With last weekend to purchase, reserve CFP tickets rising for Alabama, Miss State
With just over a month remaining in the college football season, more games each week have begun to have playoff implications. That’s especially become true for games featuring SEC schools. A week ago, it seemed plausible that three schools from the conference could make the College Football Playoffs, just Alabama and Mississippi St came in the top four in this week’s CFP Rankings. Those schools have still have the Iron and Egg Bowls, respectively, which could hinder playoff hopes with a loss.
For those fans confident in their team’s chances to make it into the playoffs, just four days remain to reserve face value tickets from the TeamTix reserve market. The service allows fans to pay a fee for the right to purchase a face value ticket for an appearance in either the Rose or Sugar Bowl. With Alabama and Mississippi State as the two SEC schools in prime position for a playoff spot, it’s no surprise tickets for those two teams have the two highest reserve prices.
Even at those high prices, though, the reserve price is less expensive than the secondary market. According to TiqIQ, the secondary market price for Sugar Bowl tickets is currently $454 on the secondary market, while Rose Bowl tickets have an average price of $476.32.
Currently, the low reserve price for Alabama tickets is $164 for a lower end zone seat. With a face value ticket of $150 for the Rose Bowl and $200 for the Sugar Bowl, that would bring a Sugar Bowl total of $364 and a Rose Bowl average of $314 Both of those prices are below the overall secondary market price and well below the secondary market average for those sections.
The secondary market average price for a lower level end zone seat at the Sugar Bowl is currently $595.51, while the average in the end zone at the Rose Bowl is $437.14. That makes reserving an Alabama ticket 38.8% below the secondary average at the Sugar Bowl and 28% below the average at the Rose Bowl.
While Alabama is the No. 1 team in the CFB rankings entering the weekend, the reserve price for Mississippi State tickets is the highest in college football. The current reserve price is $199, which would make a Sugar Bowl total $399 and a Rose Bowl total $349. That still leaves the total values below the secondary market average, 33% below the Sugar Bowl average and 20% below the Rose Bowl average.
This weekend, the Crimson Tide will take on the Western California Catamounts and the Bulldogs will host Vanderbilt. With both schools likely to pick up a win, not much is likely to change in playoff odds before the chance to reserve these tickets expires. Of course, both schools have their big rivalry games, the Iron and Egg Bowls, the following weekend, which could significantly affect playoff seedings with a loss. For fans willing to take a chance, there might not be a better deal for College Football Playoff tickets this season.