Saturday, October 3, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

NBA Finals Ticket Prices at MSG Push Above $40,000

An already stratospheric ticket resale market for the NBA Finals is growing even more, thanks in part to San Antonio’s megastar and the long-starved Knicks fan base.

May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) walks the ball up court against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden
Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

The 2026 NBA Finals matchup is now set as the Spurs clinched the Western Conference title. As they clash with the Knicks—a revival of the 1999 matchup—the ticket cost for games at Madison Square Garden continues to climb to eye-popping heights.

A secondary market get-in price for Game 3 on June 8 is now hovering around $4,200 per ticket on multiple marketplaces. That low-end cost increased by about $500 from last week, when the Knicks clinched their spot in the Finals, and is up by $1,700 from two weeks ago. It also exceeds the comparable figure for Super Bowl LX in February.

The other two scheduled games at MSG are showing similar growth. A get-in cost for Game 4 on June 10 that had been around $3,400 last week is now up to more than $3,900, while Game 6 on June 16, if necessary, has risen by about $300 per ticket to $5,300.

Pricing for higher-end inventory, such as lower-level and courtside seats, is tracking much higher. The tickets are frequently listed for more than $40,000 each, particularly for Games 3 and 6, with some listing prices in six figures. 

The ongoing escalation in ticket resale costs represents a potent combination of demand factors. The Knicks are making their first NBA Finals appearance in 27 years, and despite long pockets of mediocrity preceding the current, Jalen Brunson-led era, the team’s fandom is both broad and deep. 

The presence of the Spurs, meanwhile, adds significantly to the appeal. Beyond the prior NBA Finals history of the teams, the current matchup involves San Antonio superstar Victor Wembanyama, a key face of the league. The French phenom won MVP honors in the conference finals as he also is the first player in NBA history to have at least 55 blocks and 25 three-pointers in a single postseason.

Travel Or Not? 

Knicks fans, meanwhile, have a choice for the NBA Finals. 

As the ticket resale costs for the games at MSG continued to rise, it is still much cheaper for the other games at Frost Bank Center, the Spurs’ home arena. The low-end, get-in price for Game 1, set for Wednesday in San Antonio, is about $1,000 per ticket, while Game 2 on Friday starts at about $1,300. 

Those costs, combined with airfare and lodging from the New York area to San Antonio, still add up to much less than the tickets alone to games at MSG. There is nothing else, though, quite like the venue known as “The World’s Most Famous Arena” and the spectacle of big-events there.

On the selling side, some Knicks season-ticket holders are wrestling with the choice of attending the NBA Finals themselves, or receiving a hefty potential influx of cash.

The NBA Finals resale situation differs from the Super Bowl ticket market in key ways. The NFL event is set in a pre-established location years in advance, with the overall secondary market managed heavily by On Location, the NFL’s official hospitality provider. That TKO Group-owned company has significant control over a large swath of the Super Bowl ticket inventory, and when and how it reaches the market. 

There are not nearly as many levers governing the NBA Finals resale market, leaving it more exposed to raw supply and demand. 

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Detail view of an NCAA basketball in the hoop during the second half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament between the UConn Huskies and the South Carolina Gamecocks at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ohio Court Reverses Grandfathering of Athletes Into NCAA Eligibility

Parallel litigation remains ongoing in several states.

NFL Puts Pressure on Illinois in Latest Bears Stadium Talks

Roger Goodell and JB Pritzker had their first face-to-face meeting.
Mar 16, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts against the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Exclusive

Ballmer Drops Lawyer Who Called NBA Probe a ‘Witch Hunt’

O’Melveny & Myers had been representing Ballmer in multiple matters.

WNBA Faces Ratings Test Without Caitlin Clark, Fever

Indiana was eliminated from the playoffs Thursday by the Las Vegas Aces.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

A Conversation with Randy Levine on the Yankees’ $2.6B Apollo Deal and the Protect College Sports Act

0:00

Featured Today

How the Baseball Cap Became a ‘Behemoth’

The hat has become essential for athletes, fans, and the sports-agnostic.
Morishita-Sato-homerun-celebration-at-Meiji-Jingu-Baseball-Staidum-2025
September 28, 2026

Japanese Baseball Is Fighting Back Against MLB Talent Drain

Nippon Professional Baseball is reimagining how to be a global juggernaut.
Aug 9, 2026; Bedminster, New Jersey, USA; President Donald Trump walks out of the clubhouse during the final round of the LIV Golf New York tournament at Trump National Bedminster.
September 25, 2026

Trump’s Year of Sports Gets Busier With CFB, Presidents Cup

The impact of Trump’s attendance varies across each sporting event.
A Bar of Their Own
September 25, 2026

Women’s Sports Bars: Novelty Has Worn Off, ‘That’s a Good Thing’

They’re leveling up, but sustainability remains the first consideration.
Hot & Social/Mets
September 18, 2026

Sports Teams Are Playing a New Role: Matchmaker

The latest promotion at the stadium? Love.
Sep 27, 2026; Rio De Janeiro, BRA; A tifo featuring images of
First at FOS

NFL, NFLPA Yet to Hold Real Talks on More Games Abroad

The CBA requires consultation with the union.
Sep 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on during the first half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
October 2, 2026

Sean McVay’s Comments About Call Raise Questions About NFL Policy

Discussions between teams and the NFL are not always treated as confidential.
Feb 9, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York at the Super Bowl LX host committee handoff press conference at Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
October 2, 2026

NFL Suspends Jed York 6 Games After Prostitution Sting Arrest

The 49ers owner was also fined $500,000.
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
Sep 30, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (12), outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) and catcher Austin Wells (28) celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox in game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.
October 2, 2026

NBC Scored Record Viewership With MLB Wild-Card Round

The initial wild-card games set a series of viewership milestones.
A moose forages for food at Schwabacher Landing in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
October 2, 2026

MLB Ends Grand Teton Game Talks After Wyoming Officials Object

The early-stage consideration generated heavy pushback.
Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) looks on during the warmups before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center
October 1, 2026

NHL Says Players in ‘Hot for Hockey’ Campaign Approved Content

The romance novel–inspired marketing effort has received mixed reviews.
October 1, 2026

Napheesa Collier: ‘Haven’t Even Thought About’ Free Agency

Collier signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the Lynx in April.