With the college football season officially under way, fan excitement continues to reach unprecedented heights–especially for the Alabama and Michigan faithful. This weekend, when these two teams face off at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the annual Cowboys Classic, a sold-out crowd of 80,000 will be in attendance. Given the implications of a win for either of these top-ten teams, college football analysts are dubbing this duel one of the most important games of the 2012 season. So, what does the buildup mean for ticket prices on the secondary market? Here’s a look at what we’ve unearthed at SeatGeek.
Ticketing Trends by the Numbers
–In terms of average ticket price, the Cowboys Classic is the most in-demand college football season opener of 2012. Tickets for the sold-out matchup between Alabama and Michigan are averaging $375.78 on secondary markets—representing a markup of 86% over average face value.
–Ticket prices to the storied game have fluctuated significantly throughout the course of the summer, with tickets sold during the month of June averaging around $400 before leveling off at $325.62 this month. When looking at week-over-week averages in August, ticket prices continue to trend downward immediately leading up to the event. The week of August 20th saw prices climb to $340—the highest of any 7-day period this month—before dropping to just over $300 in the past few days.
–Despite falling prices, this game is still far and away the most expensive opener of the season—with the average seat running nearly $115 or 44% more than a ticket to see the second priciest opener of 2012 between Notre Dame and Navy.
–Furthermore, this year’s Cowboys Classic is also the most expensive since its inauguration in 2009. Average ticket prices on the open market have jumped from $133 in 2010 to $375.78 this year—a 182% bump in just two seasons. When comparing Saturday’s game to the 2011 matchup featuring LSU and Oregon, the average ticket is fetching nearly $30 more—illustrating the tremendous hype and interest surrounding this kickoff event.
