Prominent sports agent Leigh Steinberg has recommended that NFL teams allocate approximately 10,000 seats per home game to working families and younger fans to cultivate future interest in the sport.
Steinberg, who has represented more than 300 professional athletes including a record eight No. 1 overall NFL draft picks and 64 first-round selections, shared the idea during a phone interview with Fox News Digital.[1][2]
"I think that it would be prudent and forward-looking for them to reserve, like, 10,000 seats for every game for them to distribute to working families and younger people," Steinberg said. "So, at least at the end of the year, you have a team planting the seeds for the future."[1]
NFL ticket prices have risen with growing demand. The average price for an NFL ticket was $159.56 during the 2023 season.[3] Analyses of total costs for a family of four, including tickets from primary and resale markets via Ticketmaster, food, drinks, parking, and child admission policies, show expenses exceeding $2,000 at some venues. A 2023 Action Network study ranked Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium as the most expensive at $2,036 total, followed by Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field at $1,987.[4]
The study identified Detroit's Ford Field, Chicago's Soldier Field, and Buffalo's Highmark Stadium among the top five most expensive, while noting lower costs at stadiums like Tennessee's Nissan Stadium.[4]
Steinberg acknowledged high demand drives prices, recalling discussions with owners about balancing short-term revenue with long-term sustainability. He drew from personal experience attending Los Angeles Rams games in the 1950s Coliseum from distant seats.
Steinberg, who has overcome personal challenges including alcoholism and financial difficulties, detailed his recovery in his book "The Comeback: A Playbook for Turning Life’s Setbacks into Victories," emphasizing internal introspection and priority alignment.[1]
Sources
- Publisher/Organization name: Fox News Digital
Article/page title: [Draft article on Leigh Steinberg's NFL ticket proposal]
Publication date: 2026 (approximate based on context)
Direct URL: https://www.foxnews.com/sports (main sports page) - Publisher/Organization name: Leigh Steinberg
Article/page title: About Leigh
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://leighsteinberg.com/about-leigh/ - Publisher/Organization name: Statista
Article/page title: Average ticket price in the NFL from 2006 to 2023
Publication date: 2024
Direct URL: https://www.statista.com/statistics/193430/average-ticket-price-in-the-nfl-since-2006/ - Publisher/Organization name: Action Network
Article/page title: The True Cost of an NFL Game for a Family of Four
Publication date: August 29, 2023
Direct URL: https://www.actionnetwork.com/nfl/news-true-cost-nfl-game-family-four-2023-season-stadium-rankings
