In an unexpected turn during the WNBA All-Star weekend, tickets for the 3-Point Contest on Friday have surpassed the prices for the main All-Star Game held the following evening. Fans eager to see Sabrina Ionescu and other WNBA All-Stars compete in the 3-Point Contest and the Shooting Stars event are paying an average of $110 for entry, according to TicketData. This slightly exceeds the $105 starting price for the All-Star Game on Samedi.
Venue Capacity Influences Ticket Pricing
The primary reason for this pricing difference lies in the size of the venues. Friday’s events are hosted at the Wintrust Arena, which accommodates about 10,500 spectators, while the All-Star Game takes place at the much larger United Center, boasting a capacity exceeding 20,000. The smaller arena size for the 3-Point Contest creates higher demand and, consequently, higher ticket prices.
This year’s ticket prices reflect a significant increase compared to 2025. Back then, the Friday night events in Indianapolis featured tickets starting at just $25, with prices dropping to $12 on game day. Additionally, SeatGeek reports a remarkable surge in ticket orders for the 2026 WNBA All-Star weekend, showing a 53% increase over last year’s figures. This volume is nearly nine times the orders seen when Chicago last hosted the event in 2022.
Despite the rising costs, attending the WNBA All-Star weekend remains relatively affordable compared to other major sports events. For context, MLB All-Star tickets recently hit four-figure sums, and NBA All-Star game tickets often start around $600. Thus, Chicago fans have the opportunity to witness the league’s premier talent live for a fraction of those prices.