It never made much sense on paper. Attempting to fill a 47,000-plus seat football stadium at $50 per ticket is an easy task for most college football programs.
Northwestern has never traditionally been considered one of those programs. But with the right strategies and right winning tradition, Ryan Field can be sold out on a weekly basis.
Athletic Director Jim Phillips is no marketing fool. A large reason behind his decision to take the NU job was his passion for Cats sports growing up in the local area.
Off a 9-3 season that still saw NU fail to sell out a home game besides Ohio State, fixing the empty-seat issue began with taking a close look at season ticket policies.
Phillips did just that.
While sideline reserved tickets remained fixed at $228, the adult corner end zone option was reduced to $167. The school also instituted favors that included tickets to basketball and volleyball games, as well as reduced options for youths.
“We are confident that this season ticket plan makes Northwestern football one of the best entertainment values in Chicago,” Phillips said in a statement.
Based on the early figures on StubHub!, Phillips was right.
StubHub! often strikes fear in the hearts of sports fans. The exclamation point was obviously inserted to brainwash prospective buyers. It’s an open marketplace where those face-value tickets balloon to ridiculous prices.
It’s only April, but it appears the days of receiving cheap NU football tickets from the online beast are over.
On April 15, it was announced that the Penn State game at Ryan Field made the cut for 14 under-the-lights Big Ten telecasts. Currently, there are 12 seats available at costs ranging from $175 to $250. Plane ticket home? NU football ticket?
Plane ticket home.
Even a pair of sideline seats for the Indiana game are going as high as $150. Psychological examination? NU football ticket?
Psychological examination.
Yes, those prices may go down later. But that’s a far cry from the discounts received last season for openers against powerhouses Syracuse, Ohio and Southern Illinois. If you waited long enough, those tickets landed in your hands at prices as low as $8.
Chipotle burrito? NU football ticket? Chipotle burrito? NU football ticket?
Chipotle burrito…(buzzer).
Okay, so you get that feeling of indigestion either way. But at least the latter involves a competive football game with an exciting end.
I’d take 1,000 yards with a winner in Evanston over 1,000 calories in my stomach on any given day.
Sports editor Chris Gentilviso is a Medill senior. He can be reached at [email protected].
