Season ticket holders since '87 and been Tyee donors since day 1, presently holding 7 seats on the 200 level next to the DJ Center and donating $800/seat/season on top of the ticket's face value. Comparable seats for the AC are $400 each. This will be the first "home" game I'm watching on TV when I'm in, well, ever. At some point a person just has to draw the proverbial line in the sand and seeing price, I've now reached that point.
Did you go to any of the 3 postseason games last year? If so, you ought to know that sitting next to a "random Coug" isn't avoidable. Our group went to all three games and purchased higher priced tickets directly through UW...yet in all three cases we had Ducks, Longhorns, and Wolverines fast directly beside us. It's 100% unavoidable, just as it is at Husky Stadium
I just hope this doesn’t turn into another “west coast fans don’t care” headline. UW topped the west coast in total attendance again last year. It should be a competitive early season game, in a major transition year for both schools. As mentioned, it’s a one-off scenario. Lumen’s a great field/stadium to watch a game, and WSU/UW are lucky to have it as a backyard option for these occasional off-campus games. Rather pay for this than a similar priced Seahawks game this year. Coming off a NC run and move to B1G, I would expect some moderate level of ticket inflation YoY. Curious how ticket prices compare against our new B1G counterparts?
Like tuition, ticket price increases to Husky football games have exceeded the rate of inflation since the early 80's. It's not sustainable. My benchmark is $23 for student season ticket in 1977-on the 50 yard line- for 5 or 6 games.
The rate of inflation for tickets is relative to the sports/entertainment marketplace, which is based on demand and competition. Look at concert tickets, Kraken tickets, and what folks are willing to pay in the SEC/B1G…this is what UW/WSU are competing with. UW football last year was a blast!! The home games against Oregon and WSU last season were the most fun tickets to have in Seattle for any sport in the last 10 years. That said, the stadiums need to be full…and ticket prices need to be where butts are in seats, and UW is getting competitive revenue at the same time.
I get it and agree with your assessment. My wife and I are UW grads(1980) and football season ticket holders from 1989-2002, so I've been there during the DJ heyday. Attended the Duck game last year and had a blast....almost like old times. Whether or not ticket demand meets the athletic department goals is still an open question. Go Dawgs!
I have been season ticket holder since the '79 season when the tickets were Transfered to me from my parents. I am a Tyee member and sit in Husky Heritage seats. I am a Montlake Futures contributor. I will watch from home or travel that week instead of the by week. I will not pay $400. Per seat to an AC. Calculating in Tyee contribution to this game is asinine. My Tyee price did not go down this year. They should just mirror ticket face value. I bought an extra 3 tickets last year for those damn Coug children of mine. That would be $2,000 for the game. I hope it is sufficiently empty next year. Years ago Coug AD Moos threatened the Pullman Chamber of Commerce that if they continue to gouge hotel room prices by 400% for Father's weekend (normal game week rates were 200% of normal rates) he would move the game to Seattle. Stay home Dawg fans. I like supporting the athletics at UW but bullying us with lame excuse and Voodoo math makes me angry.
I too have season tickets, sit in the club husky Tyee section since stadium renovation.
I too travel to 1-2 away games a year, went to the pac 12 championship last year.
I’m not going to this game. I sit 35 rows up from the field and on the 45 yard line. Not gonna shell out 1000 bucks to psd the cougars pockets. Plus, compared to Husky stadium, Lumen field is a step down. Suspect they will have metal detectors, bag x ray machines at the stadium and the lines will be slow. The amenities are not nearly as nice as husky stadium.
Christian, hopefully the game time will be announced as part of the next early season TV announcements? I'm sure a number of people are up in the air depending on the game time.
Thank you for writing this article. Needed to be discussed.
I’ve been in Husky Heritage. Club Husky. Now in the Don James Center. I love this program! I went to all 15 games last year. But AC tickets stopped me in my tracks. More expensive than the Sugar Bowl for a good seat…ridiculous Watching on TV. This isn’t a premium game. AC should be ended due to the huge shifts in College Football. It’s sad, but it is what it is…and who wants to watch the AC at a “neutral” site anyway.
My tailgate group plans to watch from a big-screen TV somewhere. Not interested in being mixed with Coug fans and also the expensive ticket prices at a stadium that is not Husky Stadium. Go Dawgs!
Why in the WORLD is the stadium not split down the middle like Red River Rivalry or Outdoor Cocktail party or others? I'm a die hard Dawg. 30 Year TYEE. Go to away games. Of my group of 6, only 2 of us are planning on going. And I'm going to buy the cheapest seats I can and then hang out in the bar under the Hawks Nest. Both schools have made a mistake with this pricing.
Christian - check out what happened in 2005 when Bob Walsh (RIP) had Air Force bring their home game to then Qwest Field. UW (Todd Turner) washed their hands of it and maybe 30,000 saw Tyrone's first of many many losses.
Got the initial presale offer last week from UW. I definitely had sticker shock, and decided that I’d rather watch on TV. I get a nice little home game break between the other “true” home games to start the season. I haven’t done the per game math, and I’d suspect most haven’t.
Cancelled season tickets and cable TV due to college football becoming the wild west. When financial equity is brought back and boosters can't buy a championship I'll come back Until that point lots of roosters to chase and mallards to call. Had my tickets since I moved to Washington in 1990.
Take the NFL model and implement it. Stop with the nonsense that the kids aren't professionals. It's all about the money for the networks, school, coaches and players. Create a system that is true to that and start over. I'll come back.
And now a problem for people planning on watching the game on TV:
The Huskies and the Cougars will play the 116th Apple Cup at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Lumen Field. The game will be broadcast on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.
Nice work, as usual, Christian. Seems like the UW administration is asking the fans to bail them out of their financial straights. What a great way to piss off long time fans! Oh, and BTW, single game tickets for Michigan game not available through Husky ticket office, except with a multi-game purchase plan. A quick check shows Michigan game tickets @ $325 each for 200 level with that plan. Yup, I'll be watching on HD flat somewhere and saving my money.
Season ticket holders since '87 and been Tyee donors since day 1, presently holding 7 seats on the 200 level next to the DJ Center and donating $800/seat/season on top of the ticket's face value. Comparable seats for the AC are $400 each. This will be the first "home" game I'm watching on TV when I'm in, well, ever. At some point a person just has to draw the proverbial line in the sand and seeing price, I've now reached that point.
My biggest issue is not really the price, I want the stadium split so I don’t have to sit next to a random Coug.
Buy on the east side and you should be good.
Did you go to any of the 3 postseason games last year? If so, you ought to know that sitting next to a "random Coug" isn't avoidable. Our group went to all three games and purchased higher priced tickets directly through UW...yet in all three cases we had Ducks, Longhorns, and Wolverines fast directly beside us. It's 100% unavoidable, just as it is at Husky Stadium
I just hope this doesn’t turn into another “west coast fans don’t care” headline. UW topped the west coast in total attendance again last year. It should be a competitive early season game, in a major transition year for both schools. As mentioned, it’s a one-off scenario. Lumen’s a great field/stadium to watch a game, and WSU/UW are lucky to have it as a backyard option for these occasional off-campus games. Rather pay for this than a similar priced Seahawks game this year. Coming off a NC run and move to B1G, I would expect some moderate level of ticket inflation YoY. Curious how ticket prices compare against our new B1G counterparts?
Like tuition, ticket price increases to Husky football games have exceeded the rate of inflation since the early 80's. It's not sustainable. My benchmark is $23 for student season ticket in 1977-on the 50 yard line- for 5 or 6 games.
The rate of inflation for tickets is relative to the sports/entertainment marketplace, which is based on demand and competition. Look at concert tickets, Kraken tickets, and what folks are willing to pay in the SEC/B1G…this is what UW/WSU are competing with. UW football last year was a blast!! The home games against Oregon and WSU last season were the most fun tickets to have in Seattle for any sport in the last 10 years. That said, the stadiums need to be full…and ticket prices need to be where butts are in seats, and UW is getting competitive revenue at the same time.
I get it and agree with your assessment. My wife and I are UW grads(1980) and football season ticket holders from 1989-2002, so I've been there during the DJ heyday. Attended the Duck game last year and had a blast....almost like old times. Whether or not ticket demand meets the athletic department goals is still an open question. Go Dawgs!
I have been season ticket holder since the '79 season when the tickets were Transfered to me from my parents. I am a Tyee member and sit in Husky Heritage seats. I am a Montlake Futures contributor. I will watch from home or travel that week instead of the by week. I will not pay $400. Per seat to an AC. Calculating in Tyee contribution to this game is asinine. My Tyee price did not go down this year. They should just mirror ticket face value. I bought an extra 3 tickets last year for those damn Coug children of mine. That would be $2,000 for the game. I hope it is sufficiently empty next year. Years ago Coug AD Moos threatened the Pullman Chamber of Commerce that if they continue to gouge hotel room prices by 400% for Father's weekend (normal game week rates were 200% of normal rates) he would move the game to Seattle. Stay home Dawg fans. I like supporting the athletics at UW but bullying us with lame excuse and Voodoo math makes me angry.
I too have season tickets, sit in the club husky Tyee section since stadium renovation.
I too travel to 1-2 away games a year, went to the pac 12 championship last year.
I’m not going to this game. I sit 35 rows up from the field and on the 45 yard line. Not gonna shell out 1000 bucks to psd the cougars pockets. Plus, compared to Husky stadium, Lumen field is a step down. Suspect they will have metal detectors, bag x ray machines at the stadium and the lines will be slow. The amenities are not nearly as nice as husky stadium.
I too will watch from home.
Christian, hopefully the game time will be announced as part of the next early season TV announcements? I'm sure a number of people are up in the air depending on the game time.
Great article. When I opened the email from the UW Athletic Department I texted my wife “Apple Cup Tix prices are offensive”.
Thank you for writing this article. Needed to be discussed.
I’ve been in Husky Heritage. Club Husky. Now in the Don James Center. I love this program! I went to all 15 games last year. But AC tickets stopped me in my tracks. More expensive than the Sugar Bowl for a good seat…ridiculous Watching on TV. This isn’t a premium game. AC should be ended due to the huge shifts in College Football. It’s sad, but it is what it is…and who wants to watch the AC at a “neutral” site anyway.
After seeing the ticket prices, our group of 5: 2 Club Husky and 3 - 300 level seats will be watching on the big screen at my house.
My tailgate group plans to watch from a big-screen TV somewhere. Not interested in being mixed with Coug fans and also the expensive ticket prices at a stadium that is not Husky Stadium. Go Dawgs!
Being mixed with coug fans?
Look at the map. Huskies on one side cougs on other side
Why in the WORLD is the stadium not split down the middle like Red River Rivalry or Outdoor Cocktail party or others? I'm a die hard Dawg. 30 Year TYEE. Go to away games. Of my group of 6, only 2 of us are planning on going. And I'm going to buy the cheapest seats I can and then hang out in the bar under the Hawks Nest. Both schools have made a mistake with this pricing.
Christian - check out what happened in 2005 when Bob Walsh (RIP) had Air Force bring their home game to then Qwest Field. UW (Todd Turner) washed their hands of it and maybe 30,000 saw Tyrone's first of many many losses.
Got the initial presale offer last week from UW. I definitely had sticker shock, and decided that I’d rather watch on TV. I get a nice little home game break between the other “true” home games to start the season. I haven’t done the per game math, and I’d suspect most haven’t.
Cancelled season tickets and cable TV due to college football becoming the wild west. When financial equity is brought back and boosters can't buy a championship I'll come back Until that point lots of roosters to chase and mallards to call. Had my tickets since I moved to Washington in 1990.
Take the NFL model and implement it. Stop with the nonsense that the kids aren't professionals. It's all about the money for the networks, school, coaches and players. Create a system that is true to that and start over. I'll come back.
And now a problem for people planning on watching the game on TV:
The Huskies and the Cougars will play the 116th Apple Cup at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Lumen Field. The game will be broadcast on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.
So so many Tickets left after 1 day. Christian, let me know if you want screen shots of available tickets.
Nice work, as usual, Christian. Seems like the UW administration is asking the fans to bail them out of their financial straights. What a great way to piss off long time fans! Oh, and BTW, single game tickets for Michigan game not available through Husky ticket office, except with a multi-game purchase plan. A quick check shows Michigan game tickets @ $325 each for 200 level with that plan. Yup, I'll be watching on HD flat somewhere and saving my money.