As Secondary Prices Skyrocket, Islanders Are Now The Hottest Ticket In Town

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It has been quite a season so far for the Islanders, both on the ice and for their bottom line.

New York, which has not won a playoff series since the 1992-93 season, is currently tied for first place in the Metropolitan Division with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Isles' 26-12-1 record and the nostalgia associated with the team playing its final season at Nassau Coliseum have contributed greatly to big business, according to TiqIQ, which analyzes secondary-market ticket sales.

So far, the Islanders have sold out nine of their 18 home games, including eight of their last 11, and are playing to nearly 90 percent capacity overall at the Coliseum, which holds 16,170, the second fewest in the NHL behind the MTS Centre In Winnipeg.

The club will move to Barclays Center in Brooklyn next season, ending a 43-year run in Nassau County.

Islanders fans are shelling out big bucks to see a team that was the cheapest ticket in the New York metropolitan area last season, paying an average of $145.91, a whopping 162.2 percent increase from the $55.65 they paid last season. Tickets for the final regular season game at the Coliseum, April 11 against Columbus, are currently going for an average of around $280 on the secondary market, according to TiqIQ.

The Islanders' "nostalgic fan base . . . finally (has) something to be excited about," Chris Matcovich of TiqIQ told the NY Post.

In addition to the team's excellent record and fans' desire to pay their final respects to the Coliseum, the Islanders have been honoring several of their greatest former players and have given away collector's items, a trend that will continue through the season's second half.

The Islanders have 23 regular season home games remaining.

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