PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 1: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers waves to the crowd after the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 1, 2015 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The 76ers defeated the Lakers 103-91. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Even though it’s been just a few days since Kobe Bryant issued his retirement poem, demand for Los Angeles Lakers tickets has increased to the point where prices have gone up dramatically. This is true especially on the secondary market.

For the last Lakers home game at Staples Center this season, median prices have skyrocketed by an astounding 240%. As of this writing, the most expensive tickets for Bryant’s regular season home finale vs. the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016 via SeatGeek cost over $21,000 when factoring in all of the fees for tickets several rows behind the Lakers bench. If you order two, you’re paying over $40,000.

According to USA Today, even road games are seeing price spikes:

According to SeatGeek, the road games that saw the biggest price jumps in median ticket prices were games at Milwaukee (Feb. 22) 89 percent, Philadelphia (Tuesday) 78 percent, Utah (March 28) 76 percent and at Atlanta (Friday.)

SeatGeek spokesman Chris Leyden says demand in certain markets are bursting through the ceiling:

“The tickets are in most demand in markets where the Lakers don’t play that often,” Leyden told USA TODAY Sports. “Maybe these are fans who have never seen Kobe play or want to take their kids to watch one of his last games.”

On the flip side, a February game at Cleveland didn’t not make much of a blip with just a 6% increase. So perhaps that is one game to target for those looking for a relative bargain on the secondary market.

For fans who want to see one of Bryant’s last games in person, it’s going to be a pick-and-choose contest for fans looking to buy tickets. It may be expensive, but for some it will be worth the asking price. For other fans, they may have to settle for watching on television and at least the price will be right.

[USA Today]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.