A ticket scalper sells tickets outside of Super Bowl Village before Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. (Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports)

Over $3.5 million people have attended a Super Bowl since the game’s inception on January 15, 1967.

Did you know that a ticket to the very first Super Bowl when the Kansas City Chiefs played (and lost to) the Green Bay Packers topped out at $12 per ticket? That’s also when you could buy a new car for $2,750 and go see a movie for $1.20.

Super Bowl tickets for this year’s game range between $850 and $1,250, at face value. In 2001, face value was $325 per ticket.  The average price of a ticket on the secondary market this year is $3,000. That’s a sweet looking brand new Firebird in 1967.

Game tickets are such a hot commodity and big money maker that counterfeited tickets have become a huge problem. In fact, hundreds of fans are turned away at the Super Bowl’s stadium gates every year.

The NFL even warns potential buyers about the possibility of being scammed.

To help eliminate the sale of fake tickets the NFL has incorporated several security devices built into official Super Bowl tickets. Some of the overt security devices include holograms, custom laser cutouts, thermachromic ink and a specially-made gloss varnish. A counterfeit ticket may be missing one or even several of these or other security features. The NFL also provides you with a secure, official resale marketplace to purchase your Super Bowl tickets, the NFL Ticket Exchange. Buying online from a non-NFL affiliate may be risky since there is no way of knowing if a ticket is real until game time. Even if a ticket looks real, it may be one that has been reported lost or stolen, which means the person holding it will not be granted entry into the stadium. – NFL.com

Here’s a quick breakdown of how Super Bowl tickets are issued:

• League office – 25%
• AFC Champions – 17.5%
• NFC Champions – 17.5%
• The other 29 teams – 34.8%
• Host team – 5%

Von Miller (58) reacts to his sack of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn (9) (background) in the third quarter at Sports Authority Field. The Broncos defeated the Chiefs 38-3. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Broncos’ defense finishes at or near top in every category

While much is made of the prolific passing game that the Denver Broncos have, the season wouldn’t stand where it is today without the lofty efforts of the defense.

Currently ranked 1st in sacks (48.0), 3rd in interceptions returned for a touchdown (5), 3rd in forced fumbles (18), 3rd in yards allowed (302.2 per game), and 5th in points per game (19.1), the Broncos haven’t had a defense this stout in over a decade.

The Broncos held the Kansas City Chiefs to just 119 total yards and 3 points in week 17.

Without a doubt the defense will play a role in whether or not the Broncos in a championship.

“If we can put it in anyone’s hands, we want it,” Von Miller said of the defense. “We want to be in the situation where we can make plays for our team.”

With one sack agains the Chiefs, Miller finished the season with 18.5 sacks, good enough for 3rd in the league. His right hand man, Elvis Dumervil, finished the year with 11.0 sacks.

Enjoying the bye week

The Broncos won’t find out who their next victim opponent is until next week. They will take on the lowest seeded team that emerges from the AFC wildcard round. That means they will face either Indianapolis, Baltimore, or Cincinnati.

With the top seed in the AFC, the Broncos will get the chance to rest and study up, and for the first time this season, they’ll be able to relish in a victory for a little bit.

“I think it’s because we have a week off,” Champ Bailey said of being able to enjoy this win. “If we didn’t have a week off, it’d be right back to business, but we have a little time to breathe and reflect, and really evaluate ourselves.”

Peyton Manning in on a tackle

It won’t show up on the stat sheet, but Peyton Manning helped bring Brandon Flowers down late in the first quarter. Running back Ronnie Hillman fumbled the ball, Flowers picked it up and ran 64 yards before being taken down by Joel Dreessen. If not for Manning making Flowers cut back, and throwing his body in front of him, however, Flowers would have run in for the score to tie the game 7-7.

“I didn’t get the tackle,” Manning questioned after the game. “Dreessen hit him? It was a good play by them…I knew if I at least made them cut back, I thought there was somebody that would be there. I thought I got a hand on him though. Maybe a half…Can I get a half?”

Broncos to enjoy the home crowd throughout the playoffs

Historically, the Broncos win most of their playoff games if played at home, so home field advantage until the Super Bowl bodes well with both players and fans alike.

“I’ve always thought playing here in Denver is a tough place to play,” Manning said. “I’ve played here as an opponent, and our fans have been outstanding all season long. I truly feel like there is a “12th man” advantage here, and that’s what you want.”

AFC divisional playoff tickets go on sale Monday

Single game tickets will be available for purchase starting at noon on Monday. The game will be played either Saturday, Jan. 12, or Sunday, Jan. 13. You can call Ticketmaster (1-800-745-3000) or visit Ticketmaster to purchase online. Tickets will only be available to those with a billing address in the Rocky Mountain region, including Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota, and Wester Kansas. Tickets won’t be available at the Broncos Ticket Office until Wednesday (if there are any left).

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Philip Rivers (17) throws a pass in the first quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE)

Need more ammo against the San Diego Chargers? Here’s some:

The only way you can buy tickets to see the Chargers take on Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football is if you also buy tickets to see the Chargers take on the Kansas City Chiefs two weeks later.

This isn’t the first ploy the Chargers have used to sell tickets. In July they tried to sell tickets for the Chargers v. Chiefs game at Qualcomm by marketing to Chiefs fans.

You would think that a Chargers vs. Falcons game would sell out quickly considering the Falcons are undefeated. However, the week three contest in San Diego was 9,200 tickets short of a sell out.

Talk about the most subdued fans in the AFC West.

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