As Indiana University prepares to face the University of Miami in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, ticket prices are reaching historic levels.
Tickets on secondary markets are currently starting around $3,200 for the game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a sharp increase from last year’s championship prices of around $2,000. According to Liz Wanless, director of the IU Sports Innovation Institute, the rise shows the urgency both fanbases feel for the matchup.
“Miami is a historic football program. They’ve won some national championships, and they’re looking for their place on the stage another time,” Wanless said. “And for IU, it is a historic opportunity to see this amazing season culminate in a potential national championship.”
Wanless explained that several factors drive championship ticket prices higher, including the strength of each fan base and the game being at home for Miami.
“When we see these types of games where you have a close proximity to the stadium, where you have an iconic fan sense of urgency, it’s an iconic experience for fans,” Wanless said. “When you have strong fan brands, you will see those prices continue to be very high.”
IU fans have already made their presence known this postseason. At both the Peach Bowl and the Rose Bowl, Indiana fans dominated the stands, with some estimates showing IU supporters made up nearly 80 percent of the crowd in Atlanta.
Despite the trend, Wanless predicts Miami’s home-field advantage will shift the balance at the national championship. She estimates the 65,000-seat stadium will be split roughly 60 percent Miami fans and 40 percent IU fans.
Beyond ticket costs, IU fans traveling to Miami are facing additional expenses. Plane tickets from Miami to Indianapolis the day after the game are starting around $800, while parking passes near Hard Rock Stadium are selling for up to $750 on secondary markets.
“My prediction is that IU fans will continue to own the stadium in terms of fan intensity, even with a 40 percent show,” Wanless said.
Each school received an allotment of 20,000 tickets to distribute to their fan bases. IU offered select students the chance to purchase tickets through a raffle, and season ticket holders were given the opportunity to buy tickets.
According to IU senior Deepesh Lakkaraju, the student raffle sold out within minutes. He was initially waitlisted when the tickets went live.
“I just remember logging on to the site, and it was just like, really, really, like, slow,” Lakkaraju said. “There’s just so many students trying to buy tickets.”
Lakkaraju said he couldn't afford to go to the game without the student ticket price.
“I already booked my flight and Airbnb before, because I didn't realize that they would sell out so quickly,” he said.
Lakkaraju was able to buy a ticket on Thursday. He is going to the game with five of his friends.
“I just know that there's a huge demand, and it's probably not possible to unfortunately fulfill everyone's demand, but I'm super grateful and excited to go,” he said.
With resale prices exceeding $3,000, many fans face a difficult decision between attending the game and cashing in on their tickets through the resale market.
“For students that’s around $200, and for fans that are not students that could be anywhere around $500 a ticket,” Wanless said. “If we know the get-in price is $3,000 or around that, there is some financial gain that can happen for fans who want to sell their opportunity away.”
For fans still hoping to attend without a ticket, Wanless suggests monitoring the secondary market closely as it gets closer to kickoff.
“That may mean traveling there without a ticket,” Wanless said. “That may mean buying your plane ticket before you have a ticket, because the prices tend to take a drop at those periods before games.”
She said, in some cases, the lowest prices can come when walking up to the stadium just before kickoff.
“I think whether you're home in Bloomington or if you're able to go to Miami and make it, it'll be a really exciting time,” Lakkaraju said. “Let's go Hoosiers!”
