Looking for Tips for Away Game Tickets - Where to Sit @Maryland and @Rutgers
A little bit of background: My best friend and I went to college together at a non-football school on the East Coast (hence my name). After college, we both went to law school -- me to Michigan and him to another non-football school. I convinced him to visit me a couple times and I managed to convert him into a Wolverines fan.
Our plan moving forward is to go to at least one Michigan game each season. Since he's from NYC and I live in Maryland, the thinking is that I will go to him when we play at Rutgers and he'll come down here when we play at Maryland.
The one problem is that I have zero clue about buying away game tickets. It's easy for home games because I know the Big House and I know that there's only one part of the stadium I need to avoid (opposite of the student section, toward the top). However, I don't know the sight-lines of either Byrd Stadium or Rutgers' Stadium and I don't know where to sit as a Wolverines fan.
Does anybody have advice on the matter? Should I just buy tickets and assume that it will be fine? I know that tons of people on here have experience going to away games, so rather than stumble around in my own ignorance, I figured I'd ask the Board.
P.S. Rutgers' Stadium is not its real name, but this is college football and stadiums should not be named after corporations.
EDIT: Title edited for clarity.
This question has been asked a few times recently and that has come up the most next to your general StubHub/VividSeats, etc.
Apparently it finds the lowest online rates and puts them all into their site so guarantee the lowest price.
I've never used it.
My bad.
I used to work in athletics in Maryland...stay away from the bottom rows. They're sold as obstructed few...the people in the front row can't see over the players on the sideline - so they stand. Which means everyone basically has to stand for the next 10-15 rows or so.
They corrected the problem a little when they went to FieldTurf, but because they're locker rooms and team house are right off the field...they can't go down enough to fix the problem without making players take stairs to enter the field. I'm sure drainage and a bunch of other issues would occur as well.
I recommend sitting at the top of the lower section or bottom of the 2nd tier if you can find seats.
If you're up on the 3rd level and opposite Tyser Tower, you can see DC on a clear day - but it's a night game and who gives a shit about looking at DC when you're at a Michigan game.
The 3rd tier is REALLY steap as well, so beware if heights aren't your thing or the healthy isn't the best.
Lastly, stay away from the student section - at some schools, it's fine...not at Maryland for the first Michigan game in the B1G (maybe ever?) - unless you enjoy "drunken obnoxiousness"...don't do it. Maryland students in general are a blast, they know how to party...but for football they get blitz and just throw up on each other and fight.
Can't help you with Rutgers - I imagine you'll just be fighting for tickets with other Michigan fans so I sightlines and prices are all you should care about - we will likely outnumber the home team.
Incredibly helpful information. Thank you!
SundayFunday at my house. Came in to cool off, time for more cornhole and Bell's.
Let me know if you need a ride. Always willing to give a fellow Wolverine a lift.
I'm planning on taking the Metro (we'll be staying in DC). It looks like about a mile to the stadium, but we park that far away in Ann Arbor.
Someone said there were free shuttle buses similar to what we found at Rutgers last year but I haven't tracked down the details yet.
I'm looking for Penn State tickets as well; which sections are you looking at?
I was looking mostly in the north endzone lower bowl.
I'm planning on driving out of Happy Valley about an hour before stopping for the night. Not trying to stay in the town itself.
If you are going in the direction of Harrisburg, you should not have any problem once you reach that area. I did that once without even any resrvations at 1:00 in the morning after a game.
I'll be heading back to Ann Arbor, but I'm not too worried about it. Unless you're heading on the roads towards either Philly or Pittsburgh, I think it'll be fine.
If you are going to stop for the night, you'll have to go a little ways before you get to a population center that is not so close to Penn State as to be sold out, but big enough to have available rooms in clean safe predictable chains.
Penn State is in the middle of nowhere and the closest population centers of any size like Altoona and Harrisburg are not on the way to A2.
You'll probably be heading back on 80, so you may have to drive somewhat more than an hour to find that.
Growing up I used to do annual roadtrips between Connecticut and Wisconsin (not terribly fun lol) and we typically would stay in Western Penn off I-80 in Clarion. Clarion is about 90 minutes from Happy Valley back in the direction of Ann Arbor. But I think there are options in Dubois and Clearfield, which are slightly over or slightly less than an hour, respectively, from PSU. Little towns off I-80, but there are some hotel chains.
I have one ticket for sale. Bought four, need three. I can't remember the exact section of the top of my head but we are behind the visitor sideline, right about the 20 yard line, 13 rows up.
And I agree with poster whom also replied. We booked ours a couple months ago. We are staying in Altoona, about a half hour away. Cheaper and on the way home for us. I have co-worker whose son went to Penn State and she said to book super early.
Official Michigan visiting sections for this one are Section 2 and 302.
3, 28, 202, 203 and 303 will also be heavily Michigan (though not official sections), I would imagine. Basically the side of the field of the open endzone should be heavily Maize and Blue.
But I wouldn't worry much about being close to Michigan fans as I imagine there will be a significant amount of us scattered throughout the place.
I would just avoid Sections 17 and 7 (immediately adjacent to the student section).
Otherwise, anywhere should be fine.
As mentioned, lowest 10 rows in the lower bowl are relatively obstructed and the top 15-20 rows in the 300 deck are very steep. However, if you don't mind standing, look for tickets in the obstructed low rows of sections 6 through 3. You will have to stand to see, but you will be very close to the Michigan bench (and HARBAUGH) and the tickets aren't as expensive as most!
The DC area Michigan Alumni Assoc always has tickets every year for games like Maryland, Penn State, and Rutgers. You also get to sit with Michigan people as well.
I live in the DC area and I've used them for Penn State tickets in the past and will be using them for MD tickets this year. Not the most prime seats, but no fuss.
Section 203, Row M, Seats 11, 12. I have to check with my better half. The friends we invited can't go. $80/ticket. It's what I paid, $75/ticket plus a $5 service charge. That would eliminate any need for a ticket service.
I'll buy those off of you if they are available. Email me at [email protected].
I'll be in 203, Row C! Let's sing The Victors together after Michigan wins by 2 touchdowns :)
when I get home, shouldn't be an issue. I will try to remember to email you tonight.
Not so humblebrag.
So my eyes immediately went to the "noun" definition. Is that the name of a quartet or is every soul jazz playing organ quartet from New York a humblebrag?
Quick Google search reveals that it is the former: http://patch.com/new-jersey/cranford/humblebrag-to-perform-tuesday-at-westfield-jazz-fest_238494e0
I cannot go due to an academic commitment, but you should make a new post for the IU game specifically with ticket info!
August 10th, 2015 at 8:28 AM ^