ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — A family of four going to a Buffalo Bills game this season could spend nearly $2,200 for a single game day, making Highmark Stadium the most expensive NFL stadium for families, according to a new analysis from The Action Network.
The timing is notable: the cost of four Bills tickets has more than doubled since 2018, the year Josh Allen became the team's starting quarterback.
The Action Network estimates four resale tickets now cost $1,982.80. In 2018, four tickets cost $886.30.
That's a 123.7% increase over eight years.
The four-ticket price also jumped 21.23% from 2025 to 2026.
WATCH: Buffalo Bills game-day costs more than doubled since Josh Allen's arrival
The Action Network analyzed more than 500,000 resale ticket listings across all 32 NFL teams over several days at the beginning of August, along with stadium food, drink and parking costs.
Gautham Marthandan, a senior data and research specialist with The Action Network, said ticket prices have continued to rise across the league, but Buffalo saw a particularly significant jump this year.
"Ticket prices increase every year," Marthandan said. "Last year, they were ranking fifth, but this year, they topped the list."
The Action Network estimates a family of four could spend $2,193.95 for a Bills game when tickets, parking, food and drinks are included.
That breaks down to:
- Four tickets: $1,982.80
- Parking: $132
- Food and drinks: $79.15
- Total: $2,193.95
The estimated total is $719.40 more than the NFL average of $1,474.55.
Buffalo also has the highest estimated parking cost in the NFL at $132, more than twice the league average of $58.06.
The estimated $46.52 cost for four hot dogs is also the highest in the league.
Despite the rising costs, demand for Bills tickets remains high.
"That fan demand is super high despite the expensiveness," Marthandan said.
With the price of going to a game climbing, some fans may look outside traditional ticket marketplaces for a better deal.
That's where the search for a bargain can become risky.
Last season, a 7 News investigation found how convincing online ticket scams can be. A seemingly legitimate Bills ticket deal nearly resulted in a scam, and at least two people contacted 7 News after saying they had been scammed through a similar scheme.
You can watch our previous reporting below.
WATCH: Beware of scams as tickets to Buffalo Bills games at Highmark Stadium become scarce, more expensive
Kat Schmieder, communications director for the Upstate New York Better Business Bureau, said scammers know there is a strong market for Bills tickets.
"Scammers know that and they're ready to take advantage of people," Schmieder said.
Schmieder said many ticket scams begin on social media and advises fans not to buy from someone they don't personally know or have never met.
Artificial intelligence is creating another challenge.
Schmieder said AI has made it easier for scammers to recreate images and create fake tickets that can look legitimate.
That means a ticket that appears real on a phone screen may not actually get a fan through the gates.
"You need to be careful and know there's risks associated with it," Schmieder said.
For Bills fans, the numbers show just how much the cost of a game has changed since Allen's arrival.
In 2018, four tickets cost $886.30.
This year, they're nearly $2,000, before a family even parks, eats or drinks at the stadium.
And while demand for the Bills remains high, fans looking for a cheaper way into Highmark Stadium should make sure the deal they're getting is real.
