Where located: Chicago
Team: Chicago Bears
With the NFL record of more than 700 wins in one of the country's largest metropolitan areas, the Chicago Bears may have earned their right to be one of the more expensive fan experiences in the league. "Da Bears" rank as having the fifth most expensive stadium for 2011 with a Fan Cost Index of $557.18.
"We are the largest single-team market in the NFL with the smallest stadium capacity," says Jim Christman, spokesman for the Bears. "Those dynamics would normally lead to the most expensive tickets in a league."
The most recent version of Soldier Field opened in 2003. The third version in the stadium's long history, it accommodates a relatively small 61,500 fans. While the average ticket price of $101.55 is an 8.5 percent increase over 2010, second only to the San Francisco 49ers' 9.4 percent, the concession prices fall closer to the NFL average. Beer for $8 and hot dogs for $5 are something even the "Saturday Night Live" Super Fans could stomach.
"We need to set pricing so that we stay competitive within the NFL but make sure we retain our customers," Christman says. "We make efforts to compare (concession) prices to other venues to ensure they are comparable each season."
For fans who aren't looking to spend even that much money for an NFL experience, the Bears offer an annual Family Fest, allowing fans an up-close look at a team practice for around $8 per ticket with special pricing for kids.
Fans don't seem to have too much of a problem with the prices, though. The Bears have a 98 percent season ticket renewal rate and have sold out every game since 1984.