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Student Ticket Prices in the Big Ten

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Michigan Student Section - Taken by Flickr user grgbrwn

After looking at student fees at various universities, many of you were interested to see the relationship between student fees and student ticket prices.

The Big Ten had the least number of universities relying on student fees of any conference. I previously discussed how that might be related to football revenue. Perhaps it’s also related to ticket demand, however, with many of the Big Ten schools having strong football and men’s basketball programs.

So, when students are paying little, if anything, in student fees to the athletic department, how expensive is it to attend a game?

School Student Activity Fee Football Student Ticket Price Basketball Student Ticket Price Packages Availability
University of Illinois $2,961,577.00 $99.00 $156.00 $134 for Block I season football tickets, which includes t-shirt, kickoff party and more  
University of Iowa $525,707.00 $175.00 $75.00   If more applications received than football season tickets available, priority given to those who completed application by certain deadline.
Indiana University $23.00 $30.00 N/A $270 for dual football-basketball season package  
University of Michigan $0.00 $250.00 $99.00-$125.00   Students must be registered for at least half-time in the fall for football season tickets. For away games, there is a lottery if more applications received than tickets available.
University of Minnesota $0.00 $91.00 $131.00    
Purdue University $0.00 $119.00 N/A $250 for dual football-basketball season package  
University of Wisconsin $0.00 $174.00 $220* *$110 for half-season basketball tickets with two different 9-game packages available Football tickets are first-come, first-serve, not lottery style. Undergrads go first with 1,700 tickets held for grad students who begin purchasing two weeks later.
Ohio State University $0.00 $165.00 $132.00   Availability for football season tickets based on seniority and FT status. Basketball season tickets only include Big Ten games and opening night. Students may also order one ticket each to remaining games for $16/game. Only 1,400 student season tickets available for basketball.
Michigan State University $0.00 $136.00 $171.00   Availability for football season tickets based on seniority and FT status
Penn State University $0.00 $218.00 $59.00   Released for sale based on class (senior, junior, etc.) until sold out
Northwestern University N/A Free with tuition Free with tuition   Young alumni season tickets available for football and basketball.

Those with student fees providing revenue to the athletic department didn’t have the cheapest student tickets in the conference. Illinois did come in below the average $145 price tag on football season tickets at $99, but Iowa outpaced the average at $175. In Iowa, as in most places, it’s likely a product of demand. Last season was the first season Iowa is believed to have sold out their entire football season prior to the start of the season.

Four schools in the Big Ten charged more for basketball season tickets than football: Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan State. The average price for basketball season tickets in the conference as a whole was just $20 less than football season tickets.

I came across several other interesting options and practices when it comes to student tickets. Several universities have options for the spouse of a student to purchase a season ticket at a price higher than students but lower than the general public, but only if tickets remain after student tickets are fulfilled. Iowa lists a “student guest” ticket at the same price as a season ticket for the general public, but presumably it would allow the guest to sit in the student section. It also carries an “if available” caveat, and based on the earlier discussion on last year’s ticket sales, I would say it’s unlikely these are available.

Indiana University has “Young Alumni” football season tickets available for $30 (the same price as current students) if you’ve graduated in the last three years.

Two of the most interesting things I found, however, were via University of Michigan (although some other universities have similar practices). First was the ability to buy tickets to away games. The following chart was on Michigan’s website showing the price and number of tickets student season ticket holders could purchase for away games:

GAME Price per ticket LIMIT
Northwestern $50 2
Michigan State $75 1
Iowa $70 2
Illinois $65 None

Students at Michigan also have the ability to transfer a student ticket to a non-student. According to Michigan’s website, students can purchase a validation sticker (price not yet determined for 2011) which allows them to transfer their student ticket to a non-student.

Big Ten fans, have I missed any other unique or unusual  aspects of student tickets at your university? What are your thoughts on the numbers presented?

*Please note, I’m going to do a separate piece on schools with revenue-generating hockey programs in the coming weeks. I’ll discuss hockey ticket prices and revenue then.

Thanks to my research assistant Andy Haugan for helping with this piece!


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