Notre Dame v. Georgia: College Football’s Toughest Ticket in 2017
Notre Dame might be coming off a disastrous 4-8 campaign, but that doesn’t seem to be hurting the secondary ticket market for Notre Dame football games this fall. According to CoachingSearch.com, Georgia’s trip to South Bend the second weekend of September is the most expensive ticket in all of college football in 2017 at a ridiculous cost of $499 to get in the door.
While it may surprise some that a Notre Dame game is still the most expensive ticket in college football this fall even after last season’s dumpster fire, it really shouldn’t.
Notre Dame v. Georgia Was Always Going to be an Expensive Ticket
Here are just a few reasons why.
- Georgia’s 1st ever trip to Notre Dame Stadium
- General intrigue from Notre Dame fans with offensive and defensive coordinators and a new and exciting starting quarterback
- A general lack of other compelling home games for Notre Dame in 2017
Georgia fans – like all SEC powerhouse programs’ fans – travel well for big games and for Georgia this is a big game. The Bulldogs don’t leave the friendly confines of the Southeast Conference footprint very often. Their fans also probably smell blood in the water with Notre Dame coming off a 4-8 season. The chance for a blowout likely has a lot of UGA fans willing to make the trip and shell out big bucks for a ticket.
As for Notre Dame fans, there is a lot of interest and intrigue even after last season’s disaster. Instead of the narrative of having a dead man walking at head coach, Brian Kelly’s total home makeover this offseason has a good number of fans excited again. That said, we are all still aware that it could all be too little to late. Still, the changes have Notre Dame fans much more excited this year than we all were in 2008 following Charlie Weis’s 3-9 clunker.
Notre Dame Doesn’t Have A Lot of Great Home Games in 2017
Lastly, Notre Dame doesn’t have a lot of other great home games this year. There’s USC’s visit in mid October, but other than an opponent that you can see every other year in South Bend what other opponent will get fans outside the area excited? Temple, Miami of Ohio, NC State, Wake Forest, and Navy. Those are the other home game options on the 2017 Notre Dame football schedule this fall.
Yeah, that ACC schedule this year really didn’t do Notre Dame any favors on the home front this year.
That USC game, by the way, comes in ranked as the #10 most expensive ticket in 2017 too.
Both games, USC and Georgia, will be played under the lights of Notre Dame Stadium in prime time as well. Hmmm, we don’t know if the football machine will be humming for Notre Dame this fall but that marketing engine sure is finely tuned.
So there you have it. If you want to see Georgia’s first trip to Notre Dame Stadium, you’re either going to have to bust out your wallet, get lucky enough to get tickets through the lottery, or have a really good friend hook up some tickets.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
UGA is over-rated and will get spanked by the Irish.
I have no idea, Al, (sht for “Ally”) but that would be a heck-of-a-good start to the season!
I can think of a lot better things to spend $500 on than watching a poorly prepared ND team do their Washington Generals imitation on prime time TV. Again.
Hey, ND almost beat a 5 win Texas team who canned their coach on prime time TV. I’ve never seen the Generals lose by only three points!
The cheapest seats are going over 500 when you add up all the fees. Pure insanity but I’m taking my parents.
Great news about that ND marketing engine. I’ll be sure to inform the UGA fans of this after they blow ND out of the stadium…..should make for one somber bus ride home.
So where’s the secondary market getting all these tickets?