Sticker shock: National Championship tickets go for thousands

ATLANTA - Georgia and Alabama will be playing to determine this season’s CFP National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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This might be the biggest game to battle it out in the young stadium’s life as two SEC titans are expected to meet in Atlanta and with one with the two teams being so close, ticket demand is through the roof.

Many fans likely got sticker shock searching for a place to sit in the new stadium for the biggest college football matchup of the season.

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Some of the so-called “nose-bleed” seats were going for about $2,000, while closer to the field, seats were priced at nearly $6,000.

Now, compare this to the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in September between Alabama and Florida State which were going for about $400 and $1,200 for the seats similar to the ones mentioned earlier. Those tickets were just slightly higher for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, played Monday between UCF and Auburn.

According to TicketIQ, this is the most expensive National Championship game since 2011 with an average $2,232 for the cheapest seats. The website noted the less the fans have to travel to the game, the higher the ticket prices.

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As the cheapest tickets to the College Football Playoff Championship game soar to the thousands, game officials and the Better Business Bureau warn of the financial pitfalls of finding a deal for seats.

CFP officials told FOX 5 News, buyers should be wary of any tickets not purchased through Ticketmaster, which "serves as the only resale marketplace able to offer fans real Ticketmaster Verified Tickets."

CFP also said all entry tickets are electronic and no physical printed tickets will be given or will be allowed for entry into the stadium. Buyers, therefore, should be wary of anyone selling printed tickets.

Individuals selling or distributing tickets to friends and family can utilize the CFP Playoff App to manage tickets through Ticketmaster, officials said.

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The Better Business Bureau of Metro Atlanta also has the following tips for buyers:

• Customers should stick with the venues preferred verified ticket seller for tickets.
• Research all resale websites before you buy seats. Buyers can research companies through bbb.org or the National Association of Ticket Brokers on VerifiedTicketSource.com.
• Be aware of all refund policies and how exactly you will obtain tickets.
• Always pay for tickets with credit or PayPal and never cash or debit, allowing for an easier refund in case your ticket never materializes.

Even if folks can only afford to watch from outside the stadium, there should be plenty of activities surrounding the lead up to the big game which people can still attend and not break the bank. Kickoff is Monday at 8 p.m.

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