Michigan is the Cheapest State to Attend Live Sports

I'm a bit disappointed in myself. I've lived in Michigan for almost two years and haven't gone to a single live sporting event in the Mitten State (except our play-by-play high school football broadcasts). I haven't seen the Red Wings, Tigers, Pistons or Lions.

That's made even worse by the statistics a new study released that shows I have little to no excuse. Attending live professional sports in Michigan is cheaper than anywhere in the country.

According to a study by Remitly, the average single ticket cost in Michigan is $101, the lowest of any state that hosts at least three professional sports teams. Michigan, of course, only has four, all in Detroit, and none have been particularly good for some time - until very recently with the Lions and Red Wings (and the Tigers look pretty good this year too.)

Still, comparable states like Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia are all more expensive, for now, when it comes to ticket prices.

Breaking it down sport by sport, though, Michigan isn't the cheapest across the board.

Get our free mobile app

It's cheaper to buy a ticket for an Indianapolis Colts game ($155) than it is for a Lions game ($170). The Lions were the second cheapest ticket coming out of last season, but that is likely to change. The franchise is on a huge upswing after reaching the 2023 NFC Championship game, so we could see ticket prices steadily increase in the coming years.

Seeing a Tiger game is also not the cheapest option in the MLB as the average ticket is roughly $57, which is more expensive than seven other teams in six states.

Tickets for a Red Wings game are also just above the bottom line at $109, which is more expensive than tickets for a St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets or New Jersey Devils game.

Then there are the Pistons, which help Michigan have the lowest average ticket price the most. The average ticket to a Pistons game is just $66, the lowest in the NBA. It's understandable - the Pistons have been awful for years.

Still, ticket prices haven't spiked just yet and nearly every team looks like they are getting back to a competitive space. That means sports fans are getting incredible value to attend quality live sports events at a significantly lower price tag.