Super Bowl ticket sales slowed by changes to allocation system

Super Bowl LI will feature two of the league's most explosive offenses in the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots, but tickets to the big game weren't selling as quickly as usual after the matchup was set Sunday night.

Only 1,800 tickets were listed on StubHub following the Patriots' victory Sunday, which is around half the usual amount, ESPN's Darren Rovell reports, citing industry sources.

The downturn was caused by a shift in the allocation of tickets, specifically to On Location Experiences, which is partly owned by NFL owners.

Tickets that usually move from teams to brokers through hospitality-sponsorship deals were given to On Location Experiences, which received 9,000 Super Bowl tickets on the condition that 1,500 were to be sold to each of the Super Bowl participants.

The company allowed the four teams playing in the championship round a chance to reserve tickets. Patriots fans had the most reservations, while the Falcons had the least.

However, Location Experiences CEO John Collins said Sunday night he isn't disappointed the Falcons made the Super Bowl.

"The Falcons fans are the wild card," Collins said. "But, for the packages we're selling, they have the strong corporate base in Atlanta to do well."

"They haven't been to a Super Bowl in the true age of internet ticket sales," said Scott Jernigan, senior vice president of PrimeSport, which also sells hospitality and travel packages. "Our corporate headquarters is in Atlanta so we are aware that the interest level is significant."