Tickets for Ohio State Univ.'s best home football games are "likely to become much more expensive," as prices will "rise much more than the 13 percent that so-called non-premier tickets are expected to go up," according to Bill Rabinowitz of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH. The OSU Athletic Council tomorrow will "ask that two games for the 2013, ’14, ’15 and ’17 seasons be designated as 'premier' games." Ticket prices for those games will "range from $110 to $150." The price of the '16 premier game, "undoubtedly against Michigan, will cost $175," which is 2 1/2 times the cost of last year’s $70 ticket. The Wisconsin and Penn State games are the "most likely targets for premium status" in '13. OSU Athletic Council Vice Chair Antoinette Miranda said that the organization "spent more than a year evaluating different proposals." Rabinowitz reports "significant increases were needed to fund the athletic program’s 36 self-sustaining programs, as well as to cover necessary costs such as building maintenance." The ticket price of the five football games "not designated as premier games in 2013 would be $79, an increase of $9 over the ticket price the past three years." Non-premier games would remain $79 through '17. Miranda said, "There is an expectation that there will be a backlash. (But) we do know that people on Stubhub pay way more than $175 for a ticket" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 1/24).
