The NFL’s Battle of New York already stood out as a marquee game when schedules were released during the summer. Now, it’s a must-win for both the New York Giants and New York Jets, sending ticket prices and demand climbing as the Christmas Eve match-up approaches.
A regular season meeting of the Big Apple football rivals, who share two-year-old MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, comes along only once every four years. The high stakes and holiday date only add to the game’s appeal.
It’s technically a home game for the Jets (8-6), who need to win to keep their AFC Wild-Card playoff hopes alive. The Giants (7-7) also need a victory to stay in the hunt for the NFC East title or Wild-Card berth.
“Demand is very strong,” Jason Berger, president of New York ticket broker AllShows.com, told TicketNews. “Nothing trumps this game, especially when you add the bragging rights into it. Then it really becomes the game of the year in New York.”
The lowest ticket price on Berger’s site on December 20 was $240 for an upper-level end zone seat. Ticket search site TiqIQ.com listed an average resale price of $428 for the game. It’s also the top-selling Jets game of the season on StubHub.com.
Similarly, search site SeatGeek.com tracked prices rising 29 percent in the past month, from an average of $217 on November 14 to $280 in the past seven days. The average price on SeatGeek is now $399, as of December 21.
Those prices are up despite each team coming off its most disappointing loss of the season.
The Giants lost at home 23-10 on December 18 to the lowly Washington Redskins. The loss prompted reminders of late-season collapses that have left the team out of the playoffs the past two seasons. Another disappointing finish could put coach Tom Coughlin’s job in jeopardy.
The inconsistent Jets appeared to have righted themselves with three victories in a row before they were blown out 45-19 on December 18 by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Outspoken Jets coach Rex Ryan added to the build-up for the New York rivalry with typical bluster, pointing out that his team had reached the postseason the past two years, while the Giants stayed home.
“I didn’t come here to be anyone’s little brother,” Ryan told reporters earlier this week. “Certainly, we were the better team the first two years. We made the playoffs and went to the [AFC] championship game. To say a team’s better than you that never made the playoffs just is ridiculous.”
Berger said the fact that the game is on Christmas Eve has put more tickets on the market from season ticket holders or other buyers who may not be able to attend.
The NFL requires that 500 tickets be set aside for the visiting team. Expect more than 500 fans rooting for the visitors on Saturday.
“We’re seeing a lot of turnover,” Berger said. “It’s a great medium. Not only a lot of buyers, but a lot of sellers because it’s a holiday weekend.”
