Ticket prices rise for Klay’s return
Anticipation is rising around the Bay Area for Klay Thompson’s return to game action more than two years in the making. The ticket market has responded as fans rush to see the Warriors star, but there’s reason to believe another spike could be coming.
The Warriors are reportedly hopeful that Thompson will play Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center — his first game since June 13, 2019 (when the Warriors were still playing at Oracle Arena). Thompson himself appeared to confirm his imminent return earlier this week, throwing up six fingers as he walked off the Chase Center court prior to the Warriors’ game against the Miami Heat on Monday night — six days before Sunday.
On Ticketmaster, the Warriors’ official ticket marketplace, the lowest price for a pair of tickets for that game as of Thursday afternoon is $181 each (fees included). In the VIP section, tickets are selling for as high as $25,000 each. To compare, there are tickets for a low of $90 (with a high of $4,000) for the Warriors’ next home game, Jan. 18, against the Pistons.
However, prices are down compared to Monday’s spike after ESPN reported that there was “optimism” Thompson would return for the Cavaliers game. By Tuesday, secondary marketplace Tickpick said its “get-in” price was $329, more than three times the cost at the beginning of the season.
That “get-in” price had decreased to $202 by Thursday.
On Thursday, Seatgeek had tickets available selling for $138 each, which appear to be the cheapest on the secondary market.
But the prices could skyrocket again if and when the Warriors make Thompson’s return date official. The ESPN report that caused the spike noted that the team is expected to decide Friday whether Thompson will play against Cleveland.
All tickets remaining for Sunday’s game are on the secondary market, the Warriors said in a statement, adding:
“We have a strong and consistent demand for our tickets, and it’s common leading up to all of our games that the only tickets remaining are on the secondary market. We’ve sold out 397 consecutive games, which shows how loyal and passionate Dub Nation is regardless of the matchup.”
The Warriors’ $589 ticket price average ranks as the highest in the NBA, outpacing the second-place Lakers by $27, according to Sportsbuzz.