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This year’s Sugar Bowl will be one half of the first ever College Football Playoff. The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Ohio State Buckeyes on New Year’s Day at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The winner will not only have the pleasure of being crowned Sugar Bowl champions of 2015, but they will also get a chance at the national championship to be played twelve days later in Dallas, Texas.
A semifinal game between two of the most storied college football programs in the nation? With so much on the line this year, fans flocking to the secondary ticket market are seeing the highest prices for Sugar Bowl tickets in the past five years.
According to PrimeSport.com, this year’s Sugar Bowl has seen unprecedented demand with an average ticket price on the secondary market of $377. PrimeSport is the official fan-to-fan ticket exchange and VIP Hospitality Provider of the AllState Sugar Bowl, as well as the Rose Bowl Game. Both semifinals games are generating a significant amount of demand, but the Sugar Bowl is more than any other. At an average price of $377, Alabama vs. Ohio State tickets are $115 higher than the average price for Oregon vs. Florida State tickets at the Rose Bowl.
The premium is most likely due to the fact that Tuscaloosa is just a stone’s throw away from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Bama fans living near the university just need to take a quick four hour drive to get to New Orleans to cheer on the Tide on New Year’s Day.
Fans using PrimeSport will be able to find not only game tickets, but VIP hospitality packages that are available for pre-game. All you can drink beer, wine, and liquor is part of one package, as well as pre-game local cuisine such as grits, gumbo, and po’boys. The cheapest package that includes both a ticket and exclusive VIP access is $410.
The Crimson Tide played in the Sugar Bowl last season, falling to the Oklahoma Sooners 45-31. Alabama was coming off their devastating loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl and without a spot in the SEC Championship Game, they were out of the running for the national championship. With less riding on the game, A.J. McCarron and company trailed by two touchdowns at the half and never truly made it a game. While the players on the field were uninterested, the Alabama fan base showed even more apathy as the average ticket price was just $281.
The Buckeyes had a similar fate last year as they finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record. However, they fell to Michigan State 34-24 in the Big Ten Conference Championship, spoiling their chance at Florida State in the national championship. Instead, they faced a Clemson Tigers team in the Orange Bowl. It was a very back and forth game with the Buckeyes taking a 35-34 lead early in the fourth quarter. Clemson took a 40-35 lead, but a late Tajh Boyd interception gave Ohio State life. Two plays later, Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller returned the favor by throwing an interception that ultimately sealed the deal.
So 2013 certainly was not the year for either of these two teams, but 2014 has them back in contention for the national championship and has each fan base humming with excitement. Come New Year’s Day, the good feelings will continue for one side, while the other will hope 2015 brings better tidings.
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
