Average NBA All-Star Game Ticket Prices Are Up 40%, Continuing an Explosive Historical Trend

Ticket prices for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco have surged to unprecedented levels, marking the latest escalation in a years-long trend that has priced out many average fans.

Gametime’s ticket marketplace data shows the average ticket price for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game rose 40% year over year, with the average listing price reaching $2,000 per ticket.

The price increase continues a five-year pattern that has seen average ticket costs more than triple, raising questions about accessibility for casual fans as the league transforms its midseason showcase into an increasingly premium event.

A multi-year climb, not a one-year spike

While year-over-year jumps tend to grab headlines, the longer-term picture is even more telling. Over the past five All-Star Games, average ticket prices have more than tripled:

Rather than a single outlier year, 2026 appears to be the latest step in a broader trend towards premium events.

Median prices tell a similar story

It's not just the top end of the market pushing averages higher. Median ticket prices also reached a new high in 2026, climbing to $1,400, up from $1,066 in 2025.

That matters because median pricing reflects what a more typical fan is paying, not just the influence of courtside or VIP inventory. In other words: higher prices are showing up across the seating map, not only in the most exclusive sections.

Factors driving price increases

Several factors have contributed to the NBA All-Star Game's steady price growth:

Premium venues and host markets have raised the baseline for major sporting events. The 2026 game is being held at San Francisco's Chase Center, one of the NBA's newest and most expensive arenas.

All-Star Weekend has expanded into a multi-day entertainment experience, with events including the Rising Stars game, Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, and Slam Dunk Contest drawing crowds throughout the weekend.

Limited inventory for the game itself continues to push prices upward as demand concentrates on a single evening's event.

The result is an event that increasingly resembles a championship-caliber spectacle, even if the standings don't count.

What it means for fans

For fans, the takeaway is straightforward: NBA All-Star Game tickets are more expensive than ever, and the long-term trend suggests prices are unlikely to retreat anytime soon.

Methodology: This analysis is based on Gametime's secondary marketplace data tracking NBA All-Star Game ticket listings from 2022-2026, analyzing thousands of listings across all five events. Average prices represent the mean listing price across all available seating categories. Median prices reflect the midpoint of all listings. "Get-in" prices represent the lowest available ticket price at the time of measurement. Data for the 2026 All-Star Game was compiled on February 8, 2026.

Rikki Bleiweiss is Content Lead at Gametime. Read more about our data journalism and editorial standards at gametime.co/blog/about