A new report from The Action Network reveals that Pelicans games rank as the most affordable in the entire NBA for families to attend in 2025, with an average total game-day cost of $980, nearly 32% below the league average of $1,442.
The analysis looked at the real cost of attending an NBA game — including tickets, concessions, parking, and merchandise for a family of four — to show where fans are getting the best value and where prices soar highest across the league.
Key Highlights: New Orleans Pelicans Family Game-Day Profile
Rank: No. 1 – Most Affordable NBA Game for Families
Average Total Cost: $980 (32% below league average of $1,442)
Tickets: Around $410 for a family of four at the Smoothie King Center
Food & Drinks: Roughly $60 for beers, soft drinks and snacks
Merchandise: Approximately $480 for four hats and jerseys – a typical souvenir haul
Parking: About $30 for arena-adjacent parking
“The Pelicans stand out as one of the few NBA teams where a family can still enjoy live basketball at a genuinely accessible price,” said a spokesperson for The Action Network.
“With affordable tickets, reasonable concessions, and a passionate fan base, Pelicans games offer one of the best-value nights out in professional sports.”
League-Wide Highlights
Most Expensive NBA Games for Families (2025): New York Knicks — $2,130.53
Nearly 50% above the league average, with premium ticket prices and high demand driving overall costs.Most Affordable NBA Games for Families (2025): New Orleans Pelicans — $980
Roughly 32% below the league average, offering one of the best value experiences in pro basketball.League Average: $1,442.03 — the average total cost for a family of four to attend an NBA game, including tickets, food and drinks, merchandise, and parking.
Tickets make up over half of total costs (50.6%), showing how seat prices largely determine NBA game affordability across markets..
Top 5 Most Affordable NBA Teams for Families in 2025
New Orleans Pelicans — $980
Utah Jazz — $1,020
Washington Wizards — $1,100
Houston Rockets — $1,180
Memphis Grizzlies — $1,185
Methodology
The 2025 NBA Game-Day Cost Index ranks all 30 NBA teams by the total estimated cost for a family of four, combining:
Tickets – Average prices from Ticketmaster (340,000 tickets analyzed)
Food & Drinks – Concession data for beer, soft drinks, and hot dogs (Statista, CPI-adjusted to 2025)
Team Merchandise – Four jerseys and four hats from NBA Store Europe
Parking Fees – Arena-adjacent averages from Action Network’s dataset
All figures were adjusted to 2025 using the Consumer Price Index and aggregated with Python to ensure consistency and accuracy.
