MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee has a unique chance to see the Bucks win the NBA Championship on their home court if they clinch Game 6. But that possibility is also leading to skyrocketing ticket prices.
As of noon on Tuesday, there were still standing room only seats available for Game 6. But the cost was steep, more than a thousand dollars. It was too much cash to shell out for some loyal fans.
“I want to go but I'm not going to pay that,” said Juliana Crooker, a Bucks fan from Seattle.
“I would do it if I had it, but I'm not doing it,” said Ryan Leslie, who will be watching the game from the Deer District.
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With the Deer District expanded to a capacity of 65,000, a lot of people say they are just as excited to see the game from there or a nearby bar.
“I won't pay the thousand dollars,” said Mark Smith who is watching from the Deer District. "I'd much rather watch out here. It's so much fun, a lot of energy. It's like being inside."
"Everybody's excite, but we are going to be at the bars watching the game,” said Chandell who did not give his last name.
There are about 16,500 seats available inside Fiserv Forum. Game 6 will go down as the second most expensive Finals after the 2019 series. Jack Slingland, the vice president of operations for TickPick, a secondary ticket marketplace, says that is because of a combination of factors.
"This is the most in demand NBA Finals across the board that we've seen, the only other one that comes closest when the Raptors were in it,” said Slingland.
Before the Finals starts, tickets for Game 6 went for around $670, according to TickPick. Now, the company says a physical seat costs $1,749, which is a 160-percent price increase.
The lowest price TMJ4 found on Tuesday before noon was a standing room only ticket for $1,536.
'The fact that this is a clincher, so this is a rare opportunity to see your team win a championship in person. It hasn't happened since 2017,” said Slingland.
On top of that, there is something called dynamic pricing software at play. Basically it automatically sets or changes prices in response to the market.
“Tickets are moving so quickly that those prices are changing so frequently. The software systems, while working very effectively in the majority of cases, when you have so many people on online trying to secure these tickets, it is fluctuating so wildly,” said Slingland.
That means you could see tickets prices change in real time. It is why one fan with a ticket would not tell us how much she paid to secure her seat.
“That might have to be a secret in case my Dad watches,” said Natalie Maniscalco. "Let's say I might not have a savings account anymore but Bucks in 6."
