Big Bucks for football tickets in the Big Apple - Ingles

Checking out a home opener this season is high on many people's to-do list, but more of those people want to see the Jets than the Giants.

Gang Green, which opens MetLife Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night, commands an average ticket price of $237 on the secondary ticket market, according to SeatGeek.com's Ben Kessler. The secondary market, made up of websites like StubHub and eBay, is "always a real good indicator of fan sentiment," Kessler, the company's director of communications, says.

Tickets for the Giants' home opener in week 2 against the Rams are averaging $196 among ticket resellers.

But that doesn't mean New York has become the Jets' town just yet. Last season, when the Giants hosted the first game, they held the advantage, leading Kessler to believe that some fans just want to see the first home game of the year, regardless of which team is playing.

In addition, the Jets host a stronger opponent this season and are opening on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, both factors in their favor, Kessler says.

"I think it will be an emotional game for a lot of New Yorkers," he says.

The Giants actually hold a slight edge in average ticket prices for the whole season. That, Kessler noted, won't hold up should their performance dip (or the Jets go on a tear).

"A team's ticket prices go hand-in-hand with how the team is expected to do," he says.

The top-priced opening week game is the Steelers at the Ravens, where the average secondary market ticket price is $287.

Price movement as of late has been upward, says Kessler, as opening Sunday approaches, although prices now are not as high as they were when the lockout ended (source New York Daily News)