Fernando Mendoza’s move to Raiders starting QB impacts secondary ticket market

Fernando Mendoza’s promotion to the starting quarterback role with the Las Vegas Raiders led to a spike in ticket sales and prices on the secondary market.

The Raiders announced Tuesday that Mendoza would start their Week 10 home game against the Seattle Seahawks at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday after the team traded veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings.

No better example of his marketing cache was the spike in ticket prices for this first start.

The cheapest ticket on secondary marketplace TickPick for Sunday’s game jumped from $291 on Monday to $395 on Tuesday afternoon following the announcement. The average ticket price on TickPick increased from $1,013 on Monday to $1,138 on Tuesday.

The number of available tickets also dropped, falling from 9,422 on Monday to 8,159 on Tuesday.

It appears the Mendoza effect is beginning to reach full scale after building momentum leading up to his starting debut.

Jersey sales rise

Mendoza jerseys have become a hot commodity among Raider Nation. Fans began purchasing his jersey the day he was drafted, both online and in person at his introductory event a few days later at the Raiders’ headquarters in Henderson, where some of the first physical jerseys were sold to fans in attendance.

If Mendoza finds success on the field during the remainder of the season, his jersey sales are expected to climb even higher.

In July, the NFL Players Association ranked Mendoza No. 1 on its Rookie Rising Stars list, which highlights rookies poised to enter the top 50 in player merchandise sales.

The Raiders also began marketing what they hope will be the future face of the franchise, featuring the rookie quarterback across their social media platforms Tuesday.

“H15 time,” the Raiders posted on their social media accounts, a play on Mendoza’s No. 15 jersey number, read. “Fernando Mendoza has been named starting quarterback.”

Another post on the Raiders’ Instagram account showed Mendoza in his red practice jersey running in slow motion while set to the musical score of “The Autumn Wind,” the iconic NFL Films production about the team from 1974.

Even before the announcement, it was difficult to miss the Raiders’ marketing campaign. Before the season began, the team placed multiple billboards across the Las Vegas Valley featuring the name “Fernando” in white letters against a black background.

On your TV, too

Mendoza has already secured several endorsement deals before starting an NFL game after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL draft and winning both the Heisman Trophy and the College Football Playoff national championship with Indiana in January.

Mendoza has endorsement deals with Adidas, U.S. Bank and private aviation company Wheels Up, and he can be seen walking the Las Vegas Strip in a State Farm commercial with the iconic Jake from State Farm.

He is considered highly marketable because of his business-minded approach, family-oriented values and leadership both on and off the field.

“Fernando Mendoza is a brand’s dream endorser: excelling both on and off the field,” Natasha Brison, an associate professor in the University of South Carolina’s David and Nicole Tepper Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, told the Review-Journal in April.

Taco Bell also signed Mendoza to an endorsement deal. He has a signature meal, the Mendoza Special, available at the Taco Bell Cantina inside Allegiant Stadium.

Contact Mick Akers at [email protected] or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.