There are three more scheduled chances to see this Michigan team before the cruel passage of time and Hoke’s redshirting policies rip it apart. Then we’re into the murky waters of the postseason, about which I am learning as I go since that’s out of the realm of my experience.
INSIDE THE MINDS OF IOWA FANS
Night road games against an opponent who’s already conceded, well, we’ve been there before. Let’s check in on the zeitgeist among this week’s commodity holders. BHGP is responding sharply to market trends.
However Go Iowa Awesome is where the guys who made BHGP live now. What are they saying?
These hawkeyed vikingers were brave enough when they could hit undefended monasteries on the Northumbrian coastline. But trapped in a tonne in the middle of Mercia with Alfred’s retooled fyrd bearing down, the likelihood of a saga-worthy victory seems dim. You can’t just surrender—you came too far and have too much pride for that. But even a modest danegeld—you know, to cover some of that 10-year boone you granted to mediocre Halfdan—looks pretty good right now.
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND SECONDARY TICKET MARKETS
| Gm | Jul | Aug | 9/16 | 9/30 | 10/7 | 10/24 | Now | Dips | Buy? | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| @IA | $85 | $151 | $195 | $189 | $145 | $106 | $101 | $89 | at game | they losing |
| IU | $65 | $40 | $55 | $57 | $55 | $65 | $78 | $75 | NOW! | last chance for history |
| @OSU | $250 | $282 | $275 | $311 | $349 | $298 | $320 | $289 | at dips | M fans targeting |
I ended up calling the Michigan State market pretty closely, and this game is following some of the same patterns, minus the upcharge for the rivalry. As with that game, if you’re going to Iowa, the cheapest way to get in would be to look online on the way and find someone happy to have you stop by en route to take their tickets off their hands.
I would expect them to stick closely to face. All the upcharges are gone, but it’s a night game and that means a lot of older Iowa fans selling and quite a few younger non-season ticket holders making this the one game they’ll attend this year. There will be some available at the stadium, and I’m guessing plenty in the vicinity of $60-$70 of the print-at-your-hotel variety on the online market.
Weather won’t be a factor.
Except it’s cold, which is expected.
IS IT OKAY TO PRETEND TO BE A HOME FAN TO GET SEATS TO A ROAD GAME?
I got asked this on twitter. It’s dishonest. Dishonesty is bad.
But, so: we did this a couple of weeks ago. I ended up getting a ticket for MSU from someone who thought he was selling to a fellow Spartan. On one hand, I felt bad. On the other hand, the drunk Spartan sitting behind us kept putting his feet on my seat and his knees in my back long after his wife urged him to stop. He was “taking a poll” of every Michigan fan in his vicinity as to whether they went to Michigan, and quizzed me mercilessly on the layout of Mosher-Jordan before finally clapping me on the back and saying “okay I believe you went to Michigan, unlike these Walvy clowns.”
Another Spartan patted me on the back as he was leaving early in the 4th quarter and told me to “enjoy it now because Trump’s going to deport your ass.” If the unwitting seat-seller would rather have these two back-patting paragons of society in the stadium than a Michigan fan, he can have a two-point conversion gif.
WHEN TO BUY INDIANA?
They’re on their way up (toldyaso!) because we all just walked out of that stadium realizing Chris Wormley is a once-a-decade level kind of player we’ll only get to see in the Big House one more time, and he’s like the 4th or 5th thing on that list. Indiana doesn’t suck, but I don’t think Hoosiers are driving this market. I think Michigan fans are realizing they aren’t going to have another opportunity to be there for this.
WHEN TO BUY OHIO STATE?
It’s dropped below $300 for singles, despite the Nebraska blowout, which has Buckeye fans thinking they can still get to the national championship game this year and erased some of the doubt from the Penn State loss. But you can get two singles in a section and make it work.
I kinda want to see what happens at MSU, but State is such a tire fire right now and Michigan fans could be so pumped after an Iowa road win that you might want to bite the bullet and jump now. I think they may get to $250, which is the standard for this game on the secondary market, but under $300 for the greatest Game since 2006 is worthwhile.
CHEAP TIP
Tickets come down before E-tickets.
Some of the resellers don’t do this but on Saturday morning you can go on TiqIQ and find some inexpensive non-E tickets. Reason is obvious: they don’t want to go to the game to sell them, and it’s too late otherwise. This can be a pain, especially if you buy tickets that are out of the way to pick up. On the other hand they can be a steal on Saturdays, and for a night game you actually have the time to go get them.
BEST DEAL ON THE SPONSOR’S SITE RIGHT NOW
Think of three friends from college you haven’t seen a game with since. Row 1 by the pylon has its ups and downs. You might think Chris Evans is McDoom when they run him on a jet sweep on the south side of the field. You also might have a better view than someone on the sidelines when Evans goes out at the 1 yard line, so unlike Harbaugh, when they fail to overturn it you can keep your hat.