Football doubled their “processing fee” from $20 to $40 this year and also increased parking pass prices. Some lots that didn’t have k fund donation now are $100 and I think others went up too. I’m surprised (kind of).
Football Ticket Price Increases
- Thread starter LowerLevelSeatA
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They probably predict more people staying to tailgate during games so they need to take advantage of that cash cow.
Look next for some type of fee to reserve tailgate spots in the grassy areas next. Just sayin'
We still have bottom 3-4 prices. Every schools is raising prices in order to compete with the best teams. Missouri announced their "Will to Win" campaign where all ticket prices are increased at least 50% and some 100%. Tenn raised prices 15% across the board despite already having the most expensive tix in the SEC and UGA raised their prices about 20% so that the avg season ticket is about $900 and that doesn't include parking etc. Even Louisville's are more expensive than UK. If we want to win, we need better players and if we want better players, we need more money. It sucks for those without the means to spend more, but do we charge less to make it cheaper for fans, but not be able to afford the best players?
It’s a real conundrum. Frankly, the tv experience is so much better than going to the games I look forward to seeing how many seats we sell this year. I hope it’s full every game but fear attendance will fall off anyway because of last season and price increase . Based on last season and TV option prices should be lowered .
As noted above allowing people to reserve grassy area tailgate spots is probably a no brainer if you need more revenue. I’ll be at two or three games in warm weather but nothing like watching all the good games on TV when the weather turns cold rather than being locked into sitting through an irrelevant game .
As noted above allowing people to reserve grassy area tailgate spots is probably a no brainer if you need more revenue. I’ll be at two or three games in warm weather but nothing like watching all the good games on TV when the weather turns cold rather than being locked into sitting through an irrelevant game .
We are never gonna get better players than the top sec teams regardless. That's the real issue.
It’s much easier to do it coming off of recent seasons and playoffs (UT), coming off an 11 and then 10 win season (mizzou), and then Louisville improving under brohm the last 2 seasons. It’s a tough sell at UK right now. Yeah, UT has been successful on NIL and using it but the other two were producing without elite NIL.
Had we won more and gone to a bowl, we likely would have had an increase as well, but after last season they would have lost a lot more of the fan base than they already have if they tried to jack up prices this year. Doubling the fees and tacking on another $100 to a parking pass was their end around.
Paying to reserve grassy areas screws us folks who tailgate with large groups and have for going on 26 years now. We aren’t a bunch of people with a lot of money. We’re a blue collar tailgate bunch. Using the grassy areas outside the orange lot has been our thing as it has been for a lot of others. It will depend on how they do it. How much they charge, and how much space they allot.
Yea, you go ahead and buy them bro. I quit.
I paid 1120 for 2 tickets last season, I paid 1100 this season
If we have consistently have equal money we will revert to mean over time and close the gap to parity. This new regime enables any team to rise up. Missouri comes to mind as a team that’s changed its fortunes.
We can find excuses for anything. Bottom line is this is what our peers are doing. Do we want to compete or complain?
I wish I could, but I live in Tampa, though I go to 2-3 games every year and spend $5k-$10k doing it with flights, hotels etc. I will continue to do it and to support the NIL as much as I can. Maybe since you aren’t spending so much on tix anymore you can divert some of that savings to Club Blue, so we can get to the next level?
Because we had 8 home games vs seven this year. You essentially paid more per game when you factor that in.
Missouri has the state getting behind its program too by creating laws around NIL funding and paying players that’s working for them. We don’t have that. MO doesn’t have another high major program in the state to compete for benefactors against either. So the state can make those laws to benefit their flagship university while whatever the state would do for UK would have to benefit Louisville equally.
All very good points. And Missouri isn't winning anything that matters either. No sec title or doing anything n a playoff. The sport is do rigged towards the Ohio states, alabamas, etc. It always has been but I think NIL will just have the same few teams winning it all over and over again.
I think n a sport like basketball we may see more parity in champs going forward but it's too early to tell. Kansas, uconn, uconn last 3 years haven't showed that. Some Wonky teams n the final four though.
Will we see underdogs make football final four? Less likely. As long as they give undeserving teams a bye to the quarterfinals it means they only have to win one game though.
I think it would be interesting to know how the demographics of fans in the stands changes as time moves along.
As younger people age, are they more/less interested enough in sports to pay to attend the games ??
There may be studies on this ... ???
I’ve been following UK since I was 8 or 9. 62 now.
I just can’t support this insanity.
This year there were 2 - 4 star players and a bunch of 3 star guys. Mizz got the two 4 star guys but the next guy the got was ranked 10/11 in the state. Last year they got the 5 star DL. He transferred to OK after 1 year. So not seeing where it is really helping them?
Our only "peer" in conference seems to be vanderbilt at this point. None of the other SEC programs would put up with the abysmal in conference record stoops holds.
Its a no brainer.....if you want to kill attendance. Tailgating is the only part of the in person experience that makes it worth it. Take that away and thousands will stop coming.
It's the chicken or the egg conundrum. I don't want to pay more unless you start winning. I need more money to get great players to win more. We know we aren't going to win more without increasing the NIL coffers. We don't know 100% if we will win more with and increased NIL budget, but the chances of winning grow as you bring in better talent. We have to commit to paying to rebuild a winner, not as a reward for doing so or we are creating the condition that the team has to consistently outperform their ability and that is asking to be disappointed.
That's your right. I'm 53, a former UK athlete and am glad these players are finally getting paid like they deserve, so I contribute even though, as an out of stater, I get no benefit other than knowing I'm helping.
We may charge less buts still impossible for me to take my family to 1 game. 4 tickets, parking and concessions. I used to go to about 3 to 4 games year but haven't been able to do that for the last few years. Inflation is a mother
MLB is the only thing that’s affordable anymore and that’s probably not even true for the Yankees/Dodgers level.
Even that can be expensive. Braves have tickets that range from 25$ for general admission to 295$ for premium seats, not boxes. So it can be expensive taking a family of 4 to a Braves game. I am guessing those are in line with other teams.
This is all just getting ridiculous the normal person can’t even afford to take a family to a game anymore. I mean my kids are grown but to spend that kind of money and fight all the traffic is it even worth it in the end? I mean die hard UK until I die but my 70” TV in my living room , all the drinks I could ask for in my refrigerator, and snacks in the cabinet says it’s just easier to sit in the recliner and enjoy the game in front of the comforts of my living room. BTW there is no lines to my bathroom either so I can go anytime I need too lol.
I feel the same, no dealing with drunks is another plus.
I get it. We all have finite access to resources and have to prioritize where we spend and this is the conundrum of college sports. We need socialism to save us and put a cap on this.
So long as the dollar bus from downtown to Commonwealth Supermarket Stadium (and back) remains $1 I am happy!
I made the decision to renew my tickets Friday. I will not be able to make all the games - I also travel from Central Florida. I will try to make the first two games combined into one trip and the two games in October combined into a second trip. If anyone would like two tickets to the other games please contact me and I will offer them to you at my actual cost. I might not be able to make the games I have mentioned - so those would be available to you as first option on them as well. Contact me thru the chat here and I will get back to you about the tickets.
Go Big Blue!
I agree with you 100%. I don't see how schools can expect average fans with 2 kids can keep up. Even with cheap seats with parking and a couple trips to concession start it's a 500$ game.
