What happened: Coverage of this year's NBA Finals has turned to the economics of attending in person, with reporting digging into where the money spent on high-priced tickets actually ends up. Much of the spend flows through resale markets, fees, and intermediaries rather than the on-court product itself.

Why it matters: The gap between face value and what fans actually pay on the secondary market keeps widening, while broadcast and streaming offer replays, multiple angles, and no travel cost. For all but the highest-budget fans, the marginal value of a four-figure seat over a home viewing is hard to defend on the product alone.