Ticket Availability Remains High For BCS Title Game; Prices Dropping As Game Approaches

There are "thousands of tickets available" for the Notre Dame-Alabama BCS National Championship game on the "resale market, and prices are expected to drop approaching game day," according to Craig Davis of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. The average price of $1,807 on the secondary market "tops last year" when Alabama defeated LSU in New Orleans. That average of $1,739 was "the most expensive college ticket since SeatGeek began tracking tickets" in '10. SeatGeek.com Communications Dir Will Flaherty believes that '12 will "ultimately hang on to that distinction." The daily average has "recently slipped under $1,400, and Flaherty sees it falling to about $1,200 by Monday." StubHub PR Coordinator Shannon Barbara said that this year's title game is "already the top-selling event in the history of StubHub." The company as of Thursday afternoon had "nearly 3,900 tickets available starting at $1,000 for seats in the upper-level corners." Barbara "concurred that bargains are likely closer to game day." She said, "Our research shows that fans tend to save up to 30 percent on tickets when they purchase at the last minute. We will have a last-minute services location near the stadium where fans can pick up tickets they've purchased on the site." Davis notes early speculation was that "it could cost as much as $3,000 to get in to see two of college football's most storied teams in the biggest game of the year, particularly with Notre Dame vying for its first national title in 24 years." Flaherty said that it is "difficult to pinpoint why demand and prices have declined," though it appears that "playing the waiting game may pay dividends" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 1/4).

IT PAYS TO DISCOVER: Davis in a separate piece reports Notre Dame fan Dan Scaminace sent an e-mail to Discover Chair & CEO David Nelms, whose company sponsors the national championship game, "pleading his case" for tickets, and his words "struck a sympathetic chord" with the credit card company. Soon after Scaminace's e-mail, Discover reps "showed up at his home in Minnetonka, Minn., to award him with tickets for two club level seats as well as airline tickets and hotel accommodations." Scaminace in the e-mail "promised to cut up all of his credit cards from other companies, transfer outstanding balances to Discover and donate his earned cashback balance to charity." He also plans to "name a new dog Discover" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 1/4).