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Topping the demand for last year’s classic between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals was going to be a tall order, but it looks like the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers are up to the task. Tickets to the 2012 NHL Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park in Philly are averaging $489.16, over $80 or 19.7% more than the average cost of tickets to last year’s matchup between the Caps at Pens ($408.50). One important caveat to this comparison is that the capacity of Citizens Bank Park is significantly smaller than last year’s venue, Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field. The capacity of Heinz Field for the 2011 Winter Classic was 68,111 seats, while Citizens Bank Park’s hockey configuration will fit only 43,500 fans.

Despite these lofty prices, the average cost of a ticket to the game has actually fallen by nearly 50% within the past month and a half. Back on Nov. 14, average prices to the Winter Classic peaked at $745, but within the last three days, tickets to the game have averaged $376 – a difference of $369 or 49.5%. Based on what we’ve seen in terms of purchases through SeatGeek, we’re expecting ticket prices to hover in this mid-high $300 range before trailing down slightly in the immediate 24-48 hour run-up to the game.

Surprisingly, the 2012 Winter Classic is not even the most expensive regular-season NHL game this season. The home opener for the Winnipeg Jets vs Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9 fetched a jaw-dropping $744 on secondary ticket markets. This price is likely reflective of a few unique factors, including the fact that this was the newly relocated franchise’s first game in Winnipeg, the limited capacity of Winnipeg’s MTS Centre (15,004) as well as local regulations in Manitoba against the resale of event tickets that likely limited ticket supply in the face of tremendous demand.

However, 2012 Winter Classic tickets are still fetching a higher average price than tickets for many other major sporting events in Philadelphia. Winter Classic tickets are selling for more than any Eagles home game within the past three seasons. When compared to Phillies games played in Citizens Bank Park, only a set of five playoff games (three World Series, two NLCS) from the Phillies’ 2009 NL Championship season fetched higher prices than this year’s Winter Classic. Winter Classic tickets are also currently priced higher than tickets were for any of the Phillies’ three 2010 NLCS home games against San Francisco.

Currently on SeatGeek, the least expensive available ticket to the Winter Classic is a $357 ticket in Section 301, Row 4, while the most expensive listing is a $5508 listing in Section 139, Row 23. All of SeatGeek’s ticket listings to the game can be found on our Winter Classic event page, which features a special dynamic stadium map of the venue.

It doesn’t hurt that HBO has been following both teams for the month leading up to the classic for the award-winning documentary 24/7 Flyers Rangers: Road to the Winter Classic.

The NFL. If you’re not watching it, you’re at least aware of it. The fans demand it, some more than others. This week’s most demanded games features divisional matchups and the battle of New York City.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots

Coming in at No. 5 is a divisional matchup between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots, who have won seven of the last nine meetings with the Dolphins, can clinch home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs if they win and the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers all lose or tie. The Texans lost Thursday night when the Indianapolis Colts scored their second win this season. Patriots QB Tom Brady needs to average just 245.5 yards passing in his last two games to pass Dan Marino’s NFL single-season record of 5,084. The Dolphins are 1-0 since firing head coach Tony Sparano and are 5-2 after losing their first seven games. Dolphins HB Reggie Bush is now sixth in the AFC in rushing with 973 yards after gaining a career high 203 last week against the Buffalo Bills.

Ticket prices for the game are averaging $168 today, but listings are available on SeatGeek for as low as $80.

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

Our No. 4 game between the Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys has huge playoff implications. Dallas can win the NFC East by winning its final two games, but the Eagles can still win the division if they can come away with two final wins and the Jets beat the Giants earlier in the day. The two sides met Oct. 30 in Philly when the Eagles crushed the Boys 34-7, Dallas’ worst loss of the season.

Tickets are averaging at $205 right now, but fans can still find listings on SeatGeek for as low as $53.

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

The No. 3 most demanded game this week stars the banged up Chicago Bears and no longer undefeated Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers can clinch home field advantage in the NFC with a win or a San Francisco 49er’s loss. The Bears would be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss this weekend. Sunday’s game will actually be the fourth meeting between the division rivals in 2011. The Bears and Packers faced each other the final week of the 2010 regular season, again in the NFC championship game and earlier this season on Sept. 25 when the Packers beat the Bears 27-17. Josh McCown, who hasn’t started an NFL game since 2007, replaces Caleb Hanie as the Bears starting QB.

Ticket prices are averaging at $235, but nearly all tickets for this game have been spoken for. In fact, SeatGeek has only a single ticket listing still available.

New York Giants at New York Jets

Our second most demanded game this week is a crosstown rivalry matchup between Eli Manning’s New York Giants and Mark Sanchez’s New York Jets. The leadup to this game is about as heated as a non-divisional matchup can get. If the Giants can beat the Jets and the Dallas Cowboys next weekend, they will win NFC East and make a playoff appearance for first time since 2008. If the Jets can win their final two games they will likely clinch a third-straight wild card appearance. The Giants have lost five of their last six games, but have managed to beat the Jets each of the past four times the teams have met. The Jets would improve to 7-1 at home if they can put a stop to that streak. Another storyline is that Saturday’s game is that this will be the first time WR Plaxico Burress will face the Giants since they cut him in 2009 after accidentally shooting himself in a Manhattan nightclub.

Ticket prices are averaging at $243 right now with ‘get in’ prices starting at about $200 on SeatGeek. General admission seating can be found starting at $56.

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

Finally, the No. 1 most demanded game for Week 16 features an NFC South clash between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints at the Superdome. The Saints are riding a six-game win streak and can clinch the NFC South division title with a win Monday night. The Falcons have won seven of their past nine games, but one of those losses was at the hands of the Saints. New Orleans has also beaten Atlanta nine of the past 11 times the two teams have met since 2006. Saints QB Drew Brees is leading the NFL in passing with 4,780 yards and only needs 305 more to pass Dan Marino’s NFL single-season passing record set in 1984.

Tickets prices are averaging a league-high $272, but fans can still find listings on SeatGeek starting around $243.

Although both the Jets and Giants lost close matchups this weekend, ticket prices are trending up as they prepare to face off this weekend. The average price for Saturday’s game is now $237.46, up about $5 from Friday. However, the average price for tickets sold through SeatGeek from Saturday to Monday is $266.52, indicating that prices are generally trending up as we near gameday.

Certainly from a week-over-week perspective, averages have also been on the rise. Tickets to the game were averaging $217 in the seven-day period ending Nov. 14, while within the last seven days, the average has stood at $280 – an increase of 29%.

This Saturday’s game is likely to be the 6th most expensive NFL game ever at MetLife Stadium, and the most expensive Jets home game since the stadium opened last year. As of today, average ticket prices are the 3rd highest of any NFL game this weekend, trailing only the Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers ($240.52) and Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints ($266.83).

Right now on SeatGeek, the cheapest seat to get into the building is a $192 ticket in Section 329, Row 15, while the most expensive listing is for a pair of tickets in Section 106, Row 17 for $5506 a pop. Tickets in the 100 Level are averaging $326.04, while seats in the 200 and 300 levels are fetching an average of 292.04 and 172.88, respectively.

As high as prices are for Jets-Giants, we’ve actually seen more activity for the Giants season finale against the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 1, 2012. The average price for that game is currently running at $250 and is sharply trending upward, as you can see in this graph:

If the Giants can’t get past the Jets this weekend and the Cowboys win, then we expect the market for this Dallas game to collapse. But it’s interesting to see this game so hotly demanded when this weekend’s matchup is the one that very well may determine the Giants’ playoff fate.

We’ve done some additional research into home ticket prices for the Broncos throughout the season, and we think we’ve unearthed some interesting findings that certainly lend credence to the theory that Tebomania has taken hold in Denver.

Weekly average ticket prices for Denver Broncos games have been on the rise since hitting a low of $122 the week ending Sept. 15. Since then, the average has climbed all the way to $181 for Broncos tickets sold within the past 7 days – a 48% increase. These averages take into account all Broncos home game tickets that move in a given week (whether it’s for that week’s game or a future game), so we feel it’s a good snapshot of fan purchase behavior.

News that Tebow would be taking over as the starting quarterback in Denver broke Oct. 12. The average ticket price for Broncos tickets sold through SeatGeek before that date was $108, while the average of all tickets sold after that point is $156. That $48 increase represents a 44% rise in average ticket prices since the Tebow starting announcement.

Out of the three Denver home games with the highest average ticket prices recorded this season, the top two are this past weekend’s miraculous win vs. the Chicago Bears ($186) and this weekend’s matchup with the New England Patriots ($167). The third-most expensive Broncos home game this season was the home opener vs. the Oakland Raiders ($153). Specifically for this weekend’s game against New England, the cheapest ticket listing on SeatGeek is a $149 ticket in Section 522.