Three teams, two playoff spots, one wild weekend

By NANCY ARMOUR, AP National WriterSeptember 30, 2005

Grab the remote and settle in, America. The last weekend of the baseball season should be a sizzler, with pennant races far from over and a wild-card berth up for grabs.

Three teams are fighting for the last two spots in the American League playoffs, the tightest finale in a decade. And it's going to take a backyard brawl to knock out the loser. Yankees vs. Red Sox, White Sox vs. Indians.

``We all know what the situation is,'' New York Yankees manager Joe Torre said. ``To think that it's come down to a handful of games to decide what 157 couldn't decide, that's great for baseball -- but not too good for my stomach.''

Things aren't nearly so exciting over in the National League, where Atlanta, St. Louis and San Diego have wrapped up the division titles. But the Philadelphia Phillies are still hanging around the wild-card race, trailing Houston by two games.

``It's fun, man,'' Philadelphia's Michael Tucker said. ``All you can do at this point is play hard. This is one of those things that not a lot of people experience. You have to go out there and have fun and see what happens.''

One or two races usually go down to the final weekend. But this weekend's matchups are particularly juicy. The Yankees and Red Sox are playing at Fenway Park for the AL East title, and that series could affect Cleveland's postseason chances. The Indians host the White Sox.

``It just doesn't get any better this,'' the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez said. ``This is the best time of my life, the most fun time in my baseball career. I don't remember a race like this since I've been around.''

The Yankees, Red Sox and Indians were within one game of each other with three to play, and it takes a calculator and some graph paper to figure out the different scenarios.

Chicago clinched the AL Central by beating Detroit 4-2 on Thursday. But Cleveland was still alive in the wild-card race, tied with Boston. The Red Sox were a game behind the Yankees in the AL East, with a three-game series at Fenway Park beginning Friday.

Got all that?

``I'm not good in math,'' White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. ``That's why I just say, `Come back tomorrow and win the game.' ``

While some fans don't like a schedule that loads up on games against division rivals, especially at the end of the season -- ``We're sick of seeing (fill in the blank)'' -- this weekend is the perfect argument for it.

Yankees-Red Sox is one of the best rivalries in all of sports no matter if it's April or October. They've finished 1-2 in the East the last seven years, and their feisty fan base reaches far beyond the East Coast.

The Yankees are baseball's glamour boys, loved and loathed in equal amounts for their big names and even bigger payroll. Boston remains America's lovable underdog even with their World Series title last year, a scrappy bunch that still plays with Little League enthusiasm.
If the Red Sox can't repeat last year's ALCS drama, when Boston rallied to win four straight after being three outs from being swept by the Yankees, this is the next best thing.

``It's the master plan,'' Boston's Johnny Damon said. ``God's way.''

The Red Sox were up by four games on Sept. 10, but the Yankees climbed back atop the division last week and they've been trading spots ever since. With a one-game lead, the Yankees will have to win at Fenway Park twice, at most, to clinch the East title.

According to Elias, the only time New York had a lead with four games to go and failed to win was 1904, back when the Yankees were called the Highlanders.

``Three teams in it, two make it and one will miss it. Every game is like a playoff game,'' said Yankees right-hander Mike Mussina, who is scheduled to start Sunday's game. ``It's going to be as big as if it were a seven-game series.''

The White Sox-Indians matchup doesn't quite have the drama it did last week when Chicago was on the verge of a historic collapse. The White Sox had blown all but 1 1/2 games of what had been a 15-game cushion on Aug. 1, and Cleveland looked unstoppable.

But the Indians chilled at the most inopportune time, losing three straight for the first time since the middle of August.

In the NL, Houston still needs one win to clinch a tie in the wild-card race with Philadelphia. The Astros' lead is down to two games after they lost to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, 3-2. The Phillies had the night off before going to Washington for three games.

Oh, and if playoff races weren't exciting enough, there's a subplot to Yankees-Red Sox: Rodriguez and Boston's David Ortiz are the leading candidates for AL MVP.

``The focus is on the team. A nice side note behind that is, obviously, the MVP race,'' Rodriguez said. ``Front and center right now is the Yankees vs. Boston.''

AP Sports Writers Dan Gelston in Philadelphia, David Ginsburg in Baltimore and Jimmy Golen in Boston contributed to this report.

White Sox are a win away from clinching

Despite their late-season slump, the Chicago White Sox are one victory away from clinching the AL-Central title as they conclude a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers.

Jose Contreras won his eighth straight start and Scott Podsednik had four hits to lead the White Sox to an 8-2 victory over the Tigers on Wednesday. Chicago, which has assured itself of at least a tie for the wild card and a possible playoff, opened a three-game lead in the Central as second-place Cleveland suffered its third straight loss, 1-0 to Tampa Bay.

Because of Cleveland's loss, the Sox could clinch their first division title since 2000 with a victory Thursday no matter what the Indians do later in the day. If the Sox and Indians are tied at the end of the season, the wild card will go to the Indians and the Sox will enter the playoffs as division champions.

After Thursday's series finale in Detroit, the White Sox finish the regular season with three games at Cleveland.

``To worry about what (the Indians are) going to do in another city, you worry about stupid stuff you can't control,'' White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. ``Just come back tomorrow and win the game.''

Carl Everett had a two-run triple, Juan Uribe homered and Aaron Rowand hit a three-run shot for the White Sox, who had lost 12 of their previous 19 games. They led the AL Central by 15 games on Aug. 1 -- no team with a lead of more than 13 games has ever failed to finish first.
Freddy Garcia will take the ball for the White Sox and looks to continue his success against Detroit. He has won seven of his last nine decisions against the Tigers, improving to 10-5 with a 3.61 ERA in 18 career starts. He is 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA in three outings this season against the Tigers.

The 29-year-old right-hander hopes to have turned the corner after eight strong innings in an 8-1 win over Minnesota on Saturday. He had been 1-4 with a 4.65 ERA in his previous nine starts.

Jason Grilli is looking to build on a stellar effort in his first career start for Detroit. The right-hander yielded one run and two hits in seven innings of a 7-1 win over Seattle on Saturday.
He won for the first time since Sept. 11, 2004, when he was with the White Sox, and is looking forward to facing his former team for the first time.

``You always love pitching against your old team, and now I can try to play spoiler against the White Sox,'' he said, ``That would be a great way to finish the year.''

Carlos Pena homered Wednesday for Detroit, which had won four straight since an eight-game skid.

Baseball Fever - It's Almost October

Baseball Fever – It’s Almost October

Here at Alpha Tickets we try not to get too excited about Baseball. We are not particularly passionate baseball fans, and we rarely stock baseball tickets. However, we do get involved with the MLB All Star Game every year, and with post season play. Over the last few days, I have swapped my football helmet for a baseball cap to predict what may transpire over the next few weeks.

The picture of the National League seems clear. The Braves clinched last night for the 14th straight time - which is impressive in comparison to the number of times they’ve failed to complete. The Cardinals clinched several weeks ago, and the Padres have a magic number of two and are headed into the post season. The only question remaining is which team will take the wild card spot - Philadelphia or Houston. The Braves will play the wild card team in the divisional series, so this question is important, especially to an Atlanta Ticket Broker like me. The Astros appear to have a slight edge with their last three games at home (against the Cubs) while the Phillies have to go on the road against the Nationals.

The Phillies would probably make for a better ticket for the series against the braves and may also be a more beatable opponent than having to match up with the awesome pitching of the Astros.

Having yet another classic fall season race is The American League. The Yankees and the Red Sox are deadlocked in first place in their division and face off against one another for the last three games of the season at Fenway Park. The Angels have clinched, and the White Sox have a magic number of four. Again, like the National League the wild card spot is going to be interesting and in my opinion even more interesting than that of the National League. The Indians have been hot lately and will be fighting it out with the loser of the Red Sox/Yankees for the Wild Card Spot.

Below I have listed some of the current prices for 0-100 contracts on http://www.tradesports.com/ related to my predictions.

National League Wild Card Winner

Houston 88.1/90.9
Philadelphia 9.1/11.9

American League Wild Card Winner

Cleveland 48.6/50
New York Yankees 16.9/17.9
Boston 16.1/20
Chicago White Sox 15.7/18

National League Pennant Winner

St. Louis 44/44.8
Atlanta 21.2/23.4
San Diego 9.1/10.4
Houston 18.1/21.5
Philadelphia 1.1/1.9

American League Pennant Winner

Boston 21.5/23.9
Chicago White Sox 16.3/17
New York Yankees 21/23.9
Anaheim 22/23.4
Cleveland 14.1/15.5


- Until Tomorrow – Adios!

NFL Tradesports Update

Wow! It is amazing that in three weeks so much can happen. My man Carnell Williams is helping Tampa Bay surprise everyone, the Ravens have already imploded, the Jets are now working with their third string quarterback, and the Patriots and Eagles have already lost! In the Tradesports markets for NFC and AFC Champions some things have remained constant but other things have changed markedly.

NFC

Eagles 28.4/30.0
Falcons 13.5/16.0
Panthers 7.1/9.5
Vikings 5.0/6.9
Seahawks 6.7/8.5
Rams 6.1/8.0
Giants 3.0/4.0

AFC

Colts 29.4/32.5
Patriots 19.0/20.5
Chiefs 8.0/10.0
Jaguars 5.5/6.5
Steelers 11.0/13.5
Ravens 0.7/2.1

If the Colts keep winning they may get what they needed last year but did not get - Home Field Advantage. There is no doubt that the colts are hot, and I have always believed that Peyton will get his ring on day so maybe it will be on 02/05/06 in Detroit!

Until tomorrow - Adios

The Face of Insanity - Cindy Sheehan

OPEN LETTER TO CINDY SHEEHAN:

Residing in the same town as you once resided and knowing your family, I must ask you, "Whatever are you thinking?"

Your son was the one who encouraged my youngest son to enlist. You were very proud of Casey and what he was doing then and he believed very much in what he was doing.

After Casey was killed, my eldest was one of the local airmen who brought him home, facing hostile fire to do so, so you would not not have to wait.

My daughter comforted you and your family. You two spent hours and hours engaged in heartfelt grief. At that time, you were very, very supportive of the President, of our soldiers and of what was occurring in Iraq.

Cindy, you've changed since the Kerry campaign contacted you in early July of last summer. You're not the same grieving mom, especially after you started traveling on the road to support John Kerry's campaign.

You've turned into a political puppet for those who are exploiting you and its not pretty nor does it do anything for Casey's memory. You're not the same, quiet compassionate woman we saw at church or downtown, when you proudly sat as the entire town showed up on Memorial Day to honor Casey and Mike Williams.

How can you justify berating the President for honoring the soldiers who died while protecting America and following the directives of the Congress and the Senate? How can you consistently state that you don't want your son's name to be acknowledged by him and on the same hand, turn around and use the name of Joe Williams' Mike, as an example for your cause despite the many requests of the family for you not to do so? How could you print Mike's name in your anti-war advertisement in the newspaper even after seeing the grief and effort his mother went through to go to Crawford to personally remove it from your cross. You knew it caused them pain.

Mike died honorably and his father, a Vietnam vet is very proud of him. He believed in what he was doing, just like Casey. How could you bring so much pain to the Williams family and so much pain to a nation because of your own anger?

Cindy, how can you do this to your kids who don't know how to explain your actions to anyone here in town? They went through a lot last summer and still are.

The hours, days and weeks following Casey's death were emotionally gut wrenching as many of us with children, husbands, wives, friends and other loved ones in the military comforted you while living with the fears for our own loved ones over there. Everyone went above and beyond because we all believed and still believe in how very right, honorable and courageous our loved ones are in their mission to keep America safe.

We all went through considerable anguish when Casey died and I suspect none moreso than you. But how can you justify your anguish and place it on a higher level than that of Joe Williams?
The treatment you've returned to everyone is inexcusable. Placing Mike Williams' name on a cross despite the family's objections was unforgiveable and the reaction of Mike's mother when she saw it was heartbreaking.

What you are doing to neighbors, to friends, Casey's battle buddies and to a nation of people who are having to relieve the ugly pain of the late 60s and the 70s is unfair.

This is about you, Cindy. Not about anyone else. When you turn your back on your neighbors, your friends, your family and act in this manner, it only evidences that there is no consideration toward anyone or anything else.

Finally, and most disturbing, how can you support a group that supported John Kerry, who on April 7th, on National Public Radio stated that Al Sadr had a "legitimate voice" and that the Coalition (including your son) should not have closed down his newspaper after he called for the deaths of U.S. troops.

You know better than anyone else, Casey was killed in Sadr City by the Al Sadr militants. How can you join ranks with those who support the terrorist who called for the death of your son?
Its beyond me, Cindy, and something I suspect, someday in the future, you'll look back on and with considerable pain.

We don't want that for you. I believe you need to sit down and think about it long and hard. You are bringing so much pain to this nation and its people.

Linda

Update

I am sorry that there have been no posts for a solid week. Last week was one of the busiest weeks of my career. The amount of things that were accomplished last week would stun most of you, but I will not bore you with the details.

I was going to update you on the tradesports markets for NFL this morning but the tradesports data is currently unavailable. We will shoot to update you tomorrow on the situation.

Until tomorrow - Adios

I'm Not That Fired Up Right Now About the Falcons Going to the Super Bowl

I am tired tonight and trying really hard to get off the lazy boy to write a blog. This one is communicated through my wife, Marnie.

Tonight's game was an amazing come back. Down several players on the defense, the Dirty Birds finally rallied and got their act together in the second half.

In the end, disappointing, to say the least. Are they still a favorite to go to the Super Bowl? I hope so.


I am too tired right now to write much more - Monday I will post something good.

Tomorrow is Monday and back to my day to day business of being a ticket broker. No more trampoline jumping with my sons. Until then, adios.

Allen

It's all my fault

I would like to accept full and total blame for Hurricane Katrina and for all of the problems that happened in the aftermath of the storm.

Falcons take opening statement in stride

By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com

ATLANTA -- For a team that spent most of the warm-ups talking smack, then turned the rhetoric into an ugly rumble that resulted in the pregame ejections of two key players, the Atlanta Falcons were an unusually measured bunch as they contemplated the big-picture ramifications of Monday night's gutsy victory here over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Some statement games, apparently, require only modest statements afterward.

In contrast to the bombast that preceded this much-anticipated rematch of last year's NFC championship game, a back-alley meeting of two teams that clearly don't like each other much at all, civility reigned in the victor's locker room. Here's why: As much as the Falcons pointed to Monday's game, as much as they prepared in an effort to reverse the results of the conference title game loss that left them a win shy of a Super Bowl berth, the Atlanta players understood that their 14-10 victory only slightly alters the NFC landscape.

For that demonstration of maturity, particularly in light of the lack of discipline that marked the pregame brawl, Falcons coach Jim Mora was clearly a proud man.

"I think the way we handled this win," said Mora, in what was arguably the most notable triumph of his brief career as a head coach, "is almost as important as the victory itself. This is a mature team, and they know what's ahead. I think they understand that what we have to do now is go out and validate this victory."

This is a franchise that, remarkably, has never enjoyed consecutive winning seasons. Now in their 40th year of existence, the Falcons haven't even strung together two or three big wins in a row during much of their four decades. Atlanta will wear a bull's-eye now, courtesy of Monday's win, and with four straight matchups against solid postseason contenders looming, will get a quick test of its ability to dodge the darts and arrows the NFL can toss.

Mora's words weren't so much cautionary as they were pragmatic. After having resided most of their existence in the NFL's basement, it will be interesting to see how the Falcons handle life in the penthouse.

Make no mistake, the Falcons are a chatty bunch, a team that can talk the talk and now, apparently walk the walk. But there was a notable absence of braggadocio in the Atlanta locker room, even though the payback to the Eagles certainly establishes Mora's young and aggressive bunch as a group capable of nudging Philadelphia from its perch as the NFC's highest-profile team.

In the media interview area, which is adjacent to the Atlanta locker room, there have been times in the past when the Falcons' hooting and hollering was so raucous following any sort of significant victory that it carried through the closed doors. On Monday night, either Atlanta owner Arthur Blank took advantage of his Home Depot connections to have the doors between the two areas soundproofed, or the group celebration was uncharacteristically muted.

Which is not to say that Falcons players don't comprehend the significance of upending the imperious Eagles, recognized for several years now as the NFC's premier franchise. The Eagles came here intending to turn the South into South Philly -- with a legion of throaty fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome -- and instead were turned away.

"Oh, definitely, people have to look at us a little differently now," said middle linebacker Ed Hartwell, the Falcons' most notable free agent addition in an offseason in which Mora and general manager Rich McKay made only minor tweaks to the roster. "That's a good team we beat. But to beat a good team, you have to be a good team, and I think this is a team that's better than good. We knocked off the best team the NFC has to offer, so that must say something about us."

Only time will tell if Monday's win was the kind of threshold moment and galvanizing event that shakes up the balance of power in the conference. The Eagles remain, despite a bitter defeat marked by offensive inconstancy, a formidable foe. The Falcons, however, view themselves now as more than an upstart. And sometimes the manner in which you view yourself is nearly as important as how others see you.

With the victory on Monday night, the Falcons don't have to look nearly so much in the rearview mirror, because the view out the front windshield is an inviting one.

"It's a great boost to our confidence," said second-year cornerback DeAngelo Hall. "You can talk about beating good teams but, until you do it, that's just talk. Empty words. You have to back it up, and that's what we did here tonight."

The team's first-round choice in 2004, and a player billed as a "shutdown" cornerback, Hall was a key to the Atlanta victory. Hell-bent on earning a Pro Bowl spot this season, and driven to succeed at the highest level and against the best players, he asked coaches last week to let him cover Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens all over the field. And, while Owens had seven catches for 112 yards, Hall kept him out of the end zone, had an interception, two other passes defensed and five tackles.

One huge play that probably went undetected by most observers came late in the third quarter. Hall jumped an inside slant route by Owens so quickly that it forced Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb to pull the ball down and turn to his left for an alternate receiver. Defensive end Patrick Kerney, given additional time because McNabb had to hold the ball, sacked the quarterback and caused a fumble.

Atlanta needed such defensive moments because, once again, the offense was sporadic.

Quarterback Michael Vick has grown testy at discussing his shortcomings as a pocket passer but Monday did little to quiet his critics. Vick was 12 for 23 for 156 yards and, beyond a huge, 58-yard completion to wideout Michael Jenkins to set up the Falcons' second and final touchdown, looked typically disjointed in the pocket. No matter, though, since Vick scampered for 68 yards and made enough plays with his feet.

Notable, as well, was the excellent run-blocking provided by the right side of the Falcons line, tackle Todd Weiner and guard Kynan Forney. Particularly early in the game, the two carved out big creases for mighty mite tailback Warrick Dunn. Unofficially, Dunn gained 74 of his 117 rushing yards on runs to the right side.

"I think it was our kind of game," said Jenkins, who has shown some modest signs of emerging as the go-to wide receiver Vick so desperately needs. "Run the ball, get some timely passes, let Mike make some plays, and let our defense stop people. It's a pretty good formula, and we're just hoping we can ride it a long way. This game just says we were the best team tonight. Now we've got to try to say it for 15 more [games]."

Roush has five in Chase, but Stewart is man to beat

By HANK KURZ Jr., AP Sports Writer September 11, 2005

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Tony Stewart was in a good place before the final race to set the field for NASCAR's Chase for the championship, his spot atop the standings secure.

And now that the nine other drivers that will contend for the title have been decided, including five from Jack Roush's stable, Stewart still is the man to beat.

``All of the teams are running good,'' Greg Biffle said during a giddy postrace interview after teammates Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards completed Roush's five-man entry into the 10-race playoff. ``But the 20 car is still better than all of us.''

Stewart, the 2002 champion, will have his 185-point lead over Biffle cut to 5 points before next week's race in New Hampshire, but is feeling very good about his team's chances. Stewart is eager to finally get started in the pursuit of another title.

``I've been waiting for next week for quite a long time now,'' he said. ``I'm glad we finally get a chance to get it started and get on with what's really important.''

A year ago, the first stop in the playoffs became essentially the last for Stewart. Taken out by a crash early in the race at Loudon, N.H., he eventually retired after running just 83 of the 400 laps, fell to 10th in the standings and didn't contend.

This time, he goes back to New England riding a hot streak that was already in progress when he dominated at New Hampshire Speedway in July. The victory was one of five for Stewart in the last 12 races, and he's never finished outside the top eight.

``We're pretty happy about that,'' the Joe Gibbs Racing star said. ``We're ready for next week. I don't feel like we're lacking anything or waiting on anything.''

The hot streak included one stretch of five victories in seven races, almost unprecedented in the age of multicar teams and big-money sponsorship. It also included a lot of good fortune, something that will need to continue as the Chase begins.

``There are 43 guys who start the race and there's 10 of us in the Chase. You can't control the other 33 guys. They've got a right to race just like everyone else,'' Stewart said.

``When you're in the top 10 there at the end you've got to protect yourself. You've got to race hard, but you've also got to protect yourself, and that's how you get into the Chase to begin with. It was just an unfortunate deal, but we always knew in the back of our minds that something like that could happen.''

With the roll he's on, Stewart sees no reason to change his approach.

``These next 10 races are no different than the last 26 of them,'' he said.
There is one difference -- the Nextel Cup that awaits the winner.

``We've just got to go out and win it and be done with it,'' he said.

Also making the Chase were Roush's Mark Martin and defending series champion Kurt Busch, who won Saturday night's Chevrolet Rock & Roll 400; Jeremy Mayfield; Ryan Newman; Jimmie Johnson; and Rusty Wallace, who is in his final season of Nextel Cup action.

Ready for some Football?

Sorry it has been a few days since the last blog, but this blogger needed a little vacation. I hope all of you enjoyed our last post about Super Bowl tickets and found yourself some useful information.

Tonight is the opening game of the 2005 NFL season and it should be a good one. The Oakland Raiders are visiting the New England Patriots. The Patriots are favored by 7 1/2 points and are still considered one of the heavy favorites in Vegas to repeat as Super Bowl Champions.

Monday night here in Atlanta we will witness the Philadelphia Eagles playing the Atlanta Falcons. The Eagles are favored by 1 1/2 points and are the heavy favorite in Vegas to at least win the NFC Championship and maybe the Super Bowl.

I have been periodically keeping you updated on the Tradesports market for NFC and AFC Champions because it is very important in our business when trying to figure out where we think prices for Super Bowl tickets will be. Below is your first game day of the season update:

The numbers next to the team name are the bid/ask spread to purchase 0-100 contracts on tradesports.com for each team to win their respective conference championship.

AFC

Colts 23.6/25.4
Patriots 19.8/21.0
Steelers 11.0/11.1
Ravens 10.6/11.1

NFC

Eagles 26.5/28.0
Falcons 12.2/13.0
Panthers 12.6/13.9
Vikings 11.1/12.9

Until tomorrow - Adios!

Super Bowl Ticket Dreams

Super Bowl Ticket Dreams

Many football fans dream about attending the biggest and most marvelous football game of every season – The Super Bowl. But without the favor of celebrity, wealth, or sheer luck, actually going to the Super Bowl is trickier than finding the golden ticket in one of those auspicious Wonka bars (after seeing the movie I admit Johnny Depp scares me - not unlike Jacko). And truthfully, for the average person, acquiring Super Bowl tickets really is just that – a dream.

So let’s just say you’re Brad Pitt. You wanna take little Maddox to his first Super Bowl. And you might need an extra ticket for Angelina. No problem. I can’t see Brad missing out on the Super Bowl next February, unless they start housing Katrina refugees from New Orleans in Detroit’s Ford Field.

Could Paris and Nikki Hilton get comped 50-yard line tickets on the DL - with a mere text message from a Swarovski encrusted Sidekick? I would bet yes. I ran into one of the Hilton sisters and her entourage last year in Houston. I think I’ll ring her up to be my Super Bowl date this year, if my wife can’t make it. As Paris says, “That’s hot”. Celebrity has its rewards.

Where Have All The Tickets Gone?

The answer to this question has everything to do with the National Football League (NFL) and their perplexing allocation of tickets. Each year, the powers that be at the National Football League (NFL) conduct a Super Bowl ticket lottery. To participate, the normal guy fills out an index card with his name, address, and phone number, and sends it by certified mail to the NFL Super Bowl Ticket Lottery office. If his is one of the 500 names selected from the 50,000 entries, he doesn’t actually win tickets. He wins an option to purchase tickets – at face value (about $600). The winners are sent an invoice, after which they pay for the tickets via mail using a credit card. It sounds simple, but unfortunately, only 1% of the entire 70,000 Super Bowl Tickets are actually bestowed upon the average American football fan.

There you have it - the number one reason Super Bowl Tickets are impossible to get and therefore, so expensive. Demand drives price.

I Didn’t Find A Golden Ticket… Now What?

If you don’t have the ability to rustle up a Super Bowl ticket from one of these sources directly, your options for Super Bowl tickets are somewhat limited. You can buy a package, including an overpriced hotel room from an NFL approved tour operator, or from anyone able to put together and advertise packages to the average consumer.

Your best option is to purchase tickets on the secondary market from a licensed, reputable ticket broker.

Who Has All The Super Bowl Tickets?

Below you will find the distribution breakdown of the 76,877 tickets for last year’s game in Jacksonville (numbers are approximate).

Receiving Party
Percentage of Tickets Received - Number of Tickets Distributed

National Football League (NFL)
25.2% - 19,373 tickets (includes 1,000 lottery-distributed tickets)

AFC Championship Team
17.5% - 13,454 tickets

NFC Championship Team
17.5% - 13,454 tickets

Host Venue Team
5% - 3,844 tickets

All Other Teams
34.2% - 26,292 tickets

All teams distribute their allotment of Super Bowl Tickets to players, coaches, family, friends, and staff. The individual venues have the option of selling seats to suite holders or club seat holders. The NFL keeps the largest share of tickets are given to advertisers, athletes, sponsors, NFL staff, and VIP's. The AFC and NFC champions also distribute to their own players, families, coaches, donors, supporters, suite and club seat holders -- and then sell remaining tickets. Some of these extra tickets are sold at a profit to tour operators who include them in packages with hotel rooms, transportation, and hospitality. All these packages are sold to fans at inflated prices.
By the time the teams are determined, about two weeks before the big game, Super Bowl tickets are printed and then distributed in phases, with lottery tickets delivered in the first or second week of January. The host team is typically the second group to receive tickets, followed by the rest of the league. Of course, no one knows who the AFC and NFC champions will be, and that group of tickets (comprising 35% of the total) is held until the week after the championship games. Once the teams are identified and tickets are printed, it is generally eight or nine days before the big game. Over the years, the NFL has not distributed Super Bowl tickets until just days before the game, and at that point they require guests (with ID) to pick up their Super Bowl Tickets up in the host city.

This essay is not meant to discourage you, so read on. If you’re not Donald Trump or Lindsay Lohan … just an average guy who dreams about a once in a lifetime chance to go to the Super Bowl … there are options.

The Secret Life of Super Bowl Ticket Brokers

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I am a ticket broker. My company’s customers are from all walks of life. We take a lot of phone calls from people looking for Super Bowl tickets, and we are always happy to educate our callers on techniques to obtain one of sports’ toughest tickets.

Many of our customers ask questions about the mysterious world of Super Bowl Tickets, like:

• Where do you get your Super Bowl Tickets?


• If Super Bowl tickets aren’t released until a week before the game, how can you sell them now?


• How do you decide on prices for Super Bowl Tickets?


• Why are tickets so expensive?


• How can a regular guy like me get Super Bowl Tickets?


• How can I get Super Bowl Tickets at Face Value?

Ticket prices in the secondary market are affected by many factors, including the host city; venue, weather, fan loyalty, and team match up.

Location, Location, Location

Locations such as tropical climates and luxurious locales definitely send Super Bowl Ticket prices over to the high side. A resort-like or destination city such as Las Vegas draws more attendees, thus increasing demand and price. The Super Bowl, like the Kentucky Derby, is a global party, and many jet setters are far more interested in the party around the Super Bowl Football Game, rather than the actual game itself.

2004’s Super Bowl in San Diego was a fabulous destination, but without real regard for the teams actually playing in the Super Bowl. It was an easy commute by private jet, limo, or deluxe motor coach from LA, Hollywood, and Vegas. I superbly enjoyed working from my hotel room with a view of San Diego Marina, and delivering tickets to customers in the California ocean breeze.

The following year I found that many folks in Houston were not big Panther or Patriot fans, so tickets were about as hot as Anna Nicole Smith. And to reinforce my theory, Playboy Party tickets were actually scarcer than Super Bowl Tickets!

As a side comment, Houston and New Orleans’ future as future Super Bowl locations are questionable right now in my mind – after Katrina, I don’t think the SuperDome will ever smell the same – and neither will the AstroDome or Reliant Stadium. The thought of what has occurred in the SuperDome this week is somewhat frightful and surely it will affect the future of that venue.

Last year’s Jacksonville setting quickly shifted my locale expertise with the fierce loyalty of fans. While we here in the South sometimes liken SEC Football to a religion, the Eagles all out command for tickets was stronger than any I’d ever seen. While the loyalty of the the Eagles se fans was intense, unfortunately this drove the prices beyond reach for many people. In addition, there were many tour operators who preyed on the passion of these ticket seekers. In the streets of Jacksonville I saw many Super Bowl Dreams decimated by unethical tour operators, the frenzy for tickets, and inflated prices.


VERSUS

The teams also have a lot to do with the price of the tickets. Certain teams come from much larger cities than others; have a history in their market, and a strong following and loyal fan base. In Houston two years ago, the Panthers were not a strong draw. At only nine years young and from Charlotte, North Carolina, the Panthers had nowhere near the established fan base like that of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are obviously well established, in a city with a long and deeply rooted history in America.

Last year in Jacksonville, Super Bowl Ticket prices soared higher than other years largely due to the Eagles willingness to pay high prices. There were stories of fans mortgaging homes to see their beloved Eagles play in their first Super Bowl in some 20+ years.


How Do You Like Detroit?

The average temperature that time of year is 26 degrees. Ford Field normally only holds 65,000 people but the minimum requirement of the NFL for Super Bowls is 70,000 and supposedly they are adding 5,000 seats to meet those criteria. Detroit is not really a destination during the winter months, when compared to a city like San Diego, but I doubt the cold weather will deter the Eagles or Steelers fans if they make it into the big game. As a former resident of Birmingham, Michigan, I am really looking forward to seeing Detroit put up some really top-notch hospitality and professionalism. We’ve worked many Detroit events and have even enjoyed some press there due to our Super Bowl expertise.

The Super Bowl Ticket Pricing Formula

Here is our analysis of recent Super Bowl Ticket Prices, including:

• Location


• Venue Capacity


• Team Match Up


• Final Scores


• Prices (based on “Get In” or “Anything Available” ticket prices)

2005 - Jacksonville, FL
Alltel Stadium, - 76,877
New England 24, Philadelphia 21
$3,250

2004 - Houston, TX
Reliant Stadium - 69,500
New England 32, Carolina 29
$2,000

2003 - San Diego, CA
Qualcomm Stadium - 71,000
Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21
$1,750

2002 - New Orleans, LA
SuperDome - 72,000
New England 21, St. Louis 17
$500

2001 - Tampa, FL
Raymond James Stadium - 72,000
New England 21, St. Louis 17
$500

2000 - Atlanta, GA
Georgia Dome - 71,000
St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16
$1,200

1999 - Miami, FL
Joe Robbie Stadium - 75,000
Denver 34, Atlanta 19
$900

1998 - San Diego, CA
Qualcomm Stadium - 71,000
Denver 31, Green Bay 24
$2,500

Super Bowl Ticket prices are affected by the capacity of the stadium or number of seats. Logically, one thinks that the greater number of seats available, the lower the prices. However, this is not what we saw last year. If you look at the breakdown above, note that Alltel Stadium had more seats than any prior games, yet had a higher price. I think this is explained by the extreme fanaticism of Philadelphia Eagles fans… exemplified by demand simply trumping supply.

The 2002 Super Bowl game stands out above others on the list, with day-of ticket prices actually running at face value or less. This occurred after the 9/11 tragedy in New York. This was the first Super Bowl game after 9/11 and security for national events was unprecedented. Remember, people were wearing gloves just to go get their mail!

What to Look for in a Super Bowl Ticket Broker

Before you go with the broker who has the lowest price, you should examine indicators of a broker’s credibility and reputation, such as time in the business, office location (do they operate with a cell phone only?), participation in organizations such as the NATB or BBB, eBay feedback, etc. Do they have a professionally done web site and is it current and update? Is the broker licensed by their state and do they abide by any applicable state laws?

Buy from a broker licensed by a state regulating secondary market ticket sales, such as Georgia or Illinois. That gives you an avenue of recourse if there are any problems, and you will find a much higher quality ticket purchasing experience due to the guidelines these brokers follow.

You should expect to pay market value at time of purchase and will be locked in at that price the day the transaction occurs. You should expect to know what the guarantees are associated with your purchase. You should expect to pick your tickets up in the host city, and most brokers will not guarantee availability until the day of the game. Local and late pick up is standard operating procedure for most brokers due to the late distribution of the actual printed Super Bowl tickets.

If a ticket “broker” insists on cash payment, buyer beware. Unethical brokers may have lost their charge card merchant privileges and operate on a cash basis, which gives the buyer no protection from a credit card company or recourse if there is a problem later.

If you are buying directly from a ticket broker, choose a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (http://www.natb.org/). The NATB is an organization that has implemented some regulation to the ticket brokerage industry by setting forth a code of standards and ethics for all members to follow. They require all of their members to support Super Bowl ticket orders with a 200% guarantee. That means if for some reason they fail to deliver the tickets to you, you are due a refund equivalent to 200% of the purchase price.

Some brokers offer only a 100% guarantee, which means that if the market price is higher than your original purchase price, the broker may fail to deliver - so they won’t lose money on the deal. The customer will have to come out of pocket even more money at that moment to purchase a ticket. The NATB instituted a 200% guarantee to protect consumers from that very situation forcing the brokers to do the right thing and either take the loss and deliver tickets or take the loss by refunding 200%.


What are the Risks?

If you are dealing with an authorized seller of NFL Super Bowl packages, you have decreased concern regarding delivery of or the authenticity of your tickets. These sellers have been selected either by the NFL or one of the Championship teams to market Super Bowl packages. The price for these packages rolls the operator’s costs for the hotel, tickets, and hospitality into one so it is impossible to know exactly what you are paying for Super Bowl tickets.

Just about anyone can create and promote a Super Bowl package, which gives fans little faith that a hotel room or Super Bowl tickets even exist until you arrive in the host city. Last year I saw many disheartened Eagles fans stuck watching the Super Bowl from a hotel bar.

Last year in Jacksonville, with unprecedented demand and prices rising beyond expectations, busted orders were commonplace. (Busted Order = tickets are not delivered as contracted at time of purchase). Many people who purchased tickets to the game were stranded – left to watch the Super Bowl from a bar TV somewhere in Jacksonville and uneasily hoped for refunds from unprofessional ticket hustlers.

The Lock of the Year

If you want to lock a price on Super Bowl tickets and avoid the stress of watching prices each week, you can buy Super Bowl tickets today. Checkout the listings on eBay, StubHub, or with a licensed, experienced ticket broker such as AlphaTickets.com. Brokers will generally give you pricing options, guaranteeing certain sections based on your price tolerance and seat desires.

Remember that a price you are quoted on one week may change the next. Don’t expect any broker to honor a Super Bowl Ticket price quote, unless you’ve got something in writing stating that the quote is good for a certain amount of time.

Tickets do trade for well above face value, and based on the factors I’ve outlined, could become quite expensive.

Now that the NFL season is almost underway, prices for Super Bowl tickets will start their usual pattern of fluctuation. Changes will occur with consumers buying patterns, as well as the fame and fortune of each team.

You, the fans, are now armed with some knowledge you might not have had before – the secrets of Super Bowl Ticket Brokers. Use this information to protect your investments, and make your dreams come true.

Until tomorrow, Adios.

Allen

For Expert Comment: NFL and Scalping

08-30-2005 News from Washington University in St. Louis

How undervalued tickets are good for scalpers and good for the team

Aug. 30, 2005 — The National Football League season has kicked off with a bang and once again, ticket prices are higher than ever. Fans who pay anywhere from $50 to $250 for a single ticket may grouse about the price, but Dan Elfenbein, a business professor in the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis, said football teams routinely under-price their tickets and online ticket scalpers are reaping the benefits.

That teams sell tickets at prices far lower than their market value may seem to contradict economic logic. On average people who buy NFL tickets from scalpers online pay more than 50 percent above a ticket's face value. Markups are even higher in football-loving locales such as Green Bay and New England, Elfenbein said. Despite the disparity between face value and street value, Elfenbein says it actually makes sense that owners don't jack up ticket prices even more.

"With that kind of a markup on the street, the owners are leaving lot of value on the table," Elfenbein said. "By keeping the tickets below market price, the owners are more likely to fill the stadium, creating more opportunities for concession sales. Parking troubles aside, people really seem to enjoy going to full stadiums — the excitement level is that much greater. On the flip side, since most NFL teams have received some sort of public funding for stadium construction or other services, raising prices to levels that the market would support might cause people to rethink the use of public funds"

Elfenbein is an assistant professor of organization and strategy in the Olin School of Business at Washington University. Elfenbein's conclusions are derived in part from a study he conducted on the impact anti-scalping laws have on people selling regular season NFL tickets online. He examined more than 100,000 transactions processed by e-Bay and more than 100,000 "ask" prices for tickets sold via Ticketsnow.com, a leading Internet-based ticket reseller.

Although technically illegal in many states, ticket scalping online is quite hearty. Elfenbein says scalpers selling tickets to games in states with anti-scalping laws were able to command higher prices and higher mark-ups over face value than in states without those laws. Yet at the same time, anti-scalping states didn't see as much online trading.

Elfenbein says it's relatively predictable how much over face value a ticket will cost.

"There's a distinct pattern to how much more fans are willing to pay for a ticket depending on when it's sold during the season and how well the team is doing. But it also depends on which team we're talking about," Elfenbein said. "In the data that I've looked at, being 6-4 rather than 4-6 raises the price that a fan is willing to pay by about $24 on average. It really tells you a lot about the psychology of being a sports fan."