Basketball Season Tickets Question

[croush]

Hi All - I need your help/opinion. I have entered the lottery system for years and years. I have been notified that I have been picked this year. I can buy Row O in section 223 for $950 per ticket. I have a few questions:

1) I live out of town and won't be able to attend most of the games. Is it difficult to sell these tickets for face value? I'm not looking to make money, I just want to break even on the games I don't attend.

2)How quick would I be able to advance my seats to a better location? 5 years? 10 years?

Thanks guys! I love the Cats and have always wanted season tickets, but I'm worried about selling them for the games I do not attend.

 

[Notelvis2]

Congratulations on being selected!

I've entered the lottery for about 20 years and was selected this year too. The call came yesterday out of the blue and was a complete shock. I'd long since given up the notion that I would ever be selected. I said 'Yes', pulled out the credit card, and bought seats in section 224.

I'll be curious to see the responses from veteran season ticket holders. In our case, my wife and I have a few friends in the Lexington area, one of which has already offered to help us, who we think might be interested in buying a couple of games we can't use.

We also have a neighbor who is a UK grad and teaches at the local small college. She has friends in the Lexington area that she believes might be interested as well.

 

[croush]

Congratulations on being selected!

I've entered the lottery for about 20 years and was selected this year too. The call came yesterday out of the blue and was a complete shock. I'd long since given up the notion that I would ever be selected. I said 'Yes', pulled out the credit card, and bought seats in section 224.

I'll be curious to see the responses from veteran season ticket holders. In our case, my wife and I have a few friends in the Lexington area, one of which has already offered to help us, who we think might be interested in buying a couple of games we can't use.

We also have a neighbor who is a UK grad and teaches at the local small college. She has friends in the Lexington area that she believes might be interested as well.

Congrats to you too!

Every time I've been to a game the arena has been full to capacity. I was hoping with the removal of seats that these seats would be easier to sell. Hopefully someone can respond in this thread and give me their past experiences or knowledge on the topic.

 

[justin_uk_5]

Congrats to you too!

Every time I've been to a game the arena has been full to capacity. I was hoping with the removal of seats that these seats would be easier to sell. Hopefully someone can respond in this thread and give me their past experiences or knowledge on the topic.

You probably won’t be able to sell all games at face value. More than likely will end up eating several lesser games

 

[croush]

You probably won’t be able to sell all games at face value. More than likely will end up eating several lesser games

Thanks for your input! I appreciate it even though it stinks to hear.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

Thanks for your input! I appreciate it even though it stinks to hear.

He's right, BUT for conference games you absolutely can get face value or higher...especially games against UF, UT, and Auburn. So while you may lose money on the non-conference weaker opponents, you can make up for it on others. For example, right now on Stub-Hub UK vs. Missouri tickets are going for over $100 each

 

[croush]

He's right, BUT for conference games you absolutely can get face value or higher...especially games against UF, UT, and Auburn. So while you may lose money on the non-conference weaker opponents, you can make up for it on others. For example, right now on Stub-Hub UK vs. Missouri tickets are going for over $100 each

Thanks man! All I care about is breaking even. I'm not worried about a profit at all. So if you think it will balance out then I'd take that in a heartbeat!

 

[Blue Wildcat]

You probably won’t be able to sell all games at face value. More than likely will end up eating several lesser games

This has been my history. One year, I gave away 2 tickets to for 5 or 6 games to posters on this site. The games during the week are the difficult ones to sale and give away. I quit buying season tickets for this reason.

 

[ZakkW]

From personal experience, plan to attend the crap weekday games and sell the weekend "good" games and you will come out ahead.

 

[Notelvis2]

From personal experience, plan to attend the crap weekday games and sell the weekend "good" games and you will come out ahead.

A strategy to pursue should we move nearer to Lexington after I retire..... which looks to be about June 2022 right now.

 

[pharm727]

You might not get the opportunity to buy season tickets again. Buy the tickets.

 

[justin_uk_5]

Thanks man! All I care about is breaking even. I'm not worried about a profit at all. So if you think it will balance out then I'd take that in a heartbeat!

I would definitely buy the tickets if I was you. As another poster said, you can sell conference games for more than face value to break even if you’d like. The lesser games are great for a date night (less stress since it’s not a big opponent, so you can enjoy it with your significant other), or you can donate them to someone who doesn’t normally get to attend games.

 

[kl40504_rivals]

Congratulations on being selected!

I've entered the lottery for about 20 years and was selected this year too. The call came yesterday out of the blue and was a complete shock. I'd long since given up the notion that I would ever be selected. I said 'Yes', pulled out the credit card, and bought seats in section 224.

I'll be curious to see the responses from veteran season ticket holders. In our case, my wife and I have a few friends in the Lexington area, one of which has already offered to help us, who we think might be interested in buying a couple of games we can't use.

We also have a neighbor who is a UK grad and teaches at the local small college. She has friends in the Lexington area that she believes might be interested as well.

I also was selected in the Lottery this year and bought 4 tickets in section 224 also. We may be neighbors.

 

[CatPhight_rivals65113]

I told you guys a couple months back to get your postcards in...I knew there would be tons of leftovers.
A lot of older folks have been slowly dropping off little by little and the interest in season tickets fades.

The only sold out games are high profile weekend games. Don't expect to get more than half back on
weeknight and/or lack luster opponents, sometimes you won't even get that.

Tickets make great gifts to friends/family and are excellent leverage.

You'll need to pony up with your checkbook to move downward to better seats. Leave your house to UK
in your will and you'll get moved to the front of the line. It's all driven by the K Fund and willingness to give.

Just like anything else, money talks and ******** walks.

 

[croush]

Thanks for all of the responses! I'm leaning towards not getting them. I live in Columbus, Ohio and I'm worried I'm going to lose hundreds of dollars on the games that I won't be able to attend, which will be pretty much all of them besides a couple of Saturday games here and there in SEC play. It just seems like the demand is drifting and people just don't feel the same way about being inside the arena and feeling the atmosphere.

 

[Notelvis2]

I also was selected in the Lottery this year and bought 4 tickets in section 224 also. We may be neighbors.

Part of the fun will be meeting other season ticket holders around us. I'm guessing most of the people in 224 will be brand new or close to brand new season ticket holders.

We bought three in row R..... Myself, wife, and our daughter who is a high school freshman this year. For years we've managed to find tickets to a few games each season but had scaled back to the point that for the last couple of years where we were only going to one of the November games at Rupp and a road game or two. (at Tuscaloosa sucked last season!). We live about a four hour drive from Lexington but are a shade closer to South Carolina, UGA, and Tennessee.

This year we'll make probably 12 games or so and I am looking forward to not having to pay attention to 'on-sale dates' for single game tickets again. EVER!

 

[Notelvis2]

Thanks for all of the responses! I'm leaning towards not getting them. I live in Columbus, Ohio and I'm worried I'm going to lose hundreds of dollars on the games that I won't be able to attend, which will be pretty much all of them besides a couple of Saturday games here and there in SEC play. It just seems like the demand is drifting and people just don't feel the same way about being inside the arena and feeling the atmosphere.

I totally understand this and there is no denying that the demand for tickets to see the games live is not what it once was.

We're about the same distance away as you are and it took a little soul-searching before I called back and said yes. Bottom-Line: It's hard to say no to something I have hoped to have someday for 50 years and something that I have had the means to acquire since I finished paying off my student loans 20 years ago. Now admittedly if we were talking tickets even a couple of hundred dollars more I would have to have ultimately said no I think........ and we've gone through the rationalization process of what things at our house can be put off for another year to offset this purchase. You know - we can get another year out of the sofa in the living room, the dishwasher (probably) doesn't need to be replaced just yet, my ghetto cellphone will probably last yet another year...... stuff like that.

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

Thanks for all of the responses! I'm leaning towards not getting them. I live in Columbus, Ohio and I'm worried I'm going to lose hundreds of dollars on the games that I won't be able to attend, which will be pretty much all of them besides a couple of Saturday games here and there in SEC play. It just seems like the demand is drifting and people just don't feel the same way about being inside the arena and feeling the atmosphere.

You have been waiting all this time for the opportunity and now that you have it you might pass? Darn.

 

[kl40504_rivals]

Part of the fun will be meeting other season ticket holders around us. I'm guessing most of the people in 224 will be brand new or close to brand new season ticket holders.

We bought three in row R..... Myself, wife, and our daughter who is a high school freshman this year. For years we've managed to find tickets to a few games each season but had scaled back to the point that for the last couple of years where we were only going to one of the November games at Rupp and a road game or two. (at Tuscaloosa sucked last season!). We live about a four hour drive from Lexington but are a shade closer to South Carolina, UGA, and Tennessee.

This year we'll make probably 12 games or so and I am looking forward to not having to pay attention to 'on-sale dates' for single game tickets again. EVER!

I bought two tickets in row G and two in row H in section 224. I preferred that section because section 224 has much fewer seats than other sections. It will be much easier to get in and out of our seats to take a break or enter or leave.

 

[Notelvis2]

I bought two tickets in row G and two in row H in section 224. I preferred that section because section 224 has much fewer seats than other sections. It will be much easier to get in and out of our seats to take a break or enter or leave.

I agree........ 224 looks pretty manageable.

 

[kl40504_rivals]

Part of the fun will be meeting other season ticket holders around us. I'm guessing most of the people in 224 will be brand new or close to brand new season ticket holders.

We bought three in row R..... Myself, wife, and our daughter who is a high school freshman this year. For years we've managed to find tickets to a few games each season but had scaled back to the point that for the last couple of years where we were only going to one of the November games at Rupp and a road game or two. (at Tuscaloosa sucked last season!). We live about a four hour drive from Lexington but are a shade closer to South Carolina, UGA, and Tennessee.

This year we'll make probably 12 games or so and I am looking forward to not having to pay attention to 'on-sale dates' for single game tickets again. EVER!

I am fortunate that I live in Jessamine county and only about 8 miles from Rupp.

 

[Ben101er]

Hi All - I need your help/opinion. I have entered the lottery system for years and years. I have been notified that I have been picked this year. I can buy Row O in section 223 for $950 per ticket. I have a few questions:

1) I live out of town and won't be able to attend most of the games. Is it difficult to sell these tickets for face value? I'm not looking to make money, I just want to break even on the games I don't attend.

2)How quick would I be able to advance my seats to a better location? 5 years? 10 years?

Thanks guys! I love the Cats and have always wanted season tickets, but I'm worried about selling them for the games I do not attend.

You can probably upgrade to better seats, just about anytime you are willing to make the necessary donation to the Blue-White fund. It is $500 per ticket for seats on the side, that are halfway up, down to row 6 or 7. For the first 6-7 rows on the side, the donation is $1000 per ticket, plus the price of the tickets. Lowers are more, depending on where they are. Once you get these, and you are interested, contact the Blue-White fund and they can give you details.

 

[Oboro3_rivals101424]

You will be surprised to see the positive response when you want to sell tickets. There a quite a few fans that are dying to snap up the tickets to take their kid to his first UK basketball game or to suprise their dad on his birthday. We even sold our entire allotment of tickets last year due to our bust schedule all at once. I had my tickets sold in less than 30 minutes of posting it on Facebook. The funny thing is that a couple in Indiana bought our season tickets and they lived farther away than we did. Once you find some people close to Lexington, they generally will buy up your tickets for the mid-week games.

 

[al.ksr]

It's been my experience that it's hard to sell tickets if you're in upper arena. Everyone wants lower arena. I tried to sell a few times and ended up giving them away to friends. I gave up a few years back when I got laid off and tried to sell my SEC tournament tickets for face, but UK wasn't doing too well so all I got was low ball offers. So, a couple season ago I started donating tickets to VetTix.org when I knew a few days ahead of time I wasn't going to make it to games. They do good things and you get a little bit of a tax write off.

Now, as for moving down, that's based on Kfund points and availability. You have to put in a request every year for better seats. If seats open up and no one above you in points requests, you can move up. It might not be as good now, but when I got my tickets years ago I found a good strategy was to buy tickets to other sports and get the points, then give away/donate those tickets. The school gets the money, someone that wants to go gets the tickets and you get the points. It's also a good idea to donate to the 100% club (5 points for $110 versus 3 points for $100 donation). Doing this I was able to move from row DD when I started to row C this year. Granted, I've had tickets for about 15 years but I didn't start this until about 10 years ago. It takes time, but it will pay off.

https://ukathletics.com/sports/2017/1/10/_131461808522798087.aspx

 

[ORCAT]

I was not around for games last season and sold many games online with Stub Hub. Just about impossible to sell the early season lesser games, even for cost or lower. Sold all SEC games but one and I wasn't trying to make bunches of money either, just trying to get money back. Good luck to you. Might also be tougher to improve seating with fewer seats in the house. After several years, I was able to get lowered about a dozen rows but with the new seating this year I was moved upward a bit though I'm still at mid court with decent seats.

 

[lightweightcat]

This is the first year I have put my name in the lottery and I got picked as well. My tickets are section 213, row z (all the way to the top), but in the new chairbacks at least.

 

[kl40504_rivals]

This is the first year I have put my name in the lottery and I got picked as well. My tickets are section 213, row z (all the way to the top), but in the new chairbacks at least.

Nice

 

[Notelvis2]

This is the first year I have put my name in the lottery and I got picked as well. My tickets are section 213, row z (all the way to the top), but in the new chairbacks at least.

Congratulations.

They ought to have a reception for first time season ticket holders......