Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Big Markets, In-Season Tournament Powering NBA Ticket Sales

  • The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers are the two most in-demand teams ahead of the 2023-24 season.
  • StubHub credits a nearly 60% year-over-year increase in NBA sales at this point to the In-Season tournament and the second year of NBA Rivals Week.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry shoots the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves and forward LeBron James in the second half of game four of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The most in-demand teams on the secondary ticket market ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season are many of the usual suspects — but exciting new additions to the league are bolstering sales for the league as a whole.

The Golden State Warriors — in the middle of a four-title dynasty — have the highest average ticket price on the secondary market at $624, according to ticket aggregator TicketIQ. Ticket marketplace Vivid Seats has the Warriors as its most in-demand team, while StubHub has the Los Angeles Lakers; TicketIQ ranks the 17-time NBA champions second ($443).

It makes sense, then, that for the second year in a row, Vivid’s most expensive game ahead of the campaign is Lakers-Warriors, with an average sold price of $552. Lakers home games account for three of StubHub’s top four best-selling games, led by Feb. 8’s clash with the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets.

The New York Knicks come in as TicketIQ’s third-most-popular team at a $323 average ticket listing price. Knicks games at Madison Square Garden occupy five spots in StubHub’s top 10 most in-demand, more than any other team’s.

New York’s Nov. 24 contest against the Miami Heat ranks eighth on StubHub’s list — and stands as the only NBA In-Season to make it. StubHub credits a nearly 60% year-over-year increase in NBA sales to the new format and the second year of NBA Rivals Week.

Lakers at Suns (Nov. 10), Celtics at Raptors (Nov. 17), Warriors at Thunder (Nov. 3), and Nets at Celtics (Nov. 10) round out the top five most in-demand In-Season Tournament games. 

Of course, an article about NBA hype would only be complete with a mention of Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

Ticket IQ reports that the Spurs made its top 10 most expensive teams list for the first time since the 2018-19 season, checking in at sixth with a $261 average listing price; that’s up 66% since last year — the largest jump for any team in the league.

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

The $3 Million Player Who Changed The Spurs Season

The Spurs went 39–11 with Julian Champagnie as a starter.

MLB Owners Hold Firm On Salary Cap, Cite ‘Failure’ With Luxury Tax

Rising willingness by teams to pay the tax prompts a new approach.

WNBA Player Drops Out of Project B to Play in Turkey

Project B also signed another French player: Leïla Lacan.
Jun 2, 2026; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks over during practice on media day for the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center.

Will There Be a Wemby Effect for NBA Finals in France?

France will have two Finals broadcasters for the first time.

Featured Today

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.
May 23, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Fans participate in a tarp off during a MLB game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium
May 28, 2026

‘Tarps Off’: How Shirtless Fans Took Over MLB

The viral movement began with the SFA club baseball team.
Apr 6, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) walks to the on deck circle during the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field
May 28, 2026

Why Ballparks Are Louder Than Ever

Some stadiums sound like veritable nightclubs. How did we get here?

U.S. Women’s Open Becomes the Richest Event in Women’s Golf—Again

The prize money sets a new record for a single women’s golf tournament.
June 3, 2026

NHL Projects Record $8B in Revenue—Sees Bigger Growth Ahead

The league is seeing across-the-board revenue increases.
June 3, 2026

How the NBA Got Its Trophy Back on Finals Courts

The trophy hasn’t appeared on the court since the 2009 Finals. 
Sponsored

Landon Donovan: What Soccer in America Still Needs

Landon Donovan discusses the evolution of soccer in America and investing in the NWSL.
June 2, 2026

NHL Plans to Reinvent All-Star Weekend With International Twist

The restructured format echoes the wildly successful 4 Nations Face-Off.
June 2, 2026

Deion Sanders Says Cowboys Coaching Rumors ‘Weren’t Real’

Sanders has coached three seasons at Colorado.
June 2, 2026

Jon Rahm Says His Job Is Playing Golf, Not Pitching LIV to Investors

Rahm is not taking the approach of Bryson DeChambeau.
June 1, 2026

MLBPA Says Owners’ Salary Cap Would Cut Player Pay by $500M

The union again decries management’s push to implement a salary cap.