As if it wasn’t already hard enough to get into Augusta National?
With Tiger Woods‘ return to dominance, there seems to be a little extra intrigue heading into the 2013 Masters. Although tickets to the tournament are always some of the most difficult to come by in all of sports, this year it’ll cost you even more if you were thinking about picking up a grounds badge on the secondary market.
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the prices of Masters badges on the resale market are up 276 percent over 2012. Four-day badges are listed at an average of $13,820, up from $3,675 in 2012. The face value of a four-day badge is $250.
Single-day tickets are up, too. The cheapest ticket currently available is listed at $2,126, as single-day badges have a face value of $75. However, the total number of tickets available is miniscule, with only about a couple dozen to be found online.
Although Woods’ recent success surely has had a bump on prices of badges on the resale market, other factors may be more important. For one, the NCAA Tournament, held in Atlanta, has brought in wealthy sports fans to the area. Moreover, the Masters’ new raffle system — a departure from its old ticket distribution, where tickets could be held year-to-year indefinitely — has increased tickets’ value, since more people hold onto theirs rather than sell them.
However, whatever the cost, if you want to stroll Augusta National, even buying a ticket on the resale market is cheaper — and much more realistic — than becoming a member of the exclusive club.
