The NFL regular season begins this week, and none too soon for season ticket holders who are forced to endure – and pay for – preseason football games, a practice that can only be described as legal extortion. 

Want to see every home game of your favorite NFL team?  Then pony up for season tickets, eight games at an average price of  $65.  And oh-by-the-way, you'll also have to purchase tickets to two preseason games at the same price.  Refuse?  Not likely.  Most NFL stadiums are sold out, with waiting lists for season tickets numbering in the thousands.   Which makes the practice of mandating the purchase of tickets to meaningless games possible.

The practice isn't new.  NFL teams began adding preseason games to regular season ticket packages in the ‘70's.  The reason is simple:  It guarantees a big payday – usually a sellout – for the home team.  If preseason tickets were optional, professional stadiums would be half-empty – or worse – until September. 

In an industry where total revenue will approach $7 billion this year, proceeds from pre-season games isn't exactly chump change.  The 32 NFL teams play a total of 64 preseason games.  Average NFL stadium capacity is approximately 70,000.  At an average ticket price of $65, ticket revenue for each game totals approximately $4.5 million. 

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