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Stock is high for James Madison athletics right now, and some are looking to cash in. The football team is 10-0 and looking to cap an undefeated season. The basketball team just knocked off No. 4 Michigan State in the opener.
JMU could very well have the hottest athletic department in college sports, and ticket prices are starting to reflect that.
As the hype continues to build, so does the national exposure. Media coverage of the Dukes’ football squad will see an uptick this week with College GameDay coming to town.
The pregame show will take in the sights and sounds of Harrisonburg before a massive showdown with Appalachian State, and excitement surrounding the contest has skyrocketed.
That’s been evident at the box office.
Tickets are sparse, and those listed on Seat Geek range from $130 to $1,300 at the time of this writing. Luckily for JMU students, they can gain entry for free so long as they apply.
Many have done so, but they’re now looking to take advantage of an opportunity to make a buck.
Students are reportedly selling those free tickets for upwards of $100+. Tickets are reportedly being sold through social media apps like Snapchat and Facebook, which is a strict violation of school policy, according to Breeze JMU.
“For people to take advantage of other Dukes for this just really disappoints me,” Vice President for Student Affairs Tim Miller said. “I think that we should be better than that.”
Associate AD Kevin Warner says that screenshotted tickets will not be honored, which would certainly anger those that bought $100+ tickets if denied entry. He also warned the sellers.
“If someone comes in with a ticket that isn’t their ticket, we’re going to know who reserved that ticket… It’s going to create repercussions that no one wants.”
For JMU students that would rather start their holiday breaks early instead of going to the game, a ticket return option is available. Of course, there’s no monetary value in that.
High demand has students eager to make a quick profit, but selling might come at an even higher price.