Bowl Tickets - You Gotta Love NU

[T_Levine]

So as a season ticket holder I received an email regarding bowl tickets. Here's the skinny.

If you want bowl tickets you need to sign in and a site comes up with every bowl game, logo and date with ticket price range. You then have to identify how many tickets you want. You can select as many bowl games as we would end up playing in.

Then it says add to cart. No can do. Obviously a bug someplace.

But get this.

You have to request by December 2. Then on December 6, you are automatically charged for the tickets that you selected.

1.) I understand that this makes it easier for the athletic department to get a jump on things, but it does make people commit two weeks early, without knowing exactly which game and who the opponent will be.

2.) Any chance this is a way for the athletic department to gauge which game is most attractive for ticket sales and thus use the data point as a way of advocating for a particular bowl?

3.) if #2 is correct, I wonder if every Big Ten team is doing this and if so, VERY INTERESTING.

 

[phatcat]

not an STH but there is NFW I would commit to a number of tickets until it is announced. For instance, for me, flights to San Fran are like 700 right now. Guess what? I'm not spending 2800 for plane tickets for 4 people to go to a bowl game. Maybe they will drop by then, maybe not. Then hotel, car, TICKETS, etc.

Same reason I didn't go to the Rose Bowl but have been to 5 of our bowls - the NU package was, if I remember correctly, $1500 per person.

I don't mind the "gauge your interest" but not "gouge your checkbook"

 

[JournCat]

It's been a few years since the board has argued whether buying from the allotment is a civic duty. This kind of price gouging makes StubHub that much more tempting.

 

[Turk]

So as a season ticket holder I received an email regarding bowl tickets. Here's the skinny.

If you want bowl tickets you need to sign in and a site comes up with every bowl game, logo and date with ticket price range. You then have to identify how many tickets you want. You can select as many bowl games as we would end up playing in.

Then it says add to cart. No can do. Obviously a bug someplace.

But get this.

You have to request by December 2. Then on December 6, you are automatically charged for the tickets that you selected.

1.) I understand that this makes it easier for the athletic department to get a jump on things, but it does make people commit two weeks early, without knowing exactly which game and who the opponent will be.

2.) Any chance this is a way for the athletic department to gauge which game is most attractive for ticket sales and thus use the data point as a way of advocating for a particular bowl?

3.) if #2 is correct, I wonder if every Big Ten team is doing this and if so, VERY INTERESTING.

Look, there will be PLENTY of tickets. Even if you want to sit in the less desirable section that is NU's allotment. You will have all the same choices in a couple weeks, AND have more information.

 

[hdhntr1]

It's been a few years since the board has argued whether buying from the allotment is a civic duty. This kind of price gouging makes StubHub that much more tempting.

You mean since the last time we were in a bowl?

 

[shakes3858]

Notre Dame is doing the same thing and I believe sent their email out today as well. My Dad's dream is to have Northwestern and Notre Dame play close enough to each other and on different days so we could make them both. My Dad sent me an email today and wants me to commit to which games I would go to and what days I can stay.... He's highly concerned that with the 3 day difference between the the selection show and Notre Dame's application due date. My brother and I are more concerned about things like having to work and have basically told him to chill until we see the way the card fall.

 

[T_Levine]

The point isnt whether you should buy tickets through the university etc.

I was pointing out the crazy requirement that you had to commit to and technically buy the tickets before

a) we knew which bowl game
b) knew what the entire trip would cost any of us etc.

I can only assume that the university wants an advance idea of how many tickets they will sell at first pop and which bowl game has the most interest.

A simple survey monkey survey would do this trick as well.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Look, there will be PLENTY of tickets. Even if you want to sit in the less desirable section that is NU's allotment. You will have all the same choices in a couple weeks, AND have more information.

Exactly, why commit when there will be plenty of tickets no matter which bowl we go to.

 

[FarEastWildcat]

I would be in a complete state of shock, bordering on 'catatonia if NU sells its bowl allotment prior to December 15.

 

[catfans5]

My son's school, Oklahoma State, has the same arrangement. They also have yearly donation requirements to keep your seats, like many schools do.

 

[Fitz51]

If I'm going, I'm StubHubbing.