Editor's note: This article appeared in the September 30, 2009, edition of Quirk's e-newsletter.

If you want to get out this fall to see your favorite NFL teams trounce the opponent, pad your bank account in advance and come prepared to be nickel-and-dimed. Despite the sour economy, the average cost for a ticket into the stadium is $74.99, up 3.4 percent over last year, according to the Fan Cost Index from Team Marketing Report, Chicago. In total, it would cost a family of four an average of $412.64 to get out and enjoy a Sunday afternoon at the stadium, including four average-price tickets, two small draft beers (approximately $7 each), four small soft drinks ($4), four regular-size hot dogs ($4.50), parking for one car ($24), two game programs ($4.50) and two least-expensive, adult-size adjustable caps ($16), up 4.1 percent over last year.

However, not all teams have hiked prices. In fact, 21 teams have lowered the cost of admission or left it unchanged.
The Detroit Lions and the Miami Dolphins lowered prices by approximately a percentage point, and, surprisingly, last year's Super Bowl teams aren't gouging their fans. The Arizona Cardinals bumped up their average ticket by 3.1 percent to $67.10, and the Steelers kept their ticket prices steady across the board after a small increase last season.

The main push behind the percentage increase came from the Dallas Cowboys' $1.2 billion stadium. The average ticket to a Cowboys game costs $159.65, a new record for the Fan Cost Index survey, which has been around since 1991. The Cowboys knocked the New England Patriots off their perch as the priciest ticket in pro sports. The Patriots kept their price the same at $117.84. As for that family of four? The cost jumps to a whopping $758.58 for Cowboys fans, surpassing the Patriots' $597.25 and the Chicago Bears' $501.33.