How are we feeling about NRF season ticket pricing?

[jne381]

Looking at the map and the prices, I am feeling pretty disheartened about the affordability these prices. I used to sit in where section 235 or 237 will be in the NRF. I am guessing I believed I paid about $250 a ticket for the season. I know that was pretty low, but now it is looking like $1,400 a ticket. On top of that I also have two children that are old enough to go to games. Even looking at section 209 in the light purple, it is still $875. With 4 tickets, I am looking at about $500 a game with a seven game season. In comparison, I also get Michigan States emails, and similar positioned seat are about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost (depending on comparable sections) of the cost of the NRF seats.

That is for games that I use the seats. Will I be able to sell my tickets to even anything close to cost if I don't use them? I have a friend who has premium seats and has offered them for any games he can't go to (which will probably be a good chunk). I also live about 3.5 hours away, and my schedule doesn't always allow me to go to games (mostly night or Friday games).

I really hate to give up on my STH status, but this might be the time, and it makes me sad.

 

[CatManTrue]

Looking at the map and the prices, I am feeling pretty disheartened about the affordability these prices. I used to sit in where section 235 or 237 will be in the NRF. I am guessing I believed I paid about $250 a ticket for the season. I know that was pretty low, but now it is looking like $1,400 a ticket. On top of that I also have two children that are old enough to go to games. Even looking at section 209 in the light purple, it is still $875. With 4 tickets, I am looking at about $500 a game with a seven game season. In comparison, I also get Michigan States emails, and similar positioned seat are about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost (depending on comparable sections) of the cost of the NRF seats.

That is for games that I use the seats. Will I be able to sell my tickets to even anything close to cost if I don't use them? I have a friend who has premium seats and has offered them for any games he can't go to (which will probably be a good chunk). I also live about 3.5 hours away, and my schedule doesn't always allow me to go to games (mostly night or Friday games).

I really hate to give up on my STH status, but this might be the time, and it makes me sad.

My advice: buy tickets to the games you want to see, and get them as cheap as possible.

NU is using the NRF idea to gouge loyal fans of their hard earned cash.

Don’t let them. They didn’t even pay for the damn stadium, Pat Ryan did

 

[Sheffielder]

I commented elsewhere that I suspect they held on pricing "general" season tickets after evaluating demand for the Club seats, and demand there was brisk. I get the fundamentals of supply and demand, but it's kind of a slap in the face that "longtime" fans were unable to get into the Club for less than a G and now are looking at seats that are only marginally less expensive. For me I just worry even if they lower prices after the bloom is off the rose for the shiny new stadium...that people will have already left and won't be coming back - sadly, the Cats aren't the Bears or the Cubs where people have generations of fandom in their DNA. It is what it is; I imagine I'll go to games until I'm physically unable, but I fear this will reduce the number of people who have bought season tickets with me for years.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Looking at the map and the prices, I am feeling pretty disheartened about the affordability these prices. I used to sit in where section 235 or 237 will be in the NRF. I am guessing I believed I paid about $250 a ticket for the season. I know that was pretty low, but now it is looking like $1,400 a ticket. On top of that I also have two children that are old enough to go to games. Even looking at section 209 in the light purple, it is still $875. With 4 tickets, I am looking at about $500 a game with a seven game season. In comparison, I also get Michigan States emails, and similar positioned seat are about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost (depending on comparable sections) of the cost of the NRF seats.

That is for games that I use the seats. Will I be able to sell my tickets to even anything close to cost if I don't use them? I have a friend who has premium seats and has offered them for any games he can't go to (which will probably be a good chunk). I also live about 3.5 hours away, and my schedule doesn't always allow me to go to games (mostly night or Friday games).

I really hate to give up on my STH status, but this might be the time, and it makes me sad.

You can get in the “cheap” seats for $100 a game. You probably won’t make your money back on Rutgers, but you will double your money against PSU. This decision likely comes down to which games you can attend. If you can’t make the PSU, Iowa, Illinois game, you are likely better single game tickets. If you are willing to do it, you will get your money back on those three games despite having to sell to opposing fans. Something I don’t like to do. So, based on what you said, I would likely go single game tickets, especially with people you know willing to sell unused games. The posters often have or know of extras as well.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I commented elsewhere that I suspect they held on pricing "general" season tickets after evaluating demand for the Club seats, and demand there was brisk. I get the fundamentals of supply and demand, but it's kind of a slap in the face that "longtime" fans were unable to get into the Club for less than a G and now are looking at seats that are only marginally less expensive. For me I just worry even if they lower prices after the bloom is off the rose for the shiny new stadium...that people will have already left and won't be coming back - sadly, the Cats aren't the Bears or the Cubs where people have generations of fandom in their DNA. It is what it is; I imagine I'll go to games until I'm physically unable, but I fear this will reduce the number of people who have bought season tickets with me for years.

You can get in the stadium for $100 a seat. I hate to put it this way, but nobody cares about those casual fans that are used to sit mid field for $50 a game. Frankly, there weren’t a bunch of those people filling old RF to the rafters. People thought the Club seats wouldn’t sell, yet they are pretty much all gone already with the exception of the highest priced mid field seats for $5250 a season. I suspect they over played their hand on these, but the lower priced clubs sold fast. I couldn’t even get in the Loft Club and I’m a 15 year STH.

The Bears pricing is much higher and the views are much inferior. I tried for Bears/vikings early in the season and best I could see at a similar spot that I got in NRF were going for $700 a seat. My NU seats are a quarter of that. I think a lot of people are unaware of what it costs to go to a professional game or major college game now because they either don’t attend professional sports or they have been conditioned by below market tickets. Look, I’m not thrilled paying over double what I paid in the old dump, but I surely expected it. I don’t think $100 a game is cost prohibitive for a brand new stadium and all these comparisons with other teams are apples and oranges in my view as the product, amenities are completely different. If they price too high, they will come down. I don’t see this happening in most sections.

 

[NU'06er]

It's all simultaneously too expensive and exactly as expensive as anyone should expect for a B1G ticket in a new stadium in an era where programs are compelled to monetize every aspect of their existence in support of building and maintaining a competitive war chest.

 

[KramerCat91]

I'm not loving these prices. To save money, I probably won't buy tickets for the last 2 football games at Martin Field.

Tickets for the NCAA WLAX championship at Martin Field were a bargain, plus the outcome was great!

 

[Sheffielder]

You can get in the stadium for $100 a seat. I hate to put it this way, but nobody cares about those casual fans that are used to sit mid field for $50 a game. Frankly, there weren’t a bunch of those people filling old RF to the rafters. People thought the Club seats wouldn’t sell, yet they are pretty much all gone already with the exception of the highest priced mid field seats for $5250 a season. I suspect they over played their hand on these, but the lower priced clubs sold fast. I couldn’t even get in the Loft Club and I’m a 15 year STH.

The Bears pricing is much higher and the views are much inferior. I tried for Bears/vikings early in the season and best I could see at a similar spot that I got in NRF were going for $700 a seat. My NU seats are a quarter of that. I think a lot of people are unaware of what it costs to go to a professional game or major college game now because they either don’t attend professional sports or they have been conditioned by below market tickets. Look, I’m not thrilled paying over double what I paid in the old dump, but I surely expected it. I don’t think $100 a game is cost prohibitive for a brand new stadium and all these comparisons with other teams are apples and oranges in my view as the product, amenities are completely different. If they price too high, they will come down. I don’t see this happening in most sections.

There's nothing new to debate here, but I feel like I have a somewhat unique perspective as someone who has been attending games for years with friends who have no connection or allegiance to NU football. They bought their season tickets for years and sat through all the 3-9 seasons and the 1-11 seasons and paid "full price" even when they could have bought tickets for $5 (or less) on the secondary market, or just come to 1-2 games per year, not that a snoozer against Illinois State was ever a sure thing. They were mostly humoring me but at some level liked supporting a team "like NU." Now that's mostly out the window with NIL, which has made us a semi-pro team like everyone else (thought not quite as good at it yet).

You're right that "those casual fans...weren't filling old RF to the rafters" but frankly, no one was. So for them to attend practically every game for 15-20 years and now see their options are $100 seats in the end zone is a bummer. Loyalty doesn't count for anything...fine. Raise prices on short-term demand, also fine. The misnomer here is adjusting prices later when demand goes down. Once they're out of the habit of going at all, they aren't coming back.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

There's nothing new to debate here, but I feel like I have a somewhat unique perspective as someone who has been attending games for years with friends who have no connection or allegiance to NU football. They bought their season tickets for years and sat through all the 3-9 seasons and the 1-11 seasons and paid "full price" even when they could have bought tickets for $5 (or less) on the secondary market, or just come to 1-2 games per year, not that a snoozer against Illinois State was ever a sure thing. They were mostly humoring me but at some level liked supporting a team "like NU." Now that's mostly out the window with NIL, which has made us a semi-pro team like everyone else (thought not quite as good at it yet).

You're right that "those casual fans...weren't filling old RF to the rafters" but frankly, no one was. So for them to attend practically every game for 15-20 years and now see their options are $100 seats in the end zone is a bummer. Loyalty doesn't count for anything...fine. Raise prices on short-term demand, also fine. The misnomer here is adjusting prices later when demand goes down. Once they're out of the habit of going at all, they aren't coming back.

I appreciate your friends supporting the program. I think I am like them as well as I have zero affiliation to NU other than being a fan. However, at some point, you have to make a decision on what price point makes you no longer be a paying fan. It’s just not realistic for you or them to think you are getting seats at the same yard line for a similar price in the new yard. If it results in empty seats, NU seems to be fine with that. Frankly, so am I. I have repeatedly stated that I would rather sit next to an empty seat than Wally Wisky fan who bought his ticket for $50 less than me and screams obscenities about our team for four quarters. ST’s likely aren’t going to be for fans like your friends. Buy single game on the secondary. Keeps cost down and you get to a few games. Split ST’s among the group, going to half the games may be more manageable. There are options. I would also challenge the perception that end zone seats are putrid in the new RF.

 

[hdhntr1]

It's all simultaneously too expensive and exactly as expensive as anyone should expect for a B1G ticket in a new stadium in an era where programs are compelled to monetize every aspect of their existence in support of building and maintaining a competitive war chest.

Supposedly about 75% of the price of the ticket is donation, One the one hand makes it really expensive and on the other it can make it easier for then to reduce the required donation as they did at Welsh Ryan after about two years

 

[hdhntr1]

I commented elsewhere that I suspect they held on pricing "general" season tickets after evaluating demand for the Club seats, and demand there was brisk. I get the fundamentals of supply and demand, but it's kind of a slap in the face that "longtime" fans were unable to get into the Club for less than a G and now are looking at seats that are only marginally less expensive. For me I just worry even if they lower prices after the bloom is off the rose for the shiny new stadium...that people will have already left and won't be coming back - sadly, the Cats aren't the Bears or the Cubs where people have generations of fandom in their DNA. It is what it is; I imagine I'll go to games until I'm physically unable, but I fear this will reduce the number of people who have bought season tickets with me for years.

And they likely ate tickets often enough. But one thing to eat at ticket at $50 and quite another when they are several hundred dollars a piece.

 

[Catmandoo78]

Supposedly about 75% of the price of the ticket is donation, One the one hand makes it really expensive and on the other it can make it easier for then to reduce the required donation as they did at Welsh Ryan after about two years

We have among the worst NIL funds in the conference. I highly, highly, highly doubt that they’ll be reducing required donations soon, if ever.

 

[hdhntr1]

We have among the worst NIL funds in the conference. I highly, highly, highly doubt that they’ll be reducing required donations soon, if ever.

After a couple years the novelty of the new stadium wears off and without a consistent high level (championship or playoff level under expanded format) program, demand goes down pretty quickly (especially when prices are at least 50% higher than our peers). Like it or not, that is the reality of NU support, There are simple not that many NU fans, Plus I have seen no indication that any of the required ticket contributions being earmarked for NIL

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Simple don’t buy season tickets!

 

[its_the_sauce]

I could be wrong but I think demand for NRF tix will stick around for a while even if we end up tanking (which I don't foresee). The reason being is people will finally realize what they've been missing. Think about this for a minute. This will be the first brand new/start from scratch major football stadium built in the Chicago area since the first Ryan Field/Dyche Stadium LOL. Soldier Field was just a redo and still has some major shortcomings (full disclosure, I'm a Bears STH and am one of the few who loves it save for the bathroom situation). Fans will experience wide concourses, comfortable seats. elevators, and (I assume) plenty of bathrooms for the first time. I know quite a few football fans who have never been to a game in Evanston before who can't wait to check it out. Let's be honest, with exception of Minnesota fans all of our Big 10 brethren who live in the Chicago area are also very familiar with dumpy old football stadiums.

 

[hdhntr1]

I could be wrong but I think demand for NRF tix will stick around for a while even if we end up tanking (which I don't foresee). The reason being is people will finally realize what they've been missing. Think about this for a minute. This will be the first brand new/start from scratch major football stadium built in the Chicago area since the first Ryan Field/Dyche Stadium LOL. Soldier Field was just a redo and still has some major shortcomings (full disclosure, I'm a Bears STH and am one of the few who loves it save for the bathroom situation). Fans will experience wide concourses, comfortable seats. elevators, and (I assume) plenty of bathrooms for the first time. I know quite a few football fans who have never been to a game in Evanston before who can't wait to check it out. Let's be honest, with exception of Minnesota fans all of our Big 10 brethren who live in the Chicago area are also very familiar with dumpy old football stadiums.

With Welsch Ryan, we had just come off of our first NCAA appearance and a year at Allstate. The novelty wore off after a couple years and they were forced to reduce the required donations, And that holds 6500 and not 35K. I see a similar situation occurring at NRF. A big part of the issue is that there are just not that many local undergraduate alums. Over the last 40 years (ages 25-65) we have graduated about 70K and maybe 35k remain in the Chicago area (UofI by comparison has about 200K in the Chicago area and many other BIG schools have significantly more alums in Chicago area than we do) And while in school most were not really FB or even sports fans, There are non fan alums but that is still not a large number.

Reality is that NRF will be a novelty but novelty wears off, And when it does people will start making decisions based on cost and convenience (or lack of it in the case of NRF) and alternatives for their time and money, There will be die hards but that number is likely to be limited

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

With Welsch Ryan, we had just come off of our first NCAA appearance and a year at Allstate. The novelty wore off after a couple years and they were forced to reduce the required donations, And that holds 6500 and not 35K. I see a similar situation occurring at NRF. A big part of the issue is that there are just not that many local undergraduate alums. Over the last 40 years (ages 25-65) we have graduated about 70K and maybe 35k remain in the Chicago area (UofI by comparison has about 200K in the Chicago area and many other BIG schools have significantly more alums in Chicago area than we do) And while in school most were not really FB or even sports fans, There are non fan alums but that is still not a large number.

Reality is that NRF will be a novelty but novelty wears off, And when it does people will start making decisions based on cost and convenience (or lack of it in the case of NRF) and alternatives for their time and money, There will be die hards but that number is likely to be limited

I pay $0 in required donations and I have good seats.

 

[hdhntr1]

I pay $0 in required donations and I have good seats.

I wouldn't be so sure. The donations are supposedly included in the ticket prices listed, They did it together to avoid the confusion that they had at the Lakeside facility. The donations are around 75% of the total so a ST costing $2000 would be approximately $1500 for the donation and $500 for the actual ST. Which makes some sense as taxes are based on ticket prices and not on the donated part. The ratio may be a bit different based on where in the the seat is in the stadium but it still likely that the the price you pay is still some mix of donation and actual ticket price

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I wouldn't be so sure. The donations are supposedly included in the ticket prices listed, They did it together to avoid the confusion that they had at the Lakeside facility. The donations are around 75% of the total so a ST costing $2000 would be approximately $1500 for the donation and $500 for the actual ST. Which makes some sense as taxes are based on ticket prices and not on the donated part. The ratio may be a bit different based on where in the the seat is in the stadium but it still likely that the the price you pay is still some mix of donation and actual ticket price

Where are you getting this information? I paid for my ST’s and there is zero mention of a donation. It’s only a ticket price and I have zero tax deduction from the purchase.

 

[its_the_sauce]

Where are you getting this information? I paid for my ST’s and there is zero mention of a donation. It’s only a ticket price and I have zero tax deduction from the purchase.

I was told when I bought mine (Loft Club) there was a built in donation, the exact amount had yet to be determined. I specifically asked as I was concerned about getting more priority for parking.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I was told when I bought mine (Loft Club) there was a built in donation, the exact amount had yet to be determined. I specifically asked as I was concerned about getting more priority for parking.

Isn’t that better than a straight price increase for the ticket?

 

[hdhntr1]

Where are you getting this information? I paid for my ST’s and there is zero mention of a donation. It’s only a ticket price and I have zero tax deduction from the purchase.

I got the info from my rep. Of course, you had to ask the question, which I did. (My questions to him were, Is a donation part of the ticket price and what portion is the donation? Yes and about 75%), As I said, this time they bundled the information and only gave the combined price because they wanted to reduce the confusion that happened over the last couple years, . And you do not get a tax deduction for donations required to purchase tickets

Charitable FAQs: What isn’t deductible? - HKA CPAs & Advisors

Written by Kristalyn Shinn and Jennifer Chapdelaine Athletic donations to schools Auto contributions – need a letter …

hkacpas.com

Here are the specifics

Tickets to college athletic events no longer have a charitable contribution deduction. Donations to college sports not conferring to rights to purchase season tickets are generally fully deductible. If you are a college sports fan and would like to contribute to the cause with a deductible donation, make sure any athletic donations are not tied to season tickets.

 

[hdhntr1]

Isn’t that better than a straight price increase for the ticket?

In my opinion, it is potentially better for at least three reasons. First, at least some of the taxes on tickets (amusement tax?) are often based on the price of the tickets so lower pricing on the actual tickets should reduce the tax grab. Second, the donations should count toward parking requirements. And third, if demand declined (as it probably will after a couple seasons) it would likely be easier reduce the required donation rather than reduce the actual ticket price

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

In my opinion, it is potentially better for at least three reasons. First, at least some of the taxes on tickets (amusement tax?) are often based on the price of the tickets so lower pricing on the actual tickets should reduce the tax grab. Second, the donations should count toward parking requirements. And third, if demand declined (as it probably will after a couple seasons) it would likely be easier reduce the required donation rather than reduce the actual ticket price

When are you touring the stadium? Can’t wait for thoughts on NRF.

 

[hdhntr1]

When are you touring the stadium? Can’t wait for thoughts on NRF.

I went last week, That is where I got the information regarding the breakdown of the ticket price makeup (approx 75% donation), But could not get into the actual stadium. We went to a preview room with a scale model of it and it can be hard to tell (at least it is three dimensional). They keep on saying that only 10% of the stadium is premium seating (that would only be about 3500 seats). But when you look at the pricing chart, it sure does not look that way as on the West side, basically nothing outside of end zones is considered general admission and on E side nothing in the lower deck (basically outside the end zones) again nothing is GA. Some seats are gonna be sold this year as GA but next year those same seats are gonna be premium and people buying them this year are gonna be sticker shocked at renewal time .

Since 2 of the games this year will be at Lakeside and sold separately, I confirmed that the NRF tickets for this year are supposed to be approx 5/7s of what is posted. He said that there were about 300 accounts left in tier 1 that have not gotten placed but it is likely that only about half of those are likely to get tickets as many of them have that status because of sizable past donations, Then tier 2 supposedly is a relatively small category and is about 700 accounts, If you figure that each account likely averages 4 tickets (some two, some 4 and some with more), that would indicate about 600 tickets for tier 1 remaining to be selected. By the same math, Tier 2 (my group) would likely be about 2800 more seats. Sortta depends on time slot

Actual ticket selection for tier 2 are gonna be in about a week and a half. Gotta check closer to actual dates for time slots

 

[jne381]

I have my appointment with the ticket rep on Friday. However, thinking through it logically, I am very unlikely to renew. My friend with the super premium seats told me he is likely to not use them very often, he bought them more as a way to support the university, and I will get to use them whenever he doesn't go. If there happens to be a game we both want to go to, I will just buy tickets for that game. Even if I did buy them, there is likely only three games I will actually go to. I will go to Homecoming, I am going to see them the next week at MSU, I would skip Rutgers because going to a ball game three weeks in a row is not going to happen. Then I would go to Iowa and Illinois. No Penn State because I can't make it there on a Friday night. I would like to one of the last games in the temp field, but those are both night games as well, it is just not going to happen.

However, when I think about it with my heart, I still want to but them. My wife keeps talking me down.

 

[hdhntr1]

I have my appointment with the ticket rep on Friday. However, thinking through it logically, I am very unlikely to renew. My friend with the super premium seats told me he is likely to not use them very often, he bought them more as a way to support the university, and I will get to use them whenever he doesn't go. If there happens to be a game we both want to go to, I will just buy tickets for that game. Even if I did buy them, there is likely only three games I will actually go to. I will go to Homecoming, I am going to see them the next week at MSU, I would skip Rutgers because going to a ball game three weeks in a row is not going to happen. Then I would go to Iowa and Illinois. No Penn State because I can't make it there on a Friday night. I would like to one of the last games in the temp field, but those are both night games as well, it is just not going to happen.

However, when I think about it with my heart, I still want to but them. My wife keeps talking me down.

You could always buy a couple cheap end zone area STs just to keep your ST status and continuity, For this year I think that they would cost about $500 each (5/7 of listed price). It buys you a year and then you can take your time to decide what you want to do for next year, (Cheap insurance for the added flexibility) And if you cannot go to a game, this year the tickets a likely to be in short supply so if you really needed to you could even recoup some of the cost if you needed to.

Last year I bought an extra ST ticket at WR but it was in the upper deck and in an area with no premiums, (went up to check it out once and it had pretty good sight lines) It gave me flexibility for to take a couple and was money well spent. (I have a friend sitting near me that often has an extra ticket but his are physical but this way only have to go through the gyrations if I am taking a 4th) There were generally open seats around my base tickets so everyone still sits close together most of the time, The actual seat was only used once, but the ticket was used for about 70% of games . Very cost effective

 

[NU'06er]

This story on why World Cup ticket prices are so high has a lot of overlap with the discussion of New Ryan Field, even if it's not directly about college sports or NIL. These quotes in particular stood out:

“Free agency, global media exposure and enormous television contracts have transformed elite athletes into worldwide brands. Payrolls in all the pro sports leagues are exponentially higher than they once were. Those costs inevitably flow downstream to the consumer.

“Second, the stadium experience has changed. Decades ago, many venues were relatively simple places to watch a game. Today’s stadiums are billion-dollar entertainment complexes filled with premium seating, luxury suites, massive video boards, hospitality areas, technology infrastructure and year-round commercial development.”

"we have seen sports franchises engineer scarcity by actually reducing the number of available tickets. Rather than expand access, they have built new stadiums, or renovated existing venues, to reduce overall seating capacity while increasing the number of luxury suites and skyboxes. By creating greater scarcity and catering to wealthier fans, teams have been able to drive up ticket prices across the board"

“The majority of fans, who cannot afford these tickets, will just say: ‘That’s OK, I’ll watch it at home on my big TV, with my own beers and snacks, or, if I want company, I’ll go to a bar and watch it’.”

All seems on point to me. It's the new era of college football: NU is a brand like any other even if not the very top of the market; it costs more than it ever has to try to keep a competitive roster stocked; the stadium is new, smaller, and more geared toward "premium" experience; and, that money has to come from somewhere, so up the prices go.

I remember in bygone days doing the math on how many people attend Northwestern, how many years of football games each alum would have to attend for the old stadium to be permanently 100% Wildcats supporters, and thinking going to at least that many games was doing my part to create a homefield advantage. That feels a quaint notion these days. I don't even mean this as a complaint, it's just an acceptance of the way it is. I hope for the success of the program and always will, but I'm under no illusion that I'm anything other than a mark to sell to for feeling that way now...

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

This story on why World Cup ticket prices are so high has a lot of overlap with the discussion of New Ryan Field, even if it's not directly about college sports or NIL. These quotes in particular stood out:







All seems on point to me. It's the new era of college football: NU is a brand like any other even if not the very top of the market; it costs more than it ever has to try to keep a competitive roster stocked; the stadium is new, smaller, and more geared toward "premium" experience; and, that money has to come from somewhere, so up the prices go.

I remember in bygone days doing the math on how many people attend Northwestern, how many years of football games each alum would have to attend for the old stadium to be permanently 100% Wildcats supporters, and thinking going to at least that many games was doing my part to create a homefield advantage. That feels a quaint notion these days. I don't even mean this as a complaint, it's just an acceptance of the way it is. I hope for the success of the program and always will, but I'm under no illusion that I'm anything other than a mark to sell to for feeling that way now...

Yes, it’s about revenue while maintaining a semblance of home field advantage. Nobody cares about you, me, our casual friends that may attend if it’s cheap, or anyone else.

 

[docrugby1]

Europeans have been surprised about the cost of World Cup tickets. Evidently, tickets are not subject to the predatory secondary market like in the USA.
I have only used Ticketmaster.ie(Ireland) for rugby matches in Dublin's Aviva. Recently, tickets for the Semi-final of the European Championship at midfield 2nd deck were only E42.50. I can only assume that there are price restrictions on the secondary European market.
I may buy the cheapest seat available at the NRF, sell the PSU ticket since I will be in Italy, recovering a fair percentage of the ST cost. I will maintain my consecutive STH years and wait to see what happens with ST prices in the future. If I buy the ST , I will not be able to travel to all the games, I will post on WR if the ticket is available , so the seat will remain purple

 

[NJCat]

Europeans have been surprised about the cost of World Cup tickets. Evidently, tickets are not subject to the predatory secondary market like in the USA.
I have only used Ticketmaster.ie(Ireland) for rugby matches in Dublin's Aviva. Recently, tickets for the Semi-final of the European Championship at midfield 2nd deck were only E42.50. I can only assume that there are price restrictions on the secondary European market.
I may buy the cheapest seat available at the NRF, sell the PSU ticket since I will be in Italy, recovering a fair percentage of the ST cost. I will maintain my consecutive STH years and wait to see what happens with ST prices in the future. If I buy the ST , I will not be able to travel to all the games, I will post on WR if the ticket is available , so the seat will remain purple

I will need a ticket for PSU. Contact me if you want to sell.

 

[CoralSpringsCat]

I went last week, That is where I got the information regarding the breakdown of the ticket price makeup (approx 75% donation), But could not get into the actual stadium. We went to a preview room with a scale model of it and it can be hard to tell (at least it is three dimensional). They keep on saying that only 10% of the stadium is premium seating (that would only be about 3500 seats). But when you look at the pricing chart, it sure does not look that way as on the West side, basically nothing outside of end zones is considered general admission and on E side nothing in the lower deck (basically outside the end zones) again nothing is GA. Some seats are gonna be sold this year as GA but next year those same seats are gonna be premium and people buying them this year are gonna be sticker shocked at renewal time .

Since 2 of the games this year will be at Lakeside and sold separately, I confirmed that the NRF tickets for this year are supposed to be approx 5/7s of what is posted. He said that there were about 300 accounts left in tier 1 that have not gotten placed but it is likely that only about half of those are likely to get tickets as many of them have that status because of sizable past donations, Then tier 2 supposedly is a relatively small category and is about 700 accounts, If you figure that each account likely averages 4 tickets (some two, some 4 and some with more), that would indicate about 600 tickets for tier 1 remaining to be selected. By the same math, Tier 2 (my group) would likely be about 2800 more seats. Sortta depends on time slot

Actual ticket selection for tier 2 are gonna be in about a week and a half. Gotta check closer to actual dates for time slots

I’m rooting for you!

 

[hdhntr1]

Europeans have been surprised about the cost of World Cup tickets. Evidently, tickets are not subject to the predatory secondary market like in the USA.
I have only used Ticketmaster.ie(Ireland) for rugby matches in Dublin's Aviva. Recently, tickets for the Semi-final of the European Championship at midfield 2nd deck were only E42.50. I can only assume that there are price restrictions on the secondary European market.
I may buy the cheapest seat available at the NRF, sell the PSU ticket since I will be in Italy, recovering a fair percentage of the ST cost. I will maintain my consecutive STH years and wait to see what happens with ST prices in the future. If I buy the ST , I will not be able to travel to all the games, I will post on WR if the ticket is available , so the seat will remain purple

Only one ticket these days?

 

[docrugby1]

Only one ticket these days?

Just one , not 4. No one in my family wants to watch NU football. I now have a condo in Hubbard Woods, so I will probably look for back to back home games for efficient travel.

 

[docrugby1]

I will need a ticket for PSU. Contact me if you want to sell.

I may try a WR auction- that would be interesting

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

I may try a WR auction- that would be interesting

Based on the comments from many, I would expect 50% of face value because that’s what they were used to paying in the old dump.

 

[NJCat]

I may try a WR auction- that would be interesting

 

[hdhntr1]

I appreciate your friends supporting the program. I think I am like them as well as I have zero affiliation to NU other than being a fan. However, at some point, you have to make a decision on what price point makes you no longer be a paying fan. It’s just not realistic for you or them to think you are getting seats at the same yard line for a similar price in the new yard. If it results in empty seats, NU seems to be fine with that. Frankly, so am I. I have repeatedly stated that I would rather sit next to an empty seat than Wally Wisky fan who bought his ticket for $50 less than me and screams obscenities about our team for four quarters. ST’s likely aren’t going to be for fans like your friends. Buy single game on the secondary. Keeps cost down and you get to a few games. Split ST’s among the group, going to half the games may be more manageable. There are options. I would also challenge the perception that end zone seats are putrid in the new RF.

The way you are sitting next to empty seats is that they belong to ST holders that do not attend, In this stadium it those seats are not being sold to the ST holders, they will be NUs to do with what they want and they will want to sell to who ever has the money to pay for them for individual games. That means the likelyhood of you sitting next to the crazy WIS, IA< etc fans goes up not down

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

The way you are sitting next to empty seats is that they belong to ST holders that do not attend, In this stadium it those seats are not being sold to the ST holders, they will be NUs to do with what they want and they will want to sell to who ever has the money to pay for them for individual games. That means the likelyhood of you sitting next to the crazy WIS, IA< etc fans goes up not down

Sorry, this is hogwash. In the old dump, it was NU season tickets holders that mostly put their tickets on the secondary market. They didn’t have some stipulation or moral compass that only allowed them to resell to purple clad fans. The tickets were so cheap, they used them for there 1-2 games a year and pawned the rest for best offer. I am glad these people are getting priced out. Let that drunk Wisky or Iowa fan pay full price and let that “former” STH buy single game tickets just like the opposition does. Sure they will enjoy sitting with each other.

 

[NU'06er]

I am glad these people are getting priced out. Let that drunk Wisky or Iowa fan pay full price and let that “former” STH buy single game tickets just like the opposition does. Sure they will enjoy sitting with each other.

I would think NU selling a cheaper ticket results in more purple in the stands, not less, but my that’s based on an assumption that there is a finite amount of NU fans that consider going depending on the price, and an infinite amount of opposing B1G fans willing to buy the remainder at market value (in no small part due to the market value still being comparatively cheap for lack of demand).

It’ll be an interesting experiment to see what happens with a higher face value testing both sides. Initially, I think novelty is going to mean more NU folk willing to pay and thus more purple crowds despite the increased price. I’m not as convinced it’ll be sustainable that way though—I think we’re a few years away from previously capture-able NU fans thinking it’s not worth paying NFL prices to get in the door for a product that doesn’t win enough, to be surrounded by visiting fans that maybe used to be able to scalp a ticket for pennies on the dollar and now shrugs as they scalp their tickets for quarters on the dollar.

I’m sure New Ryan Field is going to be great from an amenities standpoint/state-of-the-art. But the best seat at a Northwestern game has always been the one with the least invading fans in close proximity—I’m not gonna have a lot of sympathy for appeals to improve our home field advantage at a premium price if silent counts at home in front of the nice new suites and video boards are the norm…