FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Many NFL teams are following the leads of other sports — dropping prices for less desirable games while jacking up costs for the biggest matchups.

“The reality is not every game is created equal,” said Jennifer Ferron, senior vice president of marketing and brand development for the New England Patriots.

In cold-weather cities, games in December may be less attractive than those in early fall. Weeknight games pose more of a challenge to fans who must work the next morning. It’s tougher to sell or re-sell tickets to games between bad teams where no rivalry is involved.

Variable pricing already is used in major league baseball, the NBA and NHL. After several years of study, half the NFL clubs are making the move this season, particularly with preseason games.

“The advantage to the league is we have season ticket members that are more satisfied with their NFL experience. That’s clearly our priority,” said Brian Lafemina, the NFL’s senior vice president for club business development.