While Ohio State just snuck into the inaugural College Football Playoff as the No. 4 seed, they’re driving up ticket prices on the secondary market for the Sugar Bowl more than any other team this season. Even with a travel distance of over 900 miles to Sugar Bowl over 900 miles from Columbus, there has been no shortage in demand for Sugar Bowl tickets. The Buckeyes’ trip to New Orleans is currently both the most expensive Sugar Bowl and most expensive Ohio State bowl game over the past five seasons on the secondary market.
The average secondary market price for Sugar Bowl tickets on TiqIQ is currently $496.97, marking a 76.5% jump in price from last season’s average of $281.56. This year’s get-in price of $232 is almost three times as high as the cheapest ticket for last year, which was $87.50. Last season’s Sugar Bowl, which was the 80th annual game, saw Oklahoma defeat Alabama 45-31 and served as the final season with the BCS system intact. After their historic loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, Bama fans may not have been as excited as they are for this years game. With the College Football Playoff committee setting school rankings this season, the newly-formed playoff system has made this years Sugar Bowl the biggest non-championship Sugar Bowl in history. It’s also about 35% more expensive than Rose Bowl tickets for the other semi-final game.
Alongside these record-high secondary market ticket prices for the Sugar Bowl itself, this season’s game will also be the most expensive bowl game that Ohio State has played in in the last five seasons. 2010 was the last time Ohio State played in the Sugar bowl, against Arkansas on January 4, 2011. Tickets for that game averaged $158.48 on the secondary market. This year’s game is 213% more expensive than their last visit to the big easy. At the end of the 2011 season, Ohio State played in the Gator Bowl, which had a secondary market average of $118.19. After a one-year bowl hiatus, Ohio State participated in the Orange Bowl last season and tickets had an average price of $138.03. At 12-1, the 2013 season may have been just one win away from a national championship birth. This season, they enter the Sugar Bowl with an identical 12-1 record, and no questions about what it will take to play for their first national championship since 2002.