Article courtesy of The Action Network.
With the 2025 NFL season now underway, a new analysis by The Action Network reveals that attending a Detroit Lions game at Ford Field is one of the most expensive family outings in the league.
The study analyzed nearly 400,000 ticket listings (primary and verified resale), plus concession and parking costs across all 32 NFL stadiums, to calculate the average cost for a family of four.
Key Highlights from the Study:
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Lions Among Most Expensive: A family trip to Ford Field costs $2,053.53 — more than $700 above the NFL average of $1,339.00.
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Tickets Drive Costs: Four general admission tickets average $1,940, putting Lions families close to the $2,000 mark before even adding food and parking.
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Concessions & Parking: Add $25.46 for two beers, $9.57 for two soft drinks, $26.23 for four hot dogs, and $51.95 for parking to reach the total.
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Top-Tier Pricing: Only the Philadelphia Eagles ($2,133.44) are higher, with Detroit just ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders ($1,981.48).
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Recent Form Adds Context: The Lions opened the season with a 27–13 loss to the Green Bay Packers, making the high cost of attending games a sharp contrast for fans still waiting on early-season wins.
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Most Affordable in Contrast: At the other end, the New York Jets are the cheapest NFL family outing at just $555.94 — over $1,500 less than Lions fans would pay.
Cheapest NFL Stadiums for Families in the 2025 Season
Methodology:
To calculate the cost for a family of four, The Action Network included:
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Four general admission tickets (primary and verified resale)
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Two beers
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Two soft drinks
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Four hot dogs
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One parking spot
Nearly 400,000 ticket listings across all 32 NFL teams were analyzed. Outliers such as ultra-premium packages or unusually low promotions were excluded to ensure accuracy. Concession and parking prices were sourced from the Fan Cost Index and adjusted to 2025 using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI).
You can explore the full dataset and methodology here: The Cheapest and Most Expensive NFL Stadiums for Families in 2025