By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek
February 26, 2012
The 2012 NBA All- Star Game is shaping up to be one of the hottest tickets in the event’s history. The game is scheduled for Sunday, February 26, at the one-year-old Amway Center in Orlando. Tickets are not available to the public, causing the secondary market to set exorbitant prices.
The Orlando Sentinel recently reported that 3,000 tickets were sold in a lottery to Magic season ticket holders, with face value tickets priced at $750 for lower bowl seats and $500 for upper bowl seats. Recent listings on Stubhub show the cheapest tickets priced at well over $500.
NBA partners love All-Star Weekend for the number of events they can sponsor. On the docket during NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm are the Haier Shooting Stars, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, and Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.
Orlando projects more than $100 million in economic impact from All-Star festivities. Had the lockout forced the weekend to be cancelled, the effect would have been devastating for the local economy.
