What's your price?

[warriorchick]

A friend of mine is a Cubs Season ticket holder and told me today that she turned down $5,000 apiece for some of her World Series tickets.

That got me to thinking:  Let's say that when they first went on sale this year, you were able to purchase a pair of decent (good, but not amazing) tickets to the NCAA Final Four.  As fate would have it, the gods smiled on the Warriors, and they find themselves in the championship game.

What is the price point at which you would be willing to sell those seats?  For argument's sake, let's say that you have to sell both tickets, and you wouldn't be able turn around and buy cheaper seats elsewhere in the stadium - you'd have to watch the game on television somewhere else.

I am interested in your honest answers.  And don't tell me you wouldn't sell them under any circumstances.  If someone offered you $1 billion for the pair, you know you'd take it.  My guess is most answers will be somewhere between that and face.

[tower912]

$500,000 each.  Buy a huge TV and throw a big party.

[Benny B]

The price to keep me in front of a TV would start around $100,000. Ticket price is irrelevant.

[brewcity77]

$10,000 for one, $10,000,000 for both. I told my wife if we ever go to the Final Four again, I'm going after running out of money before the 2003 season ended (went to Elite 8). Money really doesn't matter that much, I make enough to be content, so unless I am getting enough to retire today, I'm not even thinking about it. I'd give up the wife's seat for far less than both, but the only way I'm not going is if I'm never working another day in my life. $10M should do that.

[cheebs09]

Probably 100k if I'm sitting a football field away. If I have my normal upper deck seats, I would say a million.

[GGGG]

$5,000. Probably less.  Watching sports live isn't a big priority of mine.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I would quit my job and push a peanut all the way to San Antonio with my nose if it meant another final four.

That being said I would take something in the five figures to stay at home -- less if you can also guarantee me the in-game experience from 2003

[brewcity77]

$5,000. Probably less.  Watching sports live isn't a big priority of mine.

For me it's less the watching live sports as it is the being part of the celebration if we win. As exciting as watching us beat Syracuse to get to the Sweet 16, or Miami to get to the Elite 8 was, it wasn't close to being in the building for the Elite 8. All the best experience moments for me are when you are there live. I understand the couch for a regular season game, but for the moment you win the national title? Can't compare.

[warriorchick]

$500,000 each.  Buy a huge TV and throw a big party.

Really?  If the offer was $475,000 apiece, you would tell the guy to go pound sand?

I love my Warriors, but if selling my tix allowed me to retire a decade earlier, I would do it.

[tower912]

Cool government pension means I retire one way or the other in 6 years.   $1 million means my wife retires now. 

[bilsu]

I went to the final four in Detroit. I order the tickets the April before. I sat so far away the players looked like midgets. I think the amount of money would have to cover my travel arrangements. Triple face, the value of my vacation pay used, plus the cost of my travel including hotel and meals. There is value in the experience in being at the game, but often times you can see it better on TV.

[warriorchick]

Cool government pension means I retire one way or the other in 6 years. 

You're welcome, BTW.   

[wadesworld]

Been to a Final Four already.  Final Four tickets go for far less than Super Bowl or World Series tickets.  So realistically, nothing.  But if someone would give me $75K+ for the pair, they're sold.

[StillAWarrior]

$5,000. Probably less.  Watching sports live isn't a big priority of mine.

I'm somewhere in this range. Maybe $7500. Give me enough to take my family on a really nice vacation and I'd sell them.

[martyconlonontherun]

$2k now. $10k any time past 5 years from now even if I'm financially set. Probably less in both cases if I see the cash in front of me. Yea, money is just money but by that sense basketball is just a game. I don't think I could ever justify spending (or by passing) that much money for a game, especially with home the in home experience has improved. Kids tuition, charities, home improvements, family vacations etc would outweigh the game experience.

[GooooMarquette]

I was lucky enough to be in the Omni in '77 as a 15-year old kid, and I promised my daughter that I would take her to see MU's next championship if the opportunity comes while I'm still alive.  Because of that, the only possible way I'd sell the tickets would be if she said it was OK...in which case the money would be hers. 

If I sold the tickets over her objection, no amount of money would be enough to erase the reflection of myself that I'd see every time I looked into her eyes.

[Jay Bee]

If I had a ticket in hand... $20k would get me thinking

[Goose]

MU is national championship game would be tough to sell the tickets. I know there is a price out there to get me to sell but not sure what would it be. I get caught up in the excitement of the moment and probably would need a crazy number to skip the tilt.

[Lennys Tap]

I was lucky enough to be in the Omni in '77 as a 15-year old kid, and I promised my daughter that I would take her to see MU's next championship if the opportunity comes while I'm still alive.  Because of that, the only possible way I'd sell the tickets would be if she said it was OK...in which case the money would be hers. 

If I sold the tickets over her objection, no amount of money would be enough to erase the reflection of myself that I'd see every time I looked into her eyes.

We're in similar situations, Go - my oldest daughter graduated from MU and if I had 2 I couldn't sell 'em without her blessing.

[Goose]

Lenny and Goooo,

You are my kind of fans!!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Went to the Final Four last season. Tickets were about $200 a pop for 3rd Deck. I'd probably sell mine for about 1K a piece and buy me some tickets in the lower bowl!

[dgies9156]

Nice question Chick. A couple of answers:

1) I have Bears season tickets. As such, I was entered in and won the lottery for 2005 Super Bowl tickets. Before I called my Brother-in-Law who lived north of Miami and offered him a ticket in exchange for a place to stay, Ms. Dgies insisted I check the secondary market for the Super Bowl tickets. As a result, $1,200 worth of tickets sold for $5,200. Paid for a Cabo vacation and a big-screen plasma television.

2) But, even though I am a Bears ticket holder, I have been a die-hard Packer backer since I was a very small child. I get the Bears tickets in part to go to the Packers game (which is delaying my Christmas trip to Florida this year). A few years back, the Bears played the Packers in the NFC Championship at Soldier Field. Ms. Dgies suggested I call the secondary market on these tickets. I told Ms. Dgies that she would not be Ms. Dgies much longer if she kept talking that kind of nonsense. I went to the game.

3) My love of and loyalty to Marquette is exponentially greater than even my joy in Packer wins. If I had Final Four tickets (and trust me, when we get there, I will), nothing will extract those tickets from me. Nothing.

Oh and GOOOO, I have the same deal with my daughter. She's attending another university, but I raised her well and she was, is and always will be a Warrior!

[martyconlonontherun]

What's the multiplier if you were selling to an opposing fan? Badgers vs Mu in the NC. You are willing to sell to a MU fan for 10k. How much for a badger fan to convince to sell to him instead of the mu alumn?

[forgetful]

What's the multiplier if you were selling to an opposing fan? Badgers vs Mu in the NC. You are willing to sell to a MU fan for 10k. How much for a badger fan to convince to sell to him instead of the mu alumn?

I'm kind of with Sultan in that live viewing isn't as big a priority.  So not a badger fan, would be in the $5k-10k range. 

If it was a badger fan, no multiplier, would just have to come up with clothing/shirts/costume that would embarrass the hell out of them.

[brewcity77]

What's the multiplier if you were selling to an opposing fan? Badgers vs Mu in the NC. You are willing to sell to a MU fan for 10k. How much for a badger fan to convince to sell to him instead of the mu alumn?

Not missing that for any price. Especially not to give it to a Badger fan.

Money isn't really that important, and you can always make more. Anyone whose happiness is determined primarily by money probably isn't a very happy individual.