NFL Ticket Revenue: How Many NFL Tickets Are Sold Each Year?
The National Football League is one of the most popular sports leagues in the world, with millions of fans eagerly anticipating each season. For many, the ultimate experience is attending a game in person, soaking in the electric atmosphere of a packed stadium. But have you ever wondered just how many NFL tickets are sold each year?
NFL Ticket Sales Revenue Examined
NFL Game Attendance
While precise figures can vary year to year, the NFL consistently ranks among the highest-attended professional sports leagues. In the 2022 season, the league reported an average attendance of 67,254 fans per game across the 32 teams. With each team playing 17 regular season games, plus preseason and playoff contests, that translates to well over 16 million fans attending NFL games in person each year.
However, it’s important to note that attendance figures may not account for complimentary tickets given away by teams. So the total number of tickets actually sold could be slightly lower.
How many NFL tickets are sold each year?
The NFL sold approximately 17 million tickets for the 2022 season across all teams and games. This figure includes regular season, preseason, and postseason contests.
To put that in perspective, if all 17 million tickets were for a single stadium, it could fill the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas – one of the NFL’s largest venues – over 300 times!
Average NFL ticket sales per game
With around 17 million total tickets sold and 272 games played (preseason, regular season, and playoffs), the average NFL game had nearly 63,000 tickets sold in 2022.
However, this average can vary significantly based on factors like the participating teams’ popularity, opponent, playoff implications, and seating location. Games between high-profile rivals or those with major postseason ramifications tend to sell more tickets on average.
What percentage of NFL revenue is ticket sales?
While lucrative television contracts make up the largest portion of the NFL’s revenue pie, ticket sales remain a crucial component. In the 2022 season, ticket sales accounted for approximately 16% of the league’s $18.7 billion in total revenue.
Other notable revenue streams include sponsorships, merchandise sales, licensing agreements and more. But the billions generated from fans buying tickets to attend games in person is a testament to the NFL’s enduring popularity.
Where do NFL ticket sales go?
The NFL has a complex revenue sharing model that distributes ticket sale proceeds across the league and its 32 teams. A significant portion (around 66%) of the total ticket revenue is divided equally among all teams, regardless of their individual ticket sales.
The remaining funds go directly to each franchise, based on their home game ticket sales for that season. This balanced approach helps promote competitive parity while still rewarding teams with stronger local fan bases and attendance.
Who Benefits from NFL Ticket Sales
What NFL teams sell the most tickets?
Not surprisingly, some of the NFL’s most successful and well-supported franchises lead the way in ticket sales each year. The Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos consistently rank among the top teams in attendance and ticket sales.
Teams with large stadiums, fervent fan bases, recent on-field success and marquee matchups tend to drive the highest ticket demand and sales figures.
How much do NFL ticket sales reps make?
Working in ticket sales for an NFL team can be a lucrative career path, though compensation can vary significantly based on factors like the franchise’s popularity and an individual’s experience level.
Entry-level sales reps may earn around $30,000-$40,000 in base salary, while senior reps or managers can make $60,000 or more before commissions and bonuses. Those financial incentives tied to sales performance can push top sellers’ total earnings into the six-figures.
Can you resell NFL tickets?
While the NFL discourages the resale of tickets on unregulated third-party sites, they do provide an official resale platform through partners like Ticketmaster. Season ticket holders can list their tickets for resale on the NFL Ticket Exchange, facilitating secure and legally compliant transactions.
For buyers, this official resale market offers increased protection against counterfeit or fraudulent tickets that could prevent entry into the stadium. The system automatically reissues new barcodes upon a successful resale, eliminating that risk.
The unmatched excitement of an NFL game is something every football fan should experience at least once. And with millions of tickets sold yearly, those memorable opportunities to catch the action up close and in-person show no signs of declining. As the league continues evolving its business model, affordable and accessible NFL tickets will remain a top priority to sustain that incredible fan enthusiasm.
