More Ticket Questions (RE: Premium Seats)

[Since71ASooner4Life]

Living in Michigan it is pretty much an ordeal for me to attend a Sooners game. I do use frequent flyer (free) airline tickets to get to OKC, but as a minimum my out of pocket expense is a couple nights in a hotel, rental car, and then the price of the game tickets. Going to all that trouble and expense, I definitely want and am willing to pay for better seats to the game. I've looked on EBAY, stubhub, etc and these online scalpers don't offer too many bargains.

If I'm willing to wait and try to buy good seats from scalpers or whoever outside of the stadium before the game, and I'm willing to pay $300~$350 for (2) seats together, what options am I likely to find in that price range? Or what if I go looking for Lower Level seats say between the 40-yard lines, what price range am I likely to find them available for? Is scalping/buying from scalpers legal at the stadium? I was thinking to hold up a sign "looking to buy BEST AVAILABLE tickets" or something like that.

Thanks in advance for all feedback.

[badger]

I tell this to outta towners all the time - SCALP ON GAMEDAY. You will find the best seats at the lowest prices via gameday scalping.

eBay will CON THE HELL OUTTA YOU. Stubhub will JACK THE PRICE OUTTA YOU...r range. Scalp on gameday is a given. Advice no. 1:

1- Get scalper tix on gameday. More often than not, this will be an opportunity to meet the fans you'll be sitting next to, as its often a fan selling their extra ticket and not a price gouger a la eBay.

Now... as to how to get seats. You will need to do a little work, or attend SF.com tailgate and make friends, hehe.

NP and I got killer endzone second row seats to the Mizzou game by gameday scalping. We simply asked around a lot, while I put on my best little girl polite face and manners. A scalper saw how polite I was and offered us the near-front seats for $70 each. Booyah! And no, I am not kidding. Leading us to advice no. 2:

2- BE NICE. It lowers the price and ups the seat quality. Nobody wants to sit next to an arsehole ;)

You should avoid high traffic areas, like the corner where O'Connell's used to be next to Subway. (Jenkins/Lindsey). High-ticket games (like Tech if we're both undefeated at that point) will especially suck if you don't shop around. Your best area to find low price/high quality tickets is the north endzone area. Plus, you'll see the fan tents where teams/coaches will be signing autographs and there'll be screen set up so you can check out other games... not that there's any other games going on besides OU :D In any event, part of scalping is hunting, so feel free to name a counter offer to a higher price, or ask if they have any other tickets that are closer to the action.

3- Hunt, hunt, hunt. It's easy to spot the professional scalpers apart from the fans that are looking to drop an extra ticket.

Finally, you probably want to know the best time to get your ticket. To that, I say one hour to two hours before the game. Scalpers will work up until the last tick before kickoff and beyond, whereas fans looking to drop an extra ticket (which I remind you, equals lower cost and higher quality seating!) will eventually give up about a half hour to an hour before kickoff and just have an empty seat, or they'll dump it on a scalper for a low price (which could have been you!). 1-2 hours before the game gives you a chance to catch these fans before they do that and also allows you more hunting time.

4- Look to scalp 1-2 hrs before the game in the north endzone area. Time and selling is on the side of the true fan. Most fans will want another diehard OU fan next to them instead of a potential opposing fan, so get there when they're looking to sell.

I hope this helps. As recent grads, NP and I are not season ticket holders yet and as such, have always used these measures to get our gameday tickets. These rules only apply to games in Norman, especially not OU-Texas in Dallas (where scalping is illegal) or other away games, where local laws probably vary.

Look forward to seeing you in Norman this season! BOOOOOOOOOMER! :)

[badger]

If I'm willing to wait and try to buy good seats from scalpers or whoever outside of the stadium before the game, and I'm willing to pay $300~$350 for (2) seats together, what options am I likely to find in that price range? Or what if I go looking for Lower Level seats say between the 40-yard lines, what price range am I likely to find them available for?

You will get great seats at this price, just don't offer that money right away. Find out what the seller has first. I'd say that's a good price for box seat or at least a 30-40 yard range on the lower level. Upper level you might be getting closer to 40-49.9 yard range, lol.


Is scalping/buying from scalpers legal at the stadium?
Yes, but keep in mind that it isn't legal everywhere else, like OU-Texas, for example. You can scalp away in Norman still.


I was thinking to hold up a sign "looking to buy BEST AVAILABLE tickets" or something like that.

I've never used signage, so I'm not sure how good this works. Your fingers work just as well. If you're not too shy, just go up to people and ask what's available! If you're not the type of person to just walk up and talk to compete strangers, however, your sign idea might be good.

Good luck!

[Sooner-Magic]

I don't like to travel without tickets in hand (except to places like Baylor or Stillwater where there is usually tens of thousands of empty seats). I don't know how many games you are able to attend but I think I would consider season tickets and sell the ones you don't use. Might help offset your other costs making your journey that much more fun.

[StoopTroup]

I used a sign a couple of times to get my kids some tickets when the Wife and I took them.

I just used a shoe string and hung it around their necks.

It worked pretty good too.

I seem to remember it said something like this....

"Our Mom got drunk and LOST OUR TICKETS! Please help us!"

[yermom]

if you are willing to pay that much for a pair, you should be able to get nice seats most games, if not paying less

Badger is right on, even dealing with the professional scalpers. they are going to have much better deals than eBay or the online ticket places

i think you are going to be paying way more than that to get the seats you are describing from OU

i wouldn't ever be afraid of showing up on gameday without tickets, unless it was some super hot game, like Nebraska in 2000, or something similar

the hardest game is probably OSU when they are here

[badger]

Like I said, out of staters have difficulty grasping the fact that there are ALWAYS tickets available on gameday and NOT ONCE have the ticket prices been out of reach for common folk like us since 2001 (others can attest to ticket availablity before that, but for my family and I who have always scalped or found a friend with a spare) there have ALWAYS been good seats at reasonable prices come gameday.

I would say it would be more difficult if you don't have a go-getter in your group that are ready to ask everyone what they have and what they want for them, however, a nice sign a la StoopTroup will get you your tickets quite easily, hehe.

Trust the badger here - scalp on gameday.

[KsSooner]

I never have tickets and attend at least two games a year. There are plenty good tickets available. Last year a professional scalper tried to sell me two tickets to the A&M game, 40 yard line, halfway up, for $225 a piece. I walked 10 steps and bought two tickets on the 30 yard line for $180 total. You can get dirt cheap tickets right up to kickoff but I always want to get mine early and not worry about it.

[MichiganSooner]

Join OU Ticket MarketPlace. It will cost you a $25 fee to sign up. Season ticket holders, not going to a game, can put their tickets up for sale on the Ticket Marketplace. You can check out the section numbers, row numbers, and even seat numbers and purchase the tickets for face value + 15%. Then print the tickets on your printer and you are good to go.
I have sat on the 50 yard line for big games; I have also sat in the endzone. It depends what is available and what you grab.
Go to www.soonersports.com
On the home page, click Tickets and select Ticket MarketPlace. Read about it and sign up if you want to.

[BermudaSooner]

Where were you when I needed to shed 2 ticket to the OSU game last year? I think I gave those away for $30 a piece, and they are upper deck 48 yard line.

[StoopTroup]

Join OU Ticket MarketPlace. It will cost you a $25 fee to sign up. Season ticket holders, not going to a game, can put their tickets up for sale on the Ticket Marketplace. You can check out the section numbers, row numbers, and even seat numbers and purchase the tickets for face value + 15%. Then print the tickets on your printer and you are good to go.
I have sat on the 50 yard line for big games; I have also sat in the endzone. It depends what is available and what you grab.
Go to www.soonersports.com
On the home page, click Tickets and select Ticket MarketPlace. Read about it and sign up if you want to.

That's cool.

Screw EBAY.

I don't even trade there anymore.

[Since71ASooner4Life]

Thanks all for some great feedback. I think I've got the wife talked into the Tech game. For me it's important that I go for senior day for one last look at the players who gave us such great memories, and this year it could also be a big game in terms of NC ramifications.

[pweitkem]

Thanks all for some great feedback. I think I've got the wife talked into the Tech game. For me it's important that I go for senior day for one last look at the players who gave us such great memories, and this year it could also be a big game in terms of NC ramifications.

If Tech is rolling coming into that game your tickets will be a little higher in cost... but still available. And I doubt that the season ticket holders are going to be giving up many seats. The Miami game last year was sold out and I think I paid a scalper $150 per ticket and got 'em on the 45 yardline about midway up the lower deck. Awesome seats.

[MichiganSooner]

I agree with the above. I have used Ticket Marketplace and the last home game is difficult to get tickets using it. Not impossible but you need to check every day and grab what is available if they become available. And like several have said, just walk around the stadium and plenty are being sold. I don't like showing up without a ticket but they are certainly available that way. I usually pay face value cuz I'm a lousy negotiator and want to get in to see warmups and the Pride pregame. Come on down Motor City!