At least 100 players, as well as coaches and other team personnel from approximately half the teams in the NFL, allegedly sold their Super Bowl tickets for above face-value in violation of league policies, ESPN reported Friday.
According to a memo sent to all 32 NFL teams and reviewed by ESPN, an investigation by the league found that some “club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.”
Players violating the agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association around the re-sale of Super Bowl tickets are reportedly subject to penalties including fines of 1 1/2 times the face value of the tickets. Other team employees who violated the policy will reportedly be fined two times the face value of the tickets.
The memo stated that those found to have bundled tickets would face steeper fines, according to Sports Illustrated.
Face value of tickets to February’s Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs reportedly ranged from $950 to $7,500, while prices on secondary sites ranged from $2,588 to nearly $3,500 on the low end to over $10,000, with the average price of a Super Bowl ticket being $8,076 in the final weeks leading up to the game, according to CBS.
Players could be suspended if they refuse to pay the fines, per ESPN.
Some players have reportedly already paid the fines to avoid missing playing time.
In addition to fines, players breaking the rule will reportedly also lose the right to their allotted tickets to the next two Super Bowls.
No specific players, coaches or teams who violated the policy were identified in the report by ESPN.
–Field Level Media
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