Panthers' playoff game is the hottest ticket in Charlotte
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Charlotte is buzzing as playoff football returns to Bank of America Stadium for the first time in nearly a decade.
Why it matters: Saturday's playoff game between the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams may be one of the biggest events of the year, and it's only January.
Catch up quick: The Panthers clawed their way into the playoffs, wrapping up the NFC South title last weekend with a little help from the Atlanta Falcons.
State of play: The Panthers host the Rams on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 4:30pm. Former NFL MVP and Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is expected to bang the Keep Pounding drum on the field ahead of the game.
Driving the news: The Panthers vs. Rams is SeatGeek's second-highest-selling matchup of the Wild Card round when it comes to sales volume, a SeatGeek spokesperson tells Axios.
By the numbers: The cheapest ticket on SeatGeek was $172, and the most expensive ticket is $2,367, as of Jan. 8.
- For tickets sold, the average price is $317, according to a SeatGeek spokesperson. By comparison, this weekend's Packers vs. Bears game is averaging $994.
What we're watching: Prices on the secondary market will continue to fluctuate as the game approaches.
Zoom out: This weekend will also bring a boost in business as fans travel and stay in hotels around the city, gathering at local bars and restaurants to pregame, watch, celebrate a win, or drown their sorrows.
- About 280,000 people are expected to visit Uptown on Saturday, according to Charlotte Center City Partners, Queen City News reported.
- "This city's been yearning for something like this," Vinay Patel, principal of Sree Hotels and a Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority board member, told CBJ.
- Patel told CBJ in late December he expected playoff weekend rates to jump by 25% due to demand.
The bottom line: The Panthers are the hottest ticket in town.