Des Moines Register
09-10-07
Iowa-ISU game among priciest
By RANDY PETERSON
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Don't ask how big the 2007 Big Game between the University of Iowa and Iowa
State University is for fans across the state.
A better question: How expensive is the ticket?
The eye-popping answer: Some fans will pay more to attend the Iowa-Iowa State
game in Ames than fans across the country will fork over to see some of the
nation's most hallowed college football rivalries.
Hawkeye fans paid $90 to purchase one of the 4,000 tickets the U of I received
from ISU.
That's $30 more than fans will pay to watch the Ohio State-Michigan game, $28
more than a ticket to the Southern California-Notre Dame game, and $38 more
than a ticket to the Army-Navy game.
"That's ridiculous," said Iowa City barber Bill "Red" Larson, who won't attend the
Big Game for the first time since 1977. "I have been in business 43 years, I have
a big Hawkeye football following, and I have only two customers going to the
game."
It's believed to be the highest price for a single football ticket ever in Iowa.
The game features two unranked teams. And ISU is 0-2 after Saturday's 24-13
loss at home to the University of Northern Iowa of the Football Championship
Subdivision - formerly known as Division I-AA.
"I don't even have to search my memory for that," said George Wine, a former U
of I sports information director who retired in 1993 after 25 years. "That's way of
out of sight for the state of Iowa.
"This isn't New York or California, where prices of everything generally are higher
than here. This is Iowa - we don't expect that."
Even Jamie Pollard, ISU's athletic director, admits he set a steep pricing
strategy for this game.
Except for fans who purchased one of 4,000 tickets for the game sold by the U of
I, all fans had to purchase a season ticket from ISU - at a cost of $150 to $350
per seat.
Nonetheless, Iowa's tickets were gone by mid-June, and a crowd between
45,000 and 49,000 is expected at Jack Trice Stadium.
"Is $90 a high ticket price? Yes it is, but it's more of a reflection of demand for
that game," Pollard said. "We had 34,000 ticket requests for that game two years
ago. From a supply-and-demand perspective, that sets ticket prices."
For ISU's other six home games this season, ticket prices range from $40 to $60.
Gary Barta, the U of I's athletic director, also calls $90 a steep price.
But he said he will not retaliate against ISU fans when the game moves to
Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City next season.
"I can't tell you right now what the price of our tickets will be until we have budget
meetings in January, but I can't envision a $90 ticket," Barta said. "It won't be that
high."
Tickets for last year's Iowa-Iowa State game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City had
a face value of $60.
The Iowa attorney general's office, which oversees consumer affairs, has
received no complaints about the ticket price.
"Our office has heard nothing from the public regarding the price of the tickets for
the game," said Eric Tabor, chief of staff of the Iowa attorney general's office.
"Prices are set by the university. The only time we would get involved is if there's
misrepresentation.
"What Kmart charges for toothpaste is up to them, and that's the same with ticket
prices. It's whatever the university wants to set."
Kevin Elles of Des Moines said he just wants to experience the game - in person.
"I've got a $90 ticket because it's a rivalry game," the U of I season-ticket holder
said. "I'm not really complaining about the high price of the ticket, because I
bought one, but I could understand it more if it was for the Texas-Oklahoma
game.
"Demand, even at $90, is still there, though."
That doesn't mean everyone has accepted it.
Joe Chmelka, president of the Polk County I-Club, will attend an I-Club gamewatching party at the Events Center at 7 Flags Fitness and Racquet Club in Clive
on Saturday.
"I'd normally be at the game, but this time I have refused to buy tickets for that
price," Chmelka said. "I thought that was not in the spirit of the state of Iowa."
Pollard disagreed, citing market forces in the Cyclones' 45,000-seat stadium.
"I look at it as a positive, not negative," he said. "What other state has 100,000
season-ticket holders for major college football?"
The U of I has sold 58,310 season tickets, while ISU has sold 36,557.
"The fact that we have that many season-ticket holders between us speaks
volumes for the excitement and power of football between the two schools,"
Pollard said.
"It's a reflection of all Iowans' interest in Division I football in the state, and we
should be proud of that."
Still, fans like Larson, the Iowa City barber, have decided to sit this one out.
"I'm going to Ames on Saturday, but I'm going there to watch it on TV at a friend's
place," Nelson said.
"There are six couples (that are) going to watch on the big screen."
Reporter Randy Peterson can be reached at (515) 284-8132 or
randypeterson@dmreg.com