Even though sellers are asking anywhere from $100 to $650 per ticket to No. 9 MSU's matchup this Saturday against No. 11 U-M, business appears to be usual.
With conference rankings and state bragging rights having meaningful implications for the Spartans (7-1 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) and the Wolverines (7-2, 4-1) for the first time in seasons, online ticket brokers, scalpers and students are trying to line their pockets with some extra cash.
But it might be less scratch than you think.
"I've been going to games a long time," said Williamston resident and longtime ticket-buyer Tom Cornell. "They hype the price. Everybody thinks they can get a boatload for their ticket, and it's just not happening."
Reality in ticket pricing might be a bitter pill for sellers. Prices from online ticket brokers are too high for the market, according to seasoned ticket buyers such as Cornell.
As of Wednesday evening, The Ticket Company, www.tickco.com, was offering four tickets at $650 apiece, another four at $620 and student vouchers for $250. Openseats.com has a selection ranging in prices from $299 to $632 per ticket and eBay has two tickets listed at $1,500 for the pair. At face value, student vouchers cost $26 and all other tickets cost $52.
Demand for tickets to Saturday's game is likely the highest in East Lansing since the Wolverines last came into town in 2001. MSU is the only undefeated team in Big Ten play (4-0), and whoever wins Saturday stands to make the conference's most convincing case for a Rose Bowl berth on Jan. 1.
With prices not exactly within the typical student budget, Cornell said that buyers of those tickets are better off to save their cash.
"(They are) out-of-towners," he said. "Anyone with local presence would know better.
"Once the game starts, tickets will be going like they always do - maybe $100 a ticket."
Keep an eye on who is selling and purchasing tickets, though. With 72,000-plus fans expected to attend, ticket scalpers will be among the crowd.
Sgt. Carl Nowak of the East Lansing Police Department said the punishment for ticket scalping is 90 days in jail and the possibility of a $100 fine if the price is inflated high enough.
No-preference sophomore Michele Bonney said she sold her upper deck ticket two days ago for only $100. The price is well above the face value but not nearly astronomical.
"It's more important to have money than go to the game for some people," Bonney said. "I figured someone wouldn't pay a ton."
But if sellers aren't expecting to make much money from reselling their ticket to Saturday's game, why the gaudy price tags from brokers?
"It's insane," said James Burgette, also known as James the Ticketman and owner of Ticket Man Tickets. "It's been very busy the last month. Some are very desperate and say they'll wait it out until game day to see if prices will come down - but that ain't gonna happen.
"No one's paying $800. Most I've seen (people pay) is four- to five-hundred dollars."
Burgette, though, might be looking forward to the game more than his ticket business.
"This is the best in years, the two teams being equal and ranked," he said. "Everyone wants to see what will happen - it's in demand."
Janet Harp can be reached at harpjane@msu.edu.
Patrick Walters can be reached at walter88@msu.edu.
