The Miami Heat are one of the most popular and successful franchises in the NBA, having won 3 NBA championships in 2006, 2012 and 2013. With superstar players like Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and now Jimmy Butler on the roster, Heat games are a hot ticket in Miami.
But do Heat tickets really sell out on a regular basis? Let’s take a closer look at demand for Heat tickets and factors that impact the likelihood of sellouts.
Heat Ticket Demand and Prices
The Heat have a very dedicated fanbase in South Florida that supports the team through thick and thin. Even without LeBron, the team has remained popular. Here are some key stats on Heat ticket demand:
– Average secondary market ticket price in 2019-2020: $125 (10th highest in NBA)
– 2019-2020 average home attendance: 19,634 (100% capacity)
– 210 straight sell outs from 2010 to 2014
Prices and demand for Heat tickets increase dramatically when marquee teams like the Lakers come to town or during the playoffs. But even regular season games against non-contenders typically sell very well. Their long streak of home sellouts only ended shortly after LeBron left the franchise.
Heat Home Arena
The Heat play their home games at American Airlines Arena in downtown Miami. The arena seats 19,600 fans for basketball games.
Some key facts about AmericanAirlines Arena:
– Opened in 1999
– Owned by Miami-Dade County
– Operated by the Miami Heat
– Basketball seating capacity of 19,600
– Considered one of the NBA’s loudest and most intimate venues
The relatively small capacity compared to other NBA arenas makes it easier for Heat games to sell out. Supply of tickets is lower, which boosts demand.
Factors Impacting Heat Ticket Availability
Several key factors determine if a particular Heat game will sell out or not:
Opposing Team
The Miami Heat will almost always sell out their home games when marquee teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics come to town. Even regular season games against these big-name teams run a high risk of selling out.
Other opponents that boost Heat ticket demand include championship contenders like the Milwaukee Bucks, crosstown rivals like the Orlando Magic and former LeBron James teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Games against less popular teams that lack star power often have tickets available closer to game day.
Day of the Week
Heat games on weekends, especially Saturdays, are more likely to sell out than weeknights. Local fans find it easier to attend games on Friday or Saturday night. Weeknight games can be a tougher sell, particularly against weaker opponents.
Giveaways and promotions on weeknights are sometimes needed to help boost attendance and fill seats.
Time of Season
At the beginning of the regular season in October and November, Heat tickets are easier to come by even against strong opponents. Demand tends to increase as the NBA trade deadline approaches and the playoff race heats up in February and March.
Heat home games in April near the playoffs are very likely to be sold out as fans want to see the team make the postseason.
Promotions and Giveaways
The Heat run frequent promotions like ticket discounts for students and “Star Wars Night” to help fill seats when demand is lower against non-marquee teams or on weeknights.
Popular giveaways like bobbleheads for star players will also make those games much more likely to sell out quickly. Limited giveaways create more interest and excitement.
Winning Steak and Playoff Positioning
If the Heat are on a hot winning streak or battling for playoff seeding late in the year, they are far more likely to play in front of a capacity home crowd.
Fans always turn out when the team is excelling on the court and in postseason contention.
Recent and Upcoming Games
Let’s take a look at announced attendance figures for some recent Heat home games, as well as ticket availability for upcoming contests:
Recent Games
Opponent | Day of Week | Attendance | Tickets Sold |
---|---|---|---|
Phoenix Suns | Friday | 19,600 | Sell Out |
Washington Wizards | Tuesday | 19,015 | Not Sold Out |
Milwaukee Bucks | Saturday | 19,600 | Sell Out |
The Heat sold out the weekend game against the strong Bucks team. But there were empty seats for the weaker Wizards on a Tuesday night.
Upcoming Games
Here is ticket availability for a few upcoming Heat home games:
Opponent | Day of Week | Tickets Sold |
---|---|---|
Charlotte Hornets | Tuesday | Available |
Los Angeles Lakers | Friday | Limited Availability |
Chicago Bulls | Saturday | Very Limited |
Weekday game against middling Hornets still has good ticket availability. But it will be very hard to get tickets for the weekend Bulls and Lakers matchups.
How to Get Miami Heat Tickets
Here are some tips for finding tickets if a particular Heat game looks sold out or in high demand:
Buy Early
Purchase tickets through official channels like Ticketmaster as far in advance as possible. Last minute single seats are hard to come by.
Premium Seating
Many prime seating areas like courtside, club seats and suites are sold in season ticket packages. But some limited premium inventory does get released for individual games. These tickets sell out first.
Resell Sites
If a game is sold out, secondary sites like StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats have resell tickets available, often at above face value prices. Prices get very expensive for major matchups.
Team Website
A limited number of tickets are sometimes released on Heat.com within a few days of the game, though usually only singles rather than groups.
Outside Arena
Fans sometimes sell extra tickets outside the arena right before the game. Prices can be reasonable but this option is higher risk.
Conclusion
While the Miami Heat may not truly sell out every single home game anymore, tickets remain in very high demand, especially for marquee matchups and weekends. Playoff races and winning streaks also boost crowds at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Heat fans who want to guarantee seats for the hottest games need to purchase tickets well in advance – otherwise resell sites become the expensive fallback option. But with some strategic planning and flexibility on weaker opponents or weeknights, you can usually still score affordable Heat tickets.