Michigan to open up 2,000 single-game football tickets behind student section
The Michigan student section during a 2011 night game against Notre Dame.
Matt Gade | Mlive.com
If you buy a single-game ticket to a Michigan football game this season, you just may find yourself behind the student section.
Seats above row 70 in sections 31-34 will be sold to the general public this season, Michigan associate athletic director Dave Ablauf said Friday. The student section and band will be seated throughout sections 26-30, and in rows 1-70 in sections 31-34. Ablauf said he was unsure if the general public had ever been seated behind the student section, as the student section's placement has changed over the years.
The move frees up approximately 26 rows in three sections. Ablauf said the department made the decision after approximately 2,000 fewer student tickets were purchased during the student ticket purchase window. Single-game tickets went on sale to the general public Aug. 1.
The decreased demand comes in a year in which student ticket prices went up 23 percent, and the university implemented a new general admission seating policy.
Michigan will host seven home games this year, starting Aug. 31 against Central Michigan.
Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com.
Comments
Jerstr
Sun, Aug 4, 2013 : 4:42 a.m.
Both, MSU and UM student sections at home games have annually weakend. Zero to do w price...
Krupper1
Sun, Aug 4, 2013 : 3:47 a.m.
Don't forget, students no longer have reserved seats . . . this is an attempt to double sell these seats . . . just like the airlines.
Ross
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 3:48 p.m.
Wow. People are going to pay $260 to stand behind rowdy student for the Notre Dame game. That's nuts.
Josh Skodack
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 10:43 p.m.
Good! Let's hope the entire Michigan Stadium is one giant, rowdy Michigan family!
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 1:54 p.m.
If one wants to see a game the secondary market is your friend. If you don't mind a lesser opponent you can get tickets below face value.
Ross
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 3:47 p.m.
Yep. If I attend a game this season, that'll be how. On the street, with cash in hand, and someone else takes the loss (hopefully the athletic dept).
hail2thevict0r
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 1:56 p.m.
and if you show up to the game you can probably get the tickets from a scalper for even less.
teeters
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 12:12 p.m.
I find it hard to believe that there was a surplus of student tickets that were not purchased. There is usually a waiting list. If there was one student who was denied a ticket, that's one too many. The Dave Brandon administration needs to realize there are more important things than $$$.
jen777
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 5:50 p.m.
They expanded student section but between schedule, price, and attitude of some students, I can see some demand falling.
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 3:44 p.m.
I have a friend whose daughter couldn't get in to the "University of Ann Arbor" but managed to get in to the "University of Dearborn". Not only did she get season tickets but they run a shuttle bus from Dearborn to Ann Arbor. The Dearborn campus evidently has added dormitories and now will have students living on campus.
hail2thevict0r
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 1:32 p.m.
I can't remember there ever being a waiting list for students. If you place an order for tickets on time, you get tickets. In fact, they expanded the student section a while ago to accommodate for the increase in incoming freshman to get tickets to the game. The simple fact is that there were a lot of students who bought tickets just because they were cheap and it was the "thing to do" at Michigan. But now that they rose the price, you're starting to see some of these people drop off that list.
Kyle Austin
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 1:12 p.m.
I specifically asked if every student who wanted to purchase a ticket was able to, and was told that was the case
Brad
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 12:47 p.m.
The only thing more important to Brandon than $$$ is $$$$, $$$$$, ...
Halter
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 9:55 a.m.
Can't think of a worse decision unless each ticket is stamped "You will stand the entire game because for some reason our student body doesn't understand how sitting works"
Josh Skodack
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 10:40 p.m.
Up in back!
Frank99
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 7:31 p.m.
Nope. I sit in row 80 in another section and the handicap barrier at row 70 completely stops the necessity of standing. No one standing below row 70 blocks anyone above row 70.
teeters
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 12:07 p.m.
There is no standing issue for non-studetns. Students will sit up to row 70, the last row before the tunnel entrances. Row 71, where the non-student tickets start, is in the upper level.
jen777
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 9:51 a.m.
And there will do ti use to be decreased demand between schedule, pricing, and dynamic pricing
jen777
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 9:52 a.m.
Oops ipad autocorrect, that should be decreased demand will continue with.....
a2cents
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 2:18 a.m.
Let's improve the fan experience by closing all roads within a mile of the stadium except for ticket holders... show them residents who's boss!
semperveritas
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 2:09 a.m.
what you do is pressure the students NOT to renew------eliminate the supposed waiting list. then price the tickets 'dynamically' and what you get is a windfall for the athletic department-----and who cares about the students anyway? the bottom line is the only 2013 reality.
windjmar
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 2:04 a.m.
Expect to stand whole game, expect to stand not see much either!
Frank99
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 1:04 p.m.
Not really. A handicap barrier is at row 70 in those sections and completely breaks the necessity of standing if people stand below row 70.
Terry Redding
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 1 a.m.
You get what you price for.