of the Big 12 Tournament start at $8  to see if Kansas will roll through the conference tournament like they’ve done all year in conference and out of conference. There are more than 100 tickets currently available to the first day (sessions 1 & 2) of the Big 12 Conference Tournament for $15 or less. With the likelihood of seven Big 12 teams getting bids to the Big Dance — that’s right, seven teams in the NCAA tournament — the Big 12 tournament should be rocking.

Ok State, we believe you’ll get it done.

Big 12                 Conf. Record Overall
1. Kansas                       12-0    26-1
2. Kansas State                9-3   22-4
3. Missouri                      8-4    20-7
4. Texas A&M                  8-4   19-7
5. Texas                          7-5    21-6
6. Baylor                          7-5   20-6
7. Oklahoma State           7-5   19-7
8. Texas Tech                 4-8   16-10
9. Oklahoma                   4-8   13-13
10. Colorado                   3-9   12-14
11. Iowa State                 2-10 13-14
12. Nebraska                  1-11 13-14

As of February 21, 05:26 PM CT from big12sports.com

How do Big 12 Tournament Championship Game tickets stack up against the other high demand championship tickets? SEC tickets are currently priced highest with an average price of $365.

SEC Tournament Championship Game tickets are currently averaging $365
Big East Tournament Championship Game tickets are currently averaging $292
ACC Tournament Championship Game tickets are currently averaging $256
Pac-10 Tournament Championship Game tickets are currently averaging $204
Big 12 Tournament Championship Game tickets are currently averaging $200
Big Ten Tournament Championship Game tickets are currently averaging $126

Christian

The National Championship game is set and it is huge. Alabama and Texas face off in this year’s BCS National Championship game (BCS National Championship Game: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas Longhorns tickets. Tickets for the January 7 game are averaging $1,376. The get-in price (lowest price ticket) is currently $800.

Here’s how the major bowl ticket picture is looking right now. BCS National Championship tickets average =1,376 (get-in = $800)
Orange Bowl tickets average = $233 (get-in = $63)
Fiesta Bowl tickets average =   $285 (get-in = $110)
Rose Bowl tickets average =     $455 (get-in =  $238)
Sugar Bowl tickets average =  $206 (get-in = $107)

For BCS National Championship tickets, Texans are outsearching Alabamans more than 2:1. People from 36 states and five countries have already searched for National Championship tickets.

Here are the states with the most BCS National Championship tickets searches:

Texas
California
Alabama
New York
Florida
Georgia
New Jersey
Tennessee
Connecticut
South Carolina

See also:

• Texas vs Alabama Tickets to the BCS Championship Top College Bowl Tickets
• Fiesta Bowl Tickets: Boise State Broncos vs. TCU Horned Frogs
• Orange Bowl Tickets: Georgia Tech vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
• Rose Bowl Tickets: Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
• Sugar Bowl Tickets: Florida Gators vs. Cincinnati Bearcats
• Meineke Car Care Bowl Tickets: North Carolina Tarheels vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
• The Capital One Bowl Tickets Available: Penn State Nittany Lions vs. LSU Tigers
• Alamo Bowl Tickets Available for Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Michigan State Spartans
• Las Vegas Bowl Tickets now Available for Oregon State Beavers vs. BYU Cougars
• Other Bowl tickets

Christian

Wednesday night I saw the Sharks take the West-leading LA Kings in a shootout.  Tonight they knocked off the league-leading Colorado Avalanche 3-1.  Fun times in the Shark Tank!

Powered by returning iron man goalee Evgeni Nabokov and past league MVP Joe Thornton, and with the addition of Dany Heatly (who has already scored nine goals this year) perhaps this is the year they will break through, after several unsatisfying playoff exits in recent years.  Nothing less than the Stanley Cup will make the team and fans in San Jose happy.

The Sharks have several great home games coming up: