Those tickets were already bought at face value and are being hawked online to get rid of them.
Remember when the NFL used to show attendance and no-shows as real numbers? Now they just post attendance as tickets sold.
The real indicator of NFL league revenue/attendance will be next year in season ticket sales.
A true current indicator now would be revenue/attendance at sports bars.
I, like so many others, actually used to care if "my" team won or not. It's been years since I've cared, and now I can hardly be bothered to watch any games if they are interesting and exciting. I put the Rams/Eagles game on yesterday, muted it, and watched on/off while I did chores.
Even with an exciting, hard fought game, the lack of of emotional investment and just merely watching an interesting contest is the true long term threat to the NFL. We all know what the actors (athletes) really think, and it's that tribal gulf that divides supporters from the teams.
“A true current indicator now would be revenue/attendance at sports bars.”
Living in the Philly burbs, I used to avoid the bars during eagles games. (I was a Steelers fan)
This year it hasn’t been a problem. Plenty of room at the bar during the games. The usual sea of green jerseys has been reduced by half.
You won't even have to wait that long. Between the Super Bowl and the start of the new League year the salary cap for the 2018-19 season will be announced. All teams must be in compliance before the League year starts. This season's was $167 million per team. I'm predicting a 20% drop, minimum. I bet it will go from nine figure to eight before the re-negotiation of the CBA begins. That's when the fur will really fly!