Packers' improved play increases ticket demand
GREEN BAY - The better the Green Bay Packers play, the more attractive the season-ending game at Detroit looks. Even demand for the Chicago game is higher, though that might have been before the most recent weather forecast.
According to SeatGeek, 7 percent of secondary market ticket buyers for Sunday's game at Soldier Field are from Wisconsin. It was 6.5 percent, but during the past week, 11 percent of new buyers were from Wisconsin. Vivid Seats said 12.3 percent of tickets were sold to Wisconsin residents.
"It looks like Packers fans are coming down for Sunday’s game. Despite both Chicago and Green Bay’s adaptability, I’d guess that the threat of extreme cold may be keeping fans of both teams away," said Adam Clemence of Vivid Seats. "I expect the Detroit game to tick up in Wisconsin attendance if it pans out to be an important game."
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The Packers are in good position to capture the division, assuming, of course, they keep winning. The Lions are 9-4, the Packers and Vikings are 7-6 and Bears 3-10. The Lions play the Giants (9-4) in New York, the Cowboys (11-2) in Dallas and the Packers at home. The Packers play the Bears, Vikings and Lions, and the Vikings host the 6-7 Colts, come to Green Bay and host the Bears.
The National Weather Service forecast for Sunday in Chicago calls for blustery winds with a high near 10 degrees, reminiscent of several late-season Bears-Packers games along Lake Michigan.
Increased interest from Packers fans is not, as it often happens, driving up prices in Chicago, but it is in Detroit.
"This extra demand from Green Bay hasn't been enough to overcome the falling demand from Bears fans. Prices have continued to drop for this game," said Chris Leyden of SeatGeek.
The lowest-priced tickets Wednesday were $54 at Vivid Seats, $62 at SeatGeek and $115 at NFL Ticket Exchange.
In Detroit, "prices had been dropping until right around Halloween, but since then prices have continued to steadily climb. In fact, over the past month the median listing price has gone up 43 percent," Leyden said.
The lowest-priced tickets Wednesday were $117 at Vivid Seats, $126 at SeatGeek and $130 at NFL Ticket Exchange.
Clemence said the median price was $204 for the Chicago game, a decrease of $22 from two weeks ago, and $238 for the Detroit game, an increase of $56.
Interest in the New Year's Day game — which could decide the division championship and whether the Packers would host a home playoff game — is creeping higher. Overall, only 2 percent of secondary buyers are from Wisconsin, unchanged from last week, but new Wisconsin buyers during the last week totaled 4 percent, SeatGeek's research found. Vivid Seats said 3.7 percent of its buyers were from Wisconsin.
"The game has become much more in-demand with both teams looking for a playoff spot," Leyden said.
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