The price of 2025 Ryder Cup tickets has been the talk of the social media town this week, so to speak.

In case you missed it, the PGA of America is selling practice round tickets for $255.27 and $423.64 depending on the day, with competition rounds selling for $749.51. Steep!

People have been shouting opinions from all angles, ranging from rationalizing the high cost as a function of supply and demand to concerns over access and affordability. Some people are using the ticket prices as an opportunity to accuse the PGA of America of hypocrisy, charging an arm and a leg for admission while not paying the players who compete in the event.

One key aspect that hasn’t been discussed nearly enough is the broader dynamics of ticket pricing within the entertainment industry. This week, I’ve seen some people comparing the price of Ryder Cup tickets to the price of tickets listed on StubHub for NBA or MLB postseason games. In essence they argue, “See? Wealthy organizations in other sports are offering tickets at an affordable rate. The PGA of America is charging 6x as much as MLB playoff tickets, which shouldn’t be happening.” This argument, however, is a completely inaccurate depiction of the ticket market.

To have a discussion about ticket prices, it’s crucial to draw the distinction between the primary and secondary markets. I know, boring. But the distinction is important! The primary market refers to the initial sale of tickets, typically handled by event organizers – like the PGA of America in this case. The secondary market, on the other hand, involves reselling tickets, often by people who can no longer attend – or, more controversially, scalpers aiming to turn a profit. Tickets listed on StubHub, for example, are part of the secondary market, listed by individuals after originally being purchased on the primary market.

When you see MLB playoff tickets priced on StubHub, the tickets aren’t being sold by the league itself or by a particular franchise. Instead, those are listed by the people who bought those tickets from the MLB team originally, often a season ticket holder who cannot attend the game or someone looking to flip the tickets for a profit. Prices on the secondary market reflect demand, not an altruistic effort by multi-billion-dollar organizations to prioritize affordability over short-term profits.

The debate over Ryder Cup ticket prices warrants more nuance than simply pointing at general admission costs or ticket prices in other sports and expressing outrage. The questions the PGA of America face are twofold:

1. Should they charge fans less than market value for Ryder Cup tickets to make the event accessible?

2. What measures should they take to curb ticket scalping and ensure fans have fair access to tickets?

If you believe the PGA of America should aim for maximum profits, then there’s no issue with the current pricing scheme. The ticket prices are comparable to other marquee sporting events in major metropolitan areas. With such high demand for one of golf’s biggest spectacles, why shouldn’t the PGA cash in?

There is a compelling counterargument, though. Pricing out all but the wealthiest segment of the fanbase could destroy the spirit of the tournament, diminishing the atmosphere and tarnishing the reputation of the Ryder Cup. Some will contend that people will be priced out one way or another, whether it’s in the primary market by the PGA of America or in the secondary market by ticket scalpers. So why shouldn’t the PGA of America capitalize instead of scalpers? Admittedly, this was my initial response to seeing the prices. But upon further reflection, I believe there is a significant difference between being squeezed for every dollar by the PGA of America and getting squeezed by ticket scalpers, a practice that people across industries are actively working to curtail.

In any event, for the vast majority of spectators at Bethpage, walking onto the property will require a serious financial sacrifice. With so few golfers on the course and immense crowd sizes, the on-site experience may not justify the cost and might leave fans with a poor taste in their mouths. All the while, those who feel passionately about the event but cannot attend are met with an increasingly unwatchable television product that crams ads down people’s throats while missing much of the action itself. Pair exorbitant ticket prices with a bad television product, and you have done considerable damage to your product in the name of commercialization.

I doubt anything will be done to lower prices for the 2025 Ryder Cup, so what’s a reasonable takeaway moving forward?

More resources should be committed to addressing the second question, tackling ticket scalping. In addition to an online lottery system, the PGA of America could offer in-person ticket sales to dedicated fans willing to physically stand in line for tickets. Kids could attend the event for free with a ticketed adult, including during competition rounds, increasing accessibility and fostering fandom in future generations of fans. Finding creative ways to ensure tickets reach loyal, everyday fans would boost the Ryder Cup’s integrity and accessibility.

Ultimately, the discourse around Ryder Cup ticket pricing deserves more nuance than attacking the PGA of America for greed or price gouging. But to the extent the PGA has failed to prioritize accessibility and has jeopardized the spirit of one of its most valuable assets, the criticism is well-deserved.