Heading into next week the price of Final Four tickets on the secondary market were down by about $200 off their recent lows with the average all-session ticket going for $441 on StubHub.
Forget about that now.
With the Michigan State Spartans beating Louisville on Sunday afternoon the only team that would give the ticket market a big bump is now playing in the Final Four in Detroit.
StubHub spokesman Sean Pate told me that the Spartans getting in should be worth at least a $50 increase in each ticket sold on the site.
Pate says that, thanks to the close proximity to their East Lansing campus, MSU fans will be willing to invest more in a ticket since many don't have to worry about booking a plane flight.
"I know there will be distractions, but in our state right now maybe we can salvage the whole thing," Spartans head coach Tom Izzo told Westwood One radio after the win.
The Final Four location and venue was looking like a disaster.
Not only was it in the heart of the economic meltdown -- thanks to the failing car companies -- but it also was put in Ford Field, the football stadium's capacity further creating a glut of tickets.
But now there could be some big financial winners from the Spartans making it to the Final Four.
One company is Primesport, which now might have a chance of selling out its suite tickets at $1,495 apiece.
The company is now grouping some suites by teams so that fans can cheer together, though the company said Sunday night that there will not be any more suites opened up to Spartans fans as compared to other teams.
Another big winner is Magic Johnson and the 1979 Spartans team.
Commemorative items related to the 30th anniversary of their championship were already in production, but with the Spartans now playing in the Final Four expect anything that was being made to be sold in greater quantities.
Questions? Comments? SportsBiz@cnbc.com
