August 18, 2016
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The countdown is on to the 2016 College Football season. While California and Hawaii kick things off in an international game at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia on August 26, excitement is quickly building for the stateside kickoff games just one week later.
Alabama will begin the long trek back to the National Championship Game, where they defeated Clemson in the College Football Playoff's second official season. Interestingly enough, however, the Crimson Tide won't be featured as one of this season's most expensive teams on the secondary market. This year's list of top-priced College Football tickets will be dominated by the likes of Notre Dame and Ohio State, who serve as two of the five priciest teams to see during the 2016 season.
Check out the complete list below, according to data provided by TicketIQ:
Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Avg. Home Price in 2016: $335.35 | Change from 2015: +1%
The Fighting Irish will again rule as the top-priced team this season, posting an average resale ticket price of $335.35 across all six games at Notre Dame Stadium in 2016. They were also the most expensive team at the beginning of the 2015 CFB season, when Notre Dame tickets on TicketIQ averaged $332.09. The team went 10-3 last season, but ultimately fell to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, 44-28.
Notre Dame's most expensive home game comes on September 17 against Michigan State. As it stands now the average price for tickets is $532.71 on the secondary market. If looking just to get in the cheapest tickets are going for $174 each. The Fighting Irish have taken the Megaphone Trophy in each of the last three years and lead the all-time series 48-28-1.
One week prior, Notre Dame will welcome Nevada to South Bend for what will be the cheapest game at Notre Dame Stadium this season. That game now owns a secondary market average of $191.91, 43% below season average. The get-in price starts from $89.
Ohio State Buckeyes | Avg. Home Price in 2016: $286.21 | % Change from 2015: +45%
After winning the first-ever CFP National Championship Game at the end of the 2014, Ohio State failed to return to the CFP Semifinal stage last season, going unranked in the final CFP Committee selection. That hasn't seemed to put a damper on prices for Ohio State tickets on the secondary market, however. In fact, the Buckeyes have experienced a huge increase in average ticket price from the beginning of the 2015 season, climbing an impressive 45%. In 2015 tickets averaged $197.79 across all games at Ohio Stadium. This year the average resale price for Buckeyes tickets is $286.21.
A November 26 game against Michigan will be OSU's most expensive home game this season. Tickets for the matchup currently own a secondary market average of $604.40, more than double the team's season average, and the get-in price starts from $230. Conversely, the Buckeyes' cheapest home game comes against Tulsa on September 10, where tickets are averaging $167.95 and the cheapest are listed from $75 each.
Georgia Bulldogs | Avg. Home Price in 2016: $234.43 | % Change from 2015: -1%
In rather peculiar fashion, Georgia Bulldogs tickets on TicketIQ have experienced virtually no movement from their 2015 average before the start of the season. The Bulldogs own a $234.43 resale ticket average in 2016, down less than 1% from their 2015 average of $235.47. Despite failing to rank in the CFP polls all season the Bulldogs had a successful 2015 season, going 10-3 and capping their year with a victory over Penn State in the 2016 Tax Slayer Bowl. If the secondary market is any indication, perhaps they'll find similar success on the field in 2016.
Auburn will serve as Georgia's most expensive opponent at Sanford Stadium this season. The November 12 game currently owns a secondary market average of $338.67 and a $156 get-in price. On the opposite end of the financial spectrum, Louisiana-Lafayette will be in town just one week later for the cheapest game of the season, with tickets averaging $112.11 and the get-in price listed from $28.
UCLA Bruins | Avg. Home Price in 2016: $232.46 | % Change from 2015: +103%
The biggest movers on this year's top teams list are the UCLA Bruins, who have experienced ticket prices more than double on the secondary market ahead of the 2016 season. UCLA Bruins tickets at Rose Bowl currently average $232.46, marking a 103% increase over the team's $114.63 average in 2015. Blame that sharp increase on the Bruins hosting several big-name teams at home this season, including USC, Oregon State and Stanford, each of which are posting an average resale price above $200.
USC's quick skip over to the Rose Bowl on November 19 will be UCLA's most expensive home game this year. Tickets currently average $422.47, up nearly 82% over season average, and the cheapest tickets are listed from $119. If looking to see the Bruins play in their cheapest home game, look no further than their home opener against UNLV on September 10. Tickets to that game now own an average resale price of $121.72 and a $44 get-in price.
Tennessee Volunteers | Avg. Home Price in 2016: $218.89 | % Change from 2015: +10%
Rounding out this year's top-priced college football teams are the Tennessee Volunteers, who own a $218.89 average price across their home games at Neyland Stadium. That is up 10% from last year's average of $199.46. The Vols had a relatively successful 2015 season, going 9-4 and finishing #22 in the AP Poll. That success has seemed to bleed onto the secondary market as demand for Tennessee Vols tickets on TicketIQ has increased since last year.
The most expensive game at Neyland Stadium this year will come against the Florida Gators on September 24. As it stands now the average secondary market price for tickets to the game is $528.72 and the get-in price is $234. The team's home opener against Appalachian State will be the most affordable game of the year, with tickets averaging $96.61 and the cheapest tickets listed from $31.
