April 4, 2016
(UPDATE 4/4/16) By midnight tonight, one team will be left celebrating at NRG Stadium in Houston. Villanova and North Carolina cruised to victories in the 2016 Final Four on Saturday night, knocking down Oklahoma and Syracuse in respective fashion to punch their tickets to the title game. A blowout game won't likely be in the cards tonight, however, as the two top schools in the nation go head-to-head for college basketball's ultimate glory.
And for fans hoping to attend, 2016 NCAA Championship Game tickets on the secondary market are still posting demand. According to TicketIQ the average price for tickets to tonight's game is now $615.44. That makes it the second most expensive championship game on average since at least 2011, when TicketIQ began tracking secondary market ticket data. Last year's title game between Duke and Wisconsin at Lucas Oil Stadium remains the most expensive game at an average price of $761.34.
Prices won't be as severe for those hoping to just get past the gates in Houston. As it stands now the "get-in" price, or cheapest available ticket, is now listed for $46 in the 600 Section of NRG Stadium. To compare, no other title game in the last six years has posted a get-in price below $60, which coincidentally came at NRG Stadium in 2011.
Villanova and UNC have met six times in NCAA Tournament history dating back to 1982. The Tar Heels have won all but one meeting in that time, falling to the Wildcats in the regional final during their title run in 1985. Villanova hasn't been back to the final round since, while UNC makes its first appearance in the championship game since 2009.
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Villanova Fans Have Priciest Road to 2016 Final Four in Houston
Jaw-dropping upsets, late-game heroics, Cinderella runs - it's what the NCAA Tournament is all about. This year's 68-team tournament has lived up to the hype and then some, with the likes of Michigan State falling to Middle Tennessee State University, Texas A&M orchestrating a 12-point comeback in the final minute of play to eliminate the University of Northern Iowa and Villanova upsetting top-seeded Kansas to punch a ticket to the Final Four.
With so many captivating storylines, it's no surprise that fans hoping to attend an upcoming game at NRG Stadium in Houston will be paying big prices to do so. As it stands now, Final Four tickets on the secondary market are posting massive demand in the days leading up to tipoff. Below is a price breakdown of each ticketing option, according to data provided by TicketIQ:
Final Four All Sessions Pass (includes access to both Semifinal games on April 2 + Championship Game on April 4) | Avg. Price: $1,756.93 | Get-in: $412
The 2016 NCAA Men's Final Four will officially tip off at 6:09 p.m. Saturday night when South Regional Champion Villanova takes on West Champion Oklahoma. That game will be followed by East Champion UNC vs Midwest champ Syracuse. For fans hoping to catch all the upcoming action, an All Sessions Pass (which grants access to both Semifinal games and the title game next Monday) is the most hassle-free option. The average secondary market price for a Final Four All Sessions Pass is now $1,756.93 and the cheapest is listed for $412.
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Final Four Session 1 (access to both Semifinal games on April 2) | Avg. Price: $1,096.09 | Get-in: $256
The most expensive price points at this year's tournament will be for Final Four Session 1 tickets, which grant access to both Semifinal games on Saturday. The average price for Final Four Session 1 tickets is now $1,096.09, making it the second most expensive Semifinal tickets since at least 2011. Last year's Session 1 tickets owned the highest average price but were only slightly more expensive at $1,108.95. The cheapest Final Four Session 1 ticket to this year's event in Houston is now $256.
Final Four Session 2 (Championship Game on April 4) | Avg. Price: $917.76 | Get-in: $149
Next Monday's Championship Game is already setting record prices on the secondary market. The average resale price for 2016 NCAA Championship tickets is $917.76, up 20.6% from last year's record-setting average of $761.34. Looking just to get in? The cheapest tickets to the title game are currently going for $149 each.
