OAKLAND—On Monday, June 12, a fan paid $133,000 for two floor-level tickets to Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. These are the most expensive tickets to be purchased in NBA history. The price included fees, which totaled to over $17,000 (buyer fees comprised of 15 percent of the purchase).
A source affiliated with the team disclosed that a Warriors season ticket holder listed the seats on Ticketmaster’s resale site on Sunday. When customers make ticket purchases on the team’s resale site, it generates a new verified bar code that ensures there are no other buyers with the given bar code.
The face value of courtside tickets is approximately $3,000. The purchase exceeded the record-setting price of two Game 7 seats in 2016 (sold by StubHub), which were listed at $49,500 each, the Huffington Post indicated.
The second and third highest prices paid for Game 5 seats were $90,000 for one pair and $82,000 for another. About six hours before the game, reporters disclosed that there were seats in the 22nd row available for a price slightly higher than the record amount spent on June 12, 2017.. These tickets were allegedly $57,878 apiece, excluding fees. Non-season ticket holders could purchase Game 5 tickets on Saturday (on a first come, first serve basis) that ranged in price from $575 to $975, according to ESPN.
This is the third year in a row that the Warriors and the Cavaliers have faced one another in the finals. Golden State leads the series 3-1.
