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ATLANTA — Fans of Notre Dame and Ohio State have faced significant travel challenges as they prepare for the national championship game on Monday night, marking the conclusion of college football’s inaugural 12-team playoff system. Concerns about whether fans would have sufficient funds left to attend the championship match at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium have emerged, but ticket demand appears stronger than anticipated.
Despite worries that a lengthy postseason might stretch fans’ budgets, ticket prices are soaring for the sold-out event. Resale platforms indicate that ticket prices are starting around $1,800, with an average approaching $2,500 for the championship encounter. “We certainly anticipated a spike in demand,” noted a spokesperson from StubHub. “However, the level of interest has far exceeded our expectations.”
According to StubHub, the average ticket price for the championship game now stands at $2,500, in comparison to the $1,800 average from last year’s matchup between Michigan and Washington held in Houston. The spokesperson declared, “This is on track to be our best-selling CFP national championship game in the history of StubHub.” Furthermore, it has already outpaced sales from all previous national championship games available on the platform.
Vivid Seats also reported record demand, characterizing this game as its “hottest college football ticket” since 2009, with an average price of around $2,269 and the cheapest tickets listed at approximately $1,452.
Ohio has emerged as a leading state for ticket sales, accounting for around 17% of StubHub’s transactions, while Illinois follows at 6% and Indiana at 4%. However, this does not guarantee that Ohio State fans will dominate the crowd. Each school was allocated 20,000 tickets, which they have all utilized, indicative of the neutral site nature of the event.
Notre Dame, with its vast national fanbase, complicates predictions for overall attendance based on state-specific sales. Vivid Seats estimates that fans of the Fighting Irish will make up about 55% of the audience, as the team seeks its first national title since 1988. “It’s incredibly honoring to represent a school that holds a storied legacy,” commented Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, expressing pride in his team and their loyal supporters.
The drive to the championship from South Bend, Indiana, spans roughly 675 miles and can take around 11 hours. Ohio State fans face a shorter journey from Columbus, covering about 567 miles in approximately eight and a half hours.
Bocanegra remarked, “I’ve never witnessed a championship game demand like this in college sports.” However, he clarified that even with these prices, it remains below the Super Bowl ticket prices, which can start from $4,000 to $5,000, highlighting the continued prestige of the NFL championship game.
BetMGM opened its betting lines with Ohio State as a 9.5-point favorite, which adjusted to 8.5 points by Thursday. BetOnline.ag gathered data via social media to assess fan sentiment across states, concluding that the majority favored Notre Dame, with Ohio and West Virginia being the only states leaning towards Ohio State. The platform also noted that states like Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky showed only minimal support for Notre Dame.
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