Detroit Lions 2021 Schedule and Ticket Prices
When it comes to finding value in the NFL, it doesn’t get much better than the Detroit Lions. Compared to other NFL teams, Detroit Lions ticket prices are among the cheapest in the league. Naturally, part of that is because the Lions haven’t won a division title since 1993 and haven’t won a playoff game since 1991. Nevertheless, the Detroit Lions schedule is always attractive because of their fierce division rivalries, and the 2021 season will be no exception. Let’s look at the teams on Detroit’s schedule for 2021 and the great deals you might be able to find if you buy Detroit Lions tickets next season.
Division Rivals
As usual, the Lions will play a home-and-away series with the other three teams in the NFC North: the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings. The Lions have their biggest rivalry with the Packers, a rivalry that dates back to the 1930s. Unfortunately, the Packers have gotten the better of the Lions for most of this rivalry. However, Detroit swept the season series from Green Bay in both 2017 and 2018, so it’s not exactly lopsided.
The Lions and Bears also have a deep-rooted rivalry that dates back to 1930. The all-time series favors the Bears, although there have been a few wild swings in power. Not too long ago, Detroit won nine of 10 meetings against Chicago. The Bears have since turned the tide back in their favor, although it’s worth noting that most Bears-Lions games are decided by a touchdown or less.
Finally, Detroit’s 2021 schedule will include two games with the Vikings. This rivalry doesn’t have the same history as Detroit’s rivalries with the Bears and Packers. Part of the reason is that the Vikings have dominated the Lions during the 21st century.
NFC West
During the 2021 season, the Lions are set to play the four teams from the NFC West; this includes home games against the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers, as well as road games against the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. The NFC West was arguably the best division in the NFL during the 2020 season, so this matchup doesn’t do the Lions any favors.
For starters, the Rams and 49ers are the last two representatives in the Super Bowl from the NFC. The Seahawks have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Russell Wilson, while the Cardinals have a rising star at quarterback in Kyler Murray. A road game in Seattle figures to be particularly difficult for the Lions. On the bright side, fans in Detroit will get a chance to see Murray in person, which should be a treat.
AFC North
Detroit’s 2021 schedule grows more challenging with games against the four teams in the AFC North. The Lions will play the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens at home. From a team standpoint, both of these will be difficult games. However, fans will be able to see two of the best young quarterbacks in Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, who already has an MVP award on his mantle.
Meanwhile, the Lions will play road games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. The game in Cleveland will give the Lions a chance to renew an old rivalry. The cities of Detroit and Cleveland have had a longstanding rivalry across multiple sports. The Browns and Lions also played for the NFL championship four times during the 1950s, so there’s a lot of history in this matchup. Finally, any trip to Pittsburgh is a date for fans to circle on their calendar, although facing the Steelers is never easy, especially away from home.
Prices Reach a Plateau
It’s hard to fight inflation nowadays, especially when it comes to tickets to sporting events. However, fans of the Lions caught a brief reprieve in 2019, when over 90% of season-ticket holders had their tickets stay the same as the previous season. It was the first time in five seasons that the Lions didn’t raise prices, giving some relief to diehard fans. Obviously, the ongoing pandemic has prevented the Lions from hosting more than a small collection of fans for any of their games this season. It remains to be seen how a lack of fans in 2020 will impact the price of tickets in 2021. However, the franchise has consistently done its best to avoid price hikes and give fans the best deal possible.
Secondary Market Kings of the Jungle
If the price of tickets on the secondary market had anything to do with winning, the Lions would be Super Bowl champions. Data from the spring of 2020 indicated that Detroit home games had the lowest average price of tickets available on the secondary market. Obviously, there are several factors that went into this that are subject to change.
It’s also safe to say that we can throw out much of what happened in 2020 because of the pandemic. Only time will tell what the supply and demand of tickets on the secondary market will be like when things get back to normal during the 2021 season. However, from everything we can gather, the Lions are one of the best teams in the NFL for fans looking for affordable tickets. They also have an amazing home schedule on tap for 2021, with virtually every game being a must-see affair for Lions fans.