Las Vegas Raiders led NFL in ticket revenue in 2021

The Las Vegas Raiders generated the highest revenue from ticket sales in the NFL this past season, according to Sportico, two years after moving to Nevada and opening up Allegiant Stadium.

The Raiders made $119 million despite featuring the third-smallest capacity in the league at 65,000 and selling the 25th-most tickets. The San Francisco 49ers finished second behind the Raiders with $117 million in ticket revenue. The New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys rounded out the top six.

These numbers are important because 40 percent of a team's ticket revenue is put into a shared pool with the rest of the franchises and split among all 32 clubs. Last year, that number reached $20 million per team.

This became a big issue this year when Daniel Snyder and the Washington Commanders were accused of withholding funds by claiming the revenue was generated from non-NFL events. Coincidentally, the Commanders finished with the second-lowest net ticket revenue in front of only the Detroit Lions.

So why did the Raiders reign supreme in 2021? It could be for multiple reasons, but a new $1.9 billion stadium, a new city and a year-long wait due to the COVID-19 pandemic were likely all key components. The Raiders didn't allow spectators during the 2020 season. Raiders tickets at Allegiant Stadium also averaged $595 on the secondary market, which far-surpassed the second-highest team, the Miami Dolphins, which averaged $387.

The Raiders could continue to stay among the ticket revenue-generating elite in the NFL after a big offseason that featured multiple marquee additions. Las Vegas traded for receiver Davante Adams and signed Chandler Jones in hopes of giving the Kansas City Chiefs a run for their money in the AFC West. Hiring Josh McDaniels from the Patriots as the team's new head coach could certainly upgrade the Raiders from a tactical standpoint, too.