NFL fining 100 players, two dozen employees for selling Super Bowl tickets above face value at Super Bowl LIX

A number of NFL players, coaches and club employees have found themselves in hot water for reselling Super Bowl tickets. According to a report from the Associated Press, the league is fining about 100 players and two dozen club employees for violating league policy by selling Super Bowl LIX tickets above face value. 

An investigation, which is still underway, revealed that these players and coaches sold tickets to “bundlers,” who worked with a ticket reseller to sell those tickets above face value. This is prohibited in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

The AP obtained a statement from NFL head of compliance Sabrina Perel on the matter:

“Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.”

The NFL also said that they will be enhancing the mandatory compliance training regarding this policy for all league personnel, and increase the penalties for future violations. 

The ‘bundlers’ will face increased penalties. According to the CBA, players on all 32 teams are allowed to purchase two tickets for the Super Bowl each year, but cannot pawn the tickets off for a profit. Back in 2005, Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Tice was fined $100,000 and assistant coaches Dean Dalton and Rusty Tillman fined $10,000 by the league for scalping their Super Bowl tickets, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Super Bowl LIX took place in New Orleans earlier this year, with Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22, in what was a Super Bowl LVII rematch.