If two teams play for a National Championship but most true fans can't see it in person, does it really happen?
We are getting close to bowl season, and I can’t wait to talk about the 34 meaningless games to be played from Shreveport to San Diego. Good seats still available.
Now if you are hoping to attend the one game that means something, good luck. Glendale, Arizona is the site of the BCS Championship game between #1 Auburn and #2 Oregon on January 10th. University of Phoenix Stadium holds 73,000 and both schools were allotted 17,000 tickets. Long-time contributors to the programs, and the most generous season-ticket holders will get first dibs, which means many season-ticket holders will be shut out.
That leaves 39,000 tickets to be sold on the open market. So like the Super Bowl, high-paying corporations scoop these up and entertain their clients who are more concerned with the status of going to the game, instead of the fans left home in Auburn and Eugene.
Scott Carr, Auburn’s Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs tells the Huntsville (AL) Times, “We could have probably sold 80,000-100,000″ tickets.
Those “lucky” to buy tickets at face value from the schools are looking to spend between $325-$350 per ticket. A quick check of the popular sports ticket site StubHub shows $875 as the cheapest seat available. And that’s not including airfare, hotel or booze money.
It certainly takes away the excitement of a collegiate atmosphere, and limits the amount of students and die-hard fans able to attend. This isn’t unique to football – I realize the same problem exists at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four since those games are played at a neutral site.
Now talk to any Auburn or Oregon fan, and they are stoked even if they can’t be there in person. But for me it leads back to the worn out, tiresome argument about the BCS vs playoff system. Maybe if we had a playoff, the games could be played on campus where they belong.
