Cheapest ticket prices to NBA Finals at MSG soar above $4k

The get-in price for tickets to the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden in New York in 27 years -- Game 3 on June 8 -- have soared back above $4,000 on the secondary market.

Ticket tracking service TicketData told Field Level Media that Game 2 prices "came back down to reality" in the 48 hours after initially spiking following the Knicks clinching their spot in the Finals a week ago. However, ticket prices have increased 20% over the past three days, with supply extremely limited.

The get-in for Game 3 on June 10 was at $3,789 on Monday night, while the most expensive for the series was $5,322 for a potential Game 6 in New York on June 16.

By contrast, ticket prices for games in San Antonio are down nearly 50% from where they were after the Spurs eliminated Oklahoma City in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. The get-in price to Game 1 on Wednesday night has dropped 62% over the past three days, while the price for Game 2 on Friday night has dropped 49%.

TicketData said a contributing factor is that fewer Knicks fans are likely to travel than initially expected due to the cost of flights from New York-area airports to San Antonio. That could change if the series goes the distance, with the get-in for a potential Game 7 back in San Antonio still holding at $3,863.

If ticket prices for games at MSG hold, they would be more expensive than each of the past two Super Bowls, which had day-of-game get-in prices of $3,251 in 2025 and $2,002 this year. The average Super Bowl get-in price since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic has been $3,914, according to TicketData.

The company said the Knicks' focus on making sure their season-ticket holders are fans and not professional resellers has contributed to the limited supply on the secondary market. There is also wide appeal for the matchup against the Spurs and rising superstar Victor Wembanyama.

Outside of the World Cup and the Stanley Cup Finals, the next-most expensive sporting event through the end of the year is currently UFC 329. The card featuring the return of Conor McGregor against Max Holloway currently has a get-in price of $1,432.

-Field Level Media/Reuters