Wisconsin and LSU will "break a 33-year absence of college football" at Lambeau Field on Saturday, and fans have "shelled out hundreds of dollars to be part of an expected sellout crowd of more than 80,000," according to Jason Galloway of the WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL. ESPN’s "College GameDay" will "set up outside the stadium," and ABC will "televise what will be one of the most-watched games in the country" on the opening weekend of the '16 season (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 9/1). TicketCity.com PR & Brand Communications Specialist Shannon McKinley cited data as indicating that the game is the "most expensive neutral site game in college football for opening weekend and the most expensive SEC game with a median ticket price on the secondary market at $250 each" (NOLA.com, 8/31). In Green Bay, Richard Ryman notes ticket prices on SeatGeek for the game "are significantly lower than one month ago, but the game is still the fourth most expensive at Lambeau Field." Online marketplace SeatGeek said that the average price of Saturday's game is $319. The median price one month ago "was $479, but has fallen to $297" (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 9/1).
READY FOR A PARTY: In Wisconsin, Bill Novak noted state transportation officials are "expecting greater traffic volumes" near Lambeau on Saturday than what "normally is on hand" for a Packers game. Throw in the start of the long Labor Day weekend, "ongoing road construction and a big influx of RVs and motor homes" and there will be the makings of a "traffic nightmare come game day." Big tailgating parties also are "in the works in parking lots near Lambeau, so some favored parking areas won't be available." LSU alumni have reportedly "gobbled up large tracts of parking already, paying in advance for entire lots close to Lambeau" (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 8/31).
PARTY ON BOURBON STREET? LSU Deputy AD Verge Ausberry on Tuesday said that scheduling an LSU game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome "remains a top priority." Ausberry said that he "hopes a game, possibly with a return neutral site game with another opponent, could be announced next year." Ausberry: "We'd like to open Labor Day weekend in New Orleans against a high-quality opponent." LSU "hasn't scheduled a game" in New Orleans since playing Tulane in '07 (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 8/31).
