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Beware of ticket scammers for Vikings vs. Packers game

Average ticket price is $447
Posted at 11:31 AM, Sep 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-15 08:33:36-04
Being a football fan comes with a high cost, and one of the most anticipated games of the season comes with a warning.
 
The Packers take on Minnesota Vikings Sunday, Sept. 18 in Minneapolis. It's the home-opener for the Vikings in their new $1 billion stadium, making it a tough ticket.
 
Ticket brokers, like Ticket King, said the cheapest seats are going for about $200. Want a seat on the lower level? Be ready to shell out at least $1,000. With demand so high, brokers said buyers need to beware.
 
"When my family found out I was moving to Wisconsin I almost got disowned for a little while," jokes Jesse Anderson, a Vikings fan who lives in Milwaukee. "Then I went and married a Packers fan."
 
This weekend, Anderson and his wife are heading to Minneapolis.
 
"Every time I pass by the new Vikings stadium in my car I smile and wave and my wife hides her face," Anderson said laughing.
 
Once again, they'll only be able to pass by because ticket prices are ludicrous.
 
"Sitting on my couch with a beer and watching the game in HD sure beats sitting 50 rows up with an empty wallet," Anderson said. 
 
Fans feeling the pinch of rising prices for game tickets, parking, and food is a growing reality in the NFL, especially when it comes to new stadiums.
 
"Sport team owners build these giant sports palaces, and regular people can't even go to games, even though they're the ones pretty much paying for the stadium with tax money," Anderson said.
 
"The market for Packers tickets - home and away - is like nothing else, because there's so much demand," said John Lamoreaux, the president of Ticket King. "That makes it not the most affordable thing anymore." 
 
That's why everyone looking for the best deal, needs to be extra vigilant.
 
"Avoid buying tickets on the street or through websites like Craigslist," Lamoreaux said. "Use a broker and pay with a credit card."
 
Police in Wisconsin and Minnesota put out an alert Wednesday warning people to be aware of ticket scams. They said to only buy through authorized sellers or websites with fan-protection guarantees.