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At least 100 NFL players, along with coaches and staff from roughly half of the league’s 32 teams, have been accused of breaching league regulations by reselling their Super Bowl tickets above face-value.
According to a report on Friday, the NFL’s investigation uncovered that certain players and employees sold their tickets to a select few “bundlers,” who collaborated with a reseller to inflate prices.
Each NFL player is permitted to purchase two tickets at face-value. This year, during the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory over Kansas in New Orleans, ticket prices reportedly ranged from $950 to $7,500. However, on resale platforms, some tickets were priced as high as $57,000.
The average price of a Super Bowl ticket in the final weeks leading up to the game was $8,076, according to CBS.
ESPN claims the players face a possible fine and could be suspended if they refuse to pay.
They will also lose the right to their allotted tickets to the next two Super Bowls. Unless they are playing in the game, in which case they will have the opportunity to buy seats.
At least 100 NFL players are accused of selling their Super Bowl tickets for above face-value
Anyone who declines their punishment could be suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell
No specific players, coaches or teams who violated the policy were named but some people have already shelled out, to avoid missing playing time, according to ESPN.
Players violating the agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association around the re-sale of Super Bowl tickets are reportedly subject to penalties including fines of one-and-a-half-times the face value of the tickets.
Other team employees who violated the policy will reportedly be fined two times the face value of the tickets.
According to reports, those players and employees who had a ‘greater role’ – by working directly with the ‘bundlers’, for instance – ‘will face increased penalties’
‘Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the policy,” read a memo, sent to teams by the NFL – and cited by ESPN.
‘This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less.
‘We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of “bundlers” who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.’
Jalen Hurts led the Philadelphia Eagles to victory in last year’s Super Bowl. There is no evidence that he is one of the players accused of wrongdoing
The NFL also insists it will be enhancing ‘mandatory compliance training regarding the Policy’ for all personnel, which will emphasize that ‘no one should profit personally from their NFL affiliation at the expense of our fans.’
‘We will also increase the penalties for future violations of this Policy,’ the league memo adds. ‘All clubs must ensure their personnel understand and comply with this policy. Additional details regarding the enhanced compliance measures will be provided in early fall.’
The NFL will enhance its mandatory compliance training ahead of the Super Bowl in 2026, which will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Super Bowl tickets are among the most coveted in all of North American professional sport, with fans routinely shelling out thousands of dollars to attend the NFL’s championship game that is watched religiously by millions across the US.
