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NCAA Tournament tickets: Cheapest and most expensive basketball … – USA TODAY
The road to the Final Four is officially underway, as the reveal of the NCAA men’s basketball bracket means it’s time for March Madness to begin.
Each qualifying team knows who – and where – they will be playing in the first round, and who they could meet in the second round, should they win. But of course, nothing is guaranteed during the tournament.
With eight cities across the country hosting the opening rounds, some fans can see their favorite teams just a few hours away from home, while others will have to travel thousands of miles to see opening round action. That, along with other factors, will affect how much tickets for opening round games cost, with prices much higher for some.
Here’s what to know about NCAA Tournament opening round tickets:
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First and second round games are being held in the following cities and arenas:
There are a few things to remember about NCAA Tournament opening round tickets:
Because games are sold in sessions, tickets may cost more for one than another in the same site. StubHub told USA TODAY blue blood teams will boost demands in the opening rounds.
“Blue blood teams UCLA, Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona, Indiana and Duke are highly ranked heading into the tournament and will be sought after games for fans of the teams and basketball fans in general,” StubHub said.
Another factor will be teams playing close to home; an example would be in the Birmingham site, where tickets for the session that includes Alabama will cost more than the other sessions. For the opening round, get-in prices range from $30-$150, according to Vivid Seats.
The least expensive opening round tickets can be found in Greensboro, where tickets for the first session at Greensboro Coliseum Complex cost $6 ($7 with fees), according to TicketSmarter as of Wednesday evening. The session in Greensboro includes No. 3 seed Xavier vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State and No. 6 seed Iowa State vs. No. 11 seed Pittsburgh. There are four sessions where tickets are under $10.
Here are the five least expensive opening round games, plus their session:
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The most expensive opening round ticket is no longer in Birmingham, but in Albany, where tickets for the first session are $152 ($196 with fees), according to TicketSmarter, as of Wednesday evening. That session includes No. 5 seed St. Mary’s vs. No. 12 VCU and and No. 4 seed UConn vs. No. 13 Iona.
The sessions in Birmingham were previously the most expensive, but have since had drops in prices.
Here are five most expensive opening round games, as well as what session they are:
Gannett has a partnership with TicketSmarter that provides readers with access to tickets through Gannett’s websites, including USA TODAY.com.
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.