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Gametime vs Vivid Seats: 67,759 Daily Price Checks Across 2,513 Games

Gametime vs Vivid Seats: 67,759 Daily Price Checks Across 2,513 Games

by TicketScanner Team

Update:

Compare today’s Gametime and Vivid Seats prices for every NFL game on TicketScanner’s NFL page.

Key Takeaways

  • Vivid Seats had the lower price on 58.8% of 8,327 NFL daily price checks. Gametime was lower more often for NBA and MLB games.
  • In the final three days before completed games, Gametime led in every league, but NFL regular-season games were close: 48.9% vs 41.6%.
  • Within the same 62 NHL games, Vivid Seats stayed lower more often in the final three days too, so check both sites.
  • The typical gap was small: a median of 3.1% to 6.7%, depending on the league.

Gametime vs Vivid Seats: the short answer

Vivid Seats had the lower get-in price on 58.8% of 8,327 NFL daily price checks and 45.4% of 38,659 NHL checks, while Gametime was lower on 45.2% of 16,993 NBA checks and 44.5% of 3,780 MLB checks, according to TicketScanner price data. The NFL data runs July 29 to Oct. 7, 2026, the NHL Aug. 29 to Oct. 6, the NBA Aug. 29 to Oct. 5 and MLB July 12 to Sept. 26.

Near game day, Gametime was lower more often across all completed games. That lead did not hold inside the same NHL games, and the usual gap was a few dollars, so open both sites for your game. Both show prices with fees included.

League Daily price checks Gametime lower Vivid Seats lower
NFL 8,327 31.6% 58.8%
NHL 38,659 36.2% 45.4%
NBA 16,993 45.2% 30.3%
MLB 3,780 44.5% 34.2%

Source: TicketScanner price data. Upcoming, completed and preseason games. Do not add percentages across leagues.

League Games Same price Median, Gametime / Vivid Seats
NFL 263 9.6% $118 / $113
NHL 1,066 18.3% $57 / $55
NBA 940 24.5% $41 / $41
MLB 244 21.3% $20 / $19

Source: TicketScanner price data. Median is the typical lowest listed price on each site.

The NBA rows are almost entirely upcoming games. Only 11 NBA games had been played by Oct. 7, all preseason, so the NBA numbers describe listed prices for games still ahead.

Vivid Seats vs Gametime by days before the game

For completed NFL and NHL games, Vivid Seats was lower more often weeks out, and Gametime was lower more often in the final days.

NFL, days before Daily price checks Gametime lower Vivid Seats lower
31 days or more 86 22.1% 72.1%
15-30 days 643 24.7% 64.1%
8-14 days 634 33.9% 49.1%
4-7 days 371 44.5% 40.7%
2-3 days 166 56.0% 31.3%
Game day or day before 137 55.5% 35.8%

Source: TicketScanner price data, completed NFL games, preseason included.

NHL, days before Daily price checks Gametime lower Vivid Seats lower
31 days or more 323 21.4% 62.8%
15-30 days 1,629 33.8% 46.3%
8-14 days 833 41.3% 39.0%
4-7 days 463 45.8% 37.6%
2-3 days 212 52.8% 33.5%
Game day or day before 160 50.0% 37.5%

Source: TicketScanner price data, completed NHL games, mostly played Sept. 19 to Oct. 5, 2026.

The early NFL window is thin: 86 checks on only 15 games. The NHL early window is larger, 323 checks on 62 games.

Why the timing pattern needs a caveat

Each window holds a different set of games. A month-out window only includes games that TicketScanner was already tracking a month before, while the final three days (game day and the three days before) include nearly every completed game.

So we looked at the 62 NHL games that had checks both a month or more out and in the final three days. In those same games, Vivid Seats was lower more often a month out (62.8% of 323 checks), and it was still lower more often in the final three days: 49.1% vs 41.2% of 165 checks.

The late Gametime lead shows up across all completed games but not within the same NHL games. Treat it as a reason to check both sites near game day, not as a rule that Gametime gets cheaper.

The NFL also splits by type of game. In the final three days before 56 regular-season games, Gametime was lower on 48.9% of 178 checks and Vivid Seats on 41.6%. Before 36 preseason games, Gametime led by more, at 65.6% vs 21.6%.

For more on the final days, see Gametime last minute tickets. For whether prices fall as the game gets close, see do tickets get cheaper closer to the game.

MLB: Gametime led in every window

For completed MLB games, Gametime had the lower price more often from 15-30 days out to game day.

MLB, days before Daily price checks Gametime lower Vivid Seats lower
15-30 days 739 36.7% 34.5%
8-14 days 1,325 43.3% 35.5%
4-7 days 865 49.2% 31.8%
2-3 days 462 46.8% 34.2%
Game day or day before 389 50.4% 34.4%

Source: TicketScanner price data, 244 completed MLB games.

The lead was narrow 15-30 days out. TicketScanner began recording MLB prices on July 12, so there are no MLB checks a month or more before a game. The typical MLB get-in was about $20 on either site.

Teams that lean one way

We counted a team as leaning toward one site when that site was lower on at least 10 percentage points more daily price checks than the other. Teams are the home team.

League Mostly Vivid Seats Mostly Gametime Mixed
NFL (31 teams) 22 3 6
NHL (32 teams) 19 9 4
NBA (30 teams) 8 19 3
MLB (30 teams) 11 16 3

Source: TicketScanner price data, all tracked home games.

Some clear leans:

The NBA leans are listed prices for upcoming games, since almost no NBA games had been played. If your team leans hard one way, start there. If it is mixed, check both.

How big is the gap between Gametime and Vivid Seats?

The site with the lower price usually had it by a little. For each daily price check, we divided the difference by the lower price.

League Median gap Median gap in dollars Gap of 10% or more
NFL 3.9% $4 19.6%
NHL 3.6% $2 15.8%
NBA 3.1% $1 14.6%
MLB 6.7% $1 33.5%

Source: TicketScanner price data, all daily price checks. Checks with the same price count as a 0% gap.

Large gaps were more common in the final three days before completed games: 26.1% of NFL checks, 32.5% of NHL checks and 41.6% of MLB checks had a gap of 10% or more. That’s when comparing both sites matters most.

What the prices in this article include

Gametime and Vivid Seats both show prices with fees included. Gametime listing pages label prices “Includes Fees.” Vivid Seats event pages say, “All Prices are in USD and include fees.” Depending on the site and the state, sales tax may already be in the price or added at checkout.

On Gametime, we could see the split. On Oct. 8, 2026, Gametime’s fee on the cheapest seated listing at seven NFL, NHL and NBA games was a median 16.3% of the seller’s price. Gametime’s terms say it may add or change fees at any time, so that number describes one day. We could not view a fee breakdown on Vivid Seats on Oct. 8, 2026. The full picture is in which ticket site has the lowest fees and Vivid Seats fees.

The lowest listed price can be a non-seat ticket. At two Cowboys games and one Eagles game, Gametime’s cheapest listing was standing room.

Which one should you use?

  • NFL or NHL game a month or more away: Vivid Seats was lower more often. Start there, then check Gametime.
  • Any game in the final three days: Gametime was lower more often across all games, but not within the same NHL games. Check both.
  • MLB game: Gametime was lower more often in every window.
  • NBA: too few completed games. Most NBA checks are listed prices for upcoming games, where Gametime led.
  • Any game: check the seat type, and compare the total at checkout for the same section.

More Gametime, Vivid Seats and fee comparisons

How we measured

TicketScanner records the lowest listed price (the get-in price) for each tracked game once a day, around 9 a.m. ET, on each site it compares. These are the prices the sites show with their fees included; depending on the site and the state, sales tax may already be in the price or added at checkout. We compared Gametime and Vivid Seats only when both sites had a price for the same game on the same day. Each of those matches is one daily price check, and percentages use daily price checks, not games, as the base. Different time windows include different games, so compare windows with care. Listings named as season tickets or parking were excluded, but the lowest listing can still be a standing-room or other non-seat ticket. Source: TicketScanner price data.

Data as of Oct. 8, 2026 (prices recorded through Oct. 7, 2026).

Added for this article: the four leagues total 2,513 games and 67,759 daily price checks. Vivid Seats prices were missing on some days (for example, NHL on Oct. 2, Oct. 4 and Oct. 7, and NFL on Oct. 2-4), so those days have no checks. A few games, such as some home openers and giveaway games, appear twice in our records under two event names and were not merged. The days-before tables use completed games only. NFL regular-season games are those played from Sept. 10 on.

FAQ

Is Gametime cheaper than Vivid Seats?

It depends on the league. In TicketScanner price data, Gametime was lower on 44.5% of MLB checks and 45.2% of NBA checks, while Vivid Seats was lower on 58.8% of NFL checks and 45.4% of NHL checks.

Is Gametime or Vivid Seats better for last-minute tickets?

Across all completed games, Gametime was lower more often in the final three days. For NFL regular-season games the lead was small, 48.9% vs 41.6%, and within the same NHL games Vivid Seats led. Check both.

Do Gametime and Vivid Seats prices include fees?

Both show prices with fees included. On the cheapest seated listing at seven games we measured on Oct. 8, 2026, Gametime’s fee was a median 16.3% of the seller’s price.

Which is cheaper for NFL tickets bought early?

Vivid Seats, more often. A month or more before completed NFL games, it was lower on 72.1% of 86 checks on 15 games, a small base.

Does TicketScanner sell tickets?

No. TicketScanner compares prices across sites and records them daily. You buy on the site you choose.

See which site is cheaper for your game today on TicketScanner’s NHL page.

Sources

  • TicketScanner price data (daily get-in prices for Gametime and Vivid Seats; NFL July 29 to Oct. 7, NHL Aug. 29 to Oct. 6, NBA Aug. 29 to Oct. 5, MLB July 12 to Sept. 26, 2026)
  • https://gametime.co/nhl-hockey/rangers-at-capitals-tickets/10-9-2026-washington-dc-capital-one-arena/events/6a5966642da5c11be1387f50 (Gametime listing labeled with fees included; fee split shown in the listing detail)
  • https://gametime.co/policies/terms-of-service/ (Gametime may add or amend fees at any time)
  • https://www.vividseats.com/washington-capitals-tickets-capital-one-arena-10-9-2026/production/7301422 (“All Prices are in USD and include fees”)
  • https://www.ticketscanner.live/faq (TicketScanner reflects fee-inclusive pricing where possible)

About TicketScanner

TicketScanner is an independent ticket price comparison platform built to help fans find the cheapest tickets available online. We aggregate publicly available ticket listing data from multiple marketplaces and present it in a structured, easy-to-compare format.

TicketScanner does not sell tickets and does not process payments. Instead, we provide pricing insights and redirect users to third-party marketplaces where transactions are completed.