Final Four Sticker Shock: That’ll Be $1,200 (Or $600 For A Dot On The Court), And An Illinois Invasion
Prices for the Final Four in Indy are climbing fast, with $600 getting you in the door and $1,200 getting you something resembling a view
INDIANAPOLIS — If you’re thinking about attending the Final Four this weekend, you might want to lock in tickets now, because who knows what ticket prices will be closer to tip-off.
This was always going to be a hot ticket given the matchups, but with Illinois just a two-hour drive from Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium could be bracing for an orange-clad takeover on Saturday.
With UConn, Arizona, Michigan, and Illinois all advancing, downtown Indy will be packed with fans starting Friday. And while the stadium holds nearly 70,000, that hasn’t stopped resale prices from surging after some of the participating schools started distributing their ticket allotments.
Also, each school is usually given around 4,000 tickets to sell to their fans, which usually go to season-ticket holders and donors. There will also be a small amount given to students at each participating school.
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As of Wednesday morning, the secondary market was already flooded with listings. StubHub had more than 1,200 listings Tuesday night, while TickPick showed over 3,000. Of course, each listing can include multiple tickets—but the volume alone tells you everything about demand, and we haven't even made it to Thursday.
If you just want to get into the building, expect to pay at least $600—and bring binoculars, because those seats are way up top.
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Want something closer to ‘midfield’ in the upper deck? That’ll run you more than $700, and prices will keep fluctuating as the weekend approaches.
And remember, this is only for Saturday night's action. Though, you are getting two great games.
But, I hope fans are prepared to take out a second mortgage, or forgo paying rent this month, if you are hoping to actually see what's transpiring on the court and not have to watch on the jumbotron.
Right now, it costs more than $1,200 to sit anywhere in the ‘lower-bowl’, which is technically just somewhere that you wouldn't need military-grade binoculars to see what is taking place on the court itself.
Final Four Ticket Prices Are Insanely High, With 4 Hottest Fan Bases Heading To Indy Via: TickPick
Final Four Ticket Prices Are Insanely High, With 4 Hottest Fan Bases Heading To Indy Via: Stub Hub
Clearly, sellers are banking on four passionate fanbases converging on Indianapolis. And if there’s one group likely to dominate the crowd, it’s Illinois—though Michigan fans could make it interesting.
Who will buy the majority of tickets for sale? Yea, I don't think anyone will touch Illinois in terms of fan support, though Michigan could give them a run. And, just so we're clear, that's not a shot at any group heading to town.
For everyone else, good luck waiting out the market to see if prices drop.
At this point, watching from your couch—or your favorite bar—might be the best value of the weekend.
And we haven’t even gotten to Monday night’s title game, where prices could shift again once two fan bases head home after the semifinals.