Ticket buying strategy for OSU
I know the conventional wisdom generally is to wait as long as possible, but I wonder if that's the case this year given the, uh, unusual circumstances. Seems like the controversy, hype, stakes keep growing each day. While I haven't been looking everyday, the get-in price seems to be holding steady around $600-$700 the last couple few weeks, but I'm wondering if that gets higher once we get past the Maryland game.
So what does the collective wisdom of the board say? Should I lock in now, or wait until later next week?
November 15th, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
Hey Coach Harbaugh, I am sure this is just a back up plan in case Friday doesnt go so well. If you can't get tickets you can come to my house to watch.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
I'm guessing very late the night before you're going to find the cheapest tickets. You have to be willing wait though. That's the hard part.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
That's typical, but not always for the biggest games. I watched tickets for game 2 of the NLCS in Philly this year go from $320 up to $375 in the 24 hours before the game before I finally gave up and bought them
November 15th, 2023 at 1:09 PM ^
Buy early, but often. Also. Just curious. Wondering what happened to that smoke regarding UM having proof of others cheating? Was it a bluff? Just curious.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
"The waiting is the hardest part..."
-Tom Petty
November 15th, 2023 at 1:16 PM ^
we will all be awake anyway.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
There's also a delicate balance to consider of not waiting too close to game time to actually purchase them. With all tickets being electronic now (and most needing the seller to initiate the transfer) you can often be held hostage waiting for it to occur. As someone who has dealt with this more than once, it's not a fun situation. Customer service (if the website/app even has a phone number) will continue to want to wait to see if the seller comes through. Makes for a nightmare scenario where you cannot even purchase additional tickets without potentially having paid double. Just something to consider so you're not having an insanely bad experience on game day. Go Blue!
November 15th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
My guess would be tickets will go up in price. There’s a good chance this will be considered the biggest game ever played at Michigan stadium. In terms of what’s on the line, rankings and all the stuff from the past month.
I hope you get tickets. The fewer buckeye fans there, the better it will be for Michigan.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:22 PM ^
Biggest game ever played at Michigan stadium? Maybe.
But what I love about this game is that it has bigger implications -- and more pressure -- for OSU than it does for Michigan.
- If Michigan wins? A potentially cataclysmic loss for OSU's program, leading to months (if not more) of angst, internal questioning, and self-doubt.
- If OSU wins? A major disappointment for sure, but a speed bump as far as the program is concerned. Unless, of course, Harbaugh leaves.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:34 PM ^
A Michigan win has the potential to derail them by changing coaches. They are better off with Day than going with an unknown.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
Seriously though, I've never been to The Game so I'd imagine the price will only go up from here unless something unfortunate happens to OSU vs Minny this weekend (one can hope).
November 15th, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
Barely a dent. Both teams could lose Saturday and they would still control their own playoff destiny.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:10 PM ^
Don't want to hijack the string, but there's no way a 1-loss Michigan gets into the CFP.
The unbeatens get in first: UGA, FSU, Wash; leaving one spot for Texas, Oregon, Bama. This is where the sign-stealing scandal bites us. We will be given ZERO credit for SoS, and unless we demolish ohio, we are last to be considered amongst the other more "noble" programs who aren't mired in scandal.
It's truly "win or go home" from here on out.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
Agreed, we'd need basically all the teams currently ranked 4 to 8 to lose if we had a loss. Doesn't matter though, we're not losing
November 15th, 2023 at 3:17 PM ^
In addition, in Stephen's scenario Michigan's loss to Maryland would be far away the worst loss of any of the one loss teams. All the other one loss teams have losses to ranked teams. With Oregon and Alabama the team they lost to is currently ranked in the Top 10, and with Texas, Oklahoma is ranked. A loss to Maryland would be to an unranked team.
At this point in the season, unless there's a lot of chaos, Michigan probably has to be 13-0 to make the playoffs.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
If your goal is to go to the game, then buy the tickets now.
If your goal is to get the best deal possible and feel really good about how you scored cheap tickets, then good luck playing that game.
This is why I don't look at airline prices after I book them.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:40 PM ^
Most non-refundable airfare can now be turned into credit for future travel. I booked an upcoming trip for $9 plus credit I had left over from sporadically re-checking my existing tickets looking for a price drop.
In other words: keep looking at airline prices after you book them, unless you book the no-changes, basic economy type tickets.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
unless you book the no-changes, basic economy type tickets
I do generally. But I will keep your advice in mind next time. Good tip.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
There might be a slight drop in price very late, but I wouldn't count on a crash in demand.
This may be the biggest Michigan-Ohio State game ever.
Plan accordingly.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
In 2015 (oof) I got two tickets cheaply the day before- they were student tickets being dumped on craigslist that I then validated. I don't know if that will happen again but the alternative does seem to be paying $800 once the ticket and fees are factored in.
November 15th, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
Probably a lot of people planning on going but put their tickets out for sale at a crazy price that could make them change their mind. These people could leave the market late and prices could possibly drop a bit when dealing with people that really want to sell.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
Yeah with the soulless hairless nut fans waiting to snap them up no matter the cost !!
November 15th, 2023 at 12:59 PM ^
In 2021, I was looking at $2k for two tix by waiting to the end.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
I suggest buying tickets to a Taylor Swift show and then $600-700 per ticket will seem cheap in comparison. All about perspective.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:03 PM ^
She should be the half time entertainment for what these tickets are going for.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:22 PM ^
Other way around. The Game could be the opening act for TSwift and it would barely drive up her ticket prices. I have 5 and 7 year olds who only got into her music after she came through town this summer (thank god)... I am considering starting a savings plan to prepare for her next tour.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:48 PM ^
Luckily both my 7 year old and 17 year old daughters aren't into her somehow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't change.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:59 PM ^
My daughters are 4 and 6 and getting into it. Being in Cleveland and given her new boyfriend, I have a feeling we may get some tour dates next year and the girls will be putting the heat on to go.
November 16th, 2023 at 8:25 AM ^
fortunately, she tours very infrequently... i think we've got a few years to save up for the next one
November 15th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
I paid $1k for 2 tickets in 2021. It was beyond worth every penny!
November 15th, 2023 at 1:05 PM ^
Of the hundred plus games I've been to at Michigan stadium, OSU 2021 is the one I'm most glad I was at in person
November 15th, 2023 at 1:11 PM ^
Holy frijole! I've only been to one OSU game (1983) and my dad and I were able to score two tickets at face value outside the stadium on game day. Always will be grateful to the young man who sold them to us. It was a great shared memory. Michigan won 24-21. I believe it was Steve Smith's final season at QB. I also remember OSU tried a fumblerooski that Michigan recovered.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
Ticket prices have changed since '83 - so has the technology to buy them.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:12 PM ^
I was at the 83 game - my last one as a Michigan student
I think my ticket cost $6.50
November 15th, 2023 at 3:10 PM ^
Me too!
Some dude in a gorilla suit climbed up on the north endzone goal posts as the game was ending. He got pelted with marshmallows by the crowd.
Fun times.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:22 PM ^
I remember the marshmallows students threw from when I was a kid in the 90s. Do you know the reason they did that? I always thought it was amusing, but never figured out if there was a specific purpose or meaning
November 16th, 2023 at 5:30 AM ^
Because we could.
We threw TP and marshmallows. It was fun and nobody would get hurt.
But then they stopped it because even though nobody would get hurt, we were having too much fun. Can't have that.
November 15th, 2023 at 4:44 PM ^
Marshmallows or toilet paper rolls?
You had to stash a roll in reserve on Saturdays then because the dorm bathrooms had nothing left.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
It was the day of the game, and we just thought we'd go down there and give it a try, Again, eternally grateful to the guy who sold them to us. Very similar to the time my friend and I took the same chance in September, 1978 to see Bruce Springsteen at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. We parked in a lot and another car parked next to us. They had two main floor tickets that they sold us for face value. Maybe $10 apiece? The good old days...
November 15th, 2023 at 3:21 PM ^
Damn. I would have love to have see Bruce in the 70's.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:06 PM ^
Place all Buckeye ticket purchasers in the middle of the student section to be fair. They can be hall monitors and keep our students safe as is all the rage.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:20 PM ^
I ended up paying $550 for two extra tickets the week prior to the 2021 game. They weren't anywhere close to my season ticket seats in section 7, but worth it!
Obviously this year is different, a lot more on the line, so buy early.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
Is this really that different from 2021? We had the East division title and playoff bid on the line then, too.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:11 PM ^
We wanted to win, but didn't necessarily think we could win.
This year is . . . different.
November 15th, 2023 at 3:18 PM ^
A lot more intangibles on the line this year.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
I'm planning on going and I'm already wishing I'd made the jump a few weeks ago. Tough dilemma that I was struggling with was "get in" tickets were 650-750 (For reference - I'm using TicketIQ prices so all fees factored in)...but pretty damn awesome "you will definitely be on TV" tickets were only like $200-300 more. Yeah, I know... "only," but in terms of percentages paying an extra 30-40% for an awesome seat was enough for me to wait. Now most of those are gone and the "get in" tickets have gone up about $100.
Might end up doing the Lord's work and sitting in the OSU end zone sections (11/12/13) up high. I'd much rather go for a full on endzone view than something up high in the corners - I've always disliked the corner view in general and never understood why someone would prefer that over endzone. Will be awesome if we win, probably pretty miserable if it goes the other way.
November 15th, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
I would buy now. I looked a few weeks ago and the cheapest I could find was about $500 for a single, more if you wanted 2 together. I don't think they're going to get any cheaper.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:00 PM ^
The problem is there will never be a Michigan Ohio State game like this again. Ever. It will always mean a lot but with 12 teams starting next year in the playoff, it will never be the same. This is the last chance for a game like this. If this was next year, again, an important meaningful game for sure, but the loser doesn’t get a bye but most likely still hosts a playoff game two weeks later. The stakes simply won’t ever be the same. If enough people realize that they won’t sell and demand will remain high and this year at least tickets won’t drop. My opinion of course.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:05 PM ^
Unless you think we're going to lose to Maryland, waiting isn't going to do you much good. Buy them now.
November 15th, 2023 at 2:18 PM ^
I got 4 in Sec 24 last Thursday. I had been watching for months and these popped up and were pretty reasonably priced given West sidelines are the most expensive, and I decided the risk of them going up with a PSU win wasn’t worth what I might save with a loss (plus it was bad karma to wait on a loss). They went up over 50% after PSU win and have held there. On SH right now, unless you want to sit in the south end zone which I didn’t even consider given likely to be more red there, looks like $900 per ticket with fees in North end zone are the cheapest. My recommendation is pick a price you are sort of comfortable with (it’s all ridiculous at this point), and if you have a preference the sections you would prefer, and watch for the next few days to see if much changes. Not sure if the hearing Friday or the game Saturday will really have much impact, but who knows. Good luck.