Wow! What a wild day at the Ticket Office!
First off, we got there at about 7:05 a.m. This put us at about 80th in line, and we were told the first person in line said that they showed up at 4:00 a.m. Damn, some of you people are making me get up earlier and earlier Game-Day Saturdays to try and score tickets.
Now, things apeared fairly normal at first. We got the numbered wrist bands and were told the ticket window would open at 9:00 a.m. (I guess it's 8 a.m. for Noon Games and 9 a.m. for 3:30 Games). The window actually opened a bit early (8:40 I think) and we were told they were selling 4 per person...usually a good sign.
So, tickets were being sold for Penn State (even with the students back, which caused me a bit of concern at first). This is a good thing. But as we stood in line one of the "regulars" walked by us and told 'the line' that there were only about 120 tickets left. We weren't sure how he found this out but sure enough as we got to about 20 people from the window it shut and employees told everyone that there were no more tickets...Well this was a swift kick in the groin to us and the 200 or so people it seemed were in line behind us. So I believe only about 55 or so people actually bought tix (maybe 175 to 200 tickets sold).
I should say that one thing that shocked us was not that there was only 200 or so tickets sold this morning, because one of the 'Line Ushers' said that 2 years ago only 35 tickets were sold for the Penn State game. What shocked us (and made us a bit angry) was that an employee of the Ticket Office told us that tickets to the game were sold all day Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (but never put on line...only from walk-up sales) He said they do this sometimes...
So now I'll have to wake up seriously early and wait in line on Friday mornings and Saturdays??? So that seems to be the main reason for so many people getting shut out this morning.
But wait! As happened for the Texas Game last year, while my friend and I wandered around looking for reasonably priced tickets from anyone selling, we started walking back toward the Schott to meet up with his girlfriend. And by shear dumb luck, at the exact same time (around 11:45) the window opened back up!!! A late group of tickets were turned back in and sold as Public Tix. Most were in South Stands, but my friend and girlfriend still bought 2 together at face value for the game...much better than the $120-$150 + dollars that most everyone else wanted for similar seats. (I don't know how many tix were sold the second run)
Anyway...So I went to the Stadium about 3 hours before kickoff to get ready for the game and my friends went to Skull session...end of story.
...But WAIT!!! As kickoff approaches and I'm helping check folks to their seats, I hear my friend's voice shout a familiar "O-H!!!" He went back to the ticket office (not satisfied with the South Stand seats they got since he's been spoiled with 50 yard line seats several games
) and asked if there were any more seats. He was sent to one of the ticket windows to ask and somehow they had C Deck, 45 - 50 yard line, row 28...very nice seats imo.
So, a quick summary: I'm sure there are many who were really hoping to utilize the game day ticket sales and got shut out this morning. But we learned today #1, there were Game-Day tickets for sale today...limited as they may initially have been. #2, I guess tickets are sometimes sold Fridays before game day. This still boggles my mind and I have no idea what else to say about that, especially why they were not put on-line if they had them. #3, just like when we kept hearing "There will be no Public Sales this Season" from the ticket office and that turned out to not be true, when the Ticket Office tells us "There are no more tickets for today's game." That may not necessarily be true either (the Ticket Office is just a big fat bunch of Fibers
). You have to get a little lucky or just hang out in front of a closed window hoping it opens again, but it may end up being worth it especially for 'that big game' you've been waiting to see all season. And #4, never be afraid to ask someone for help. Someone may just get you to the right window where those magical "extra" tickets may be found.
Don't know if today's wild adventures more helps or hurts the cause, but take it for what it's worth.
P.S.
A couple of unrelated side notes: The Assistant US Attorney General (along with some FBI agents and Federal Marshals) was in my section...He also went to the
OSU locker room after the game (probably to give "Congrats" to the team after the W).
I also saw Bobby Carpenter around the locker room after the game...not sure which one (Assistant US Attorney General or Bobby C.) I was more excited to see at the game
.
Hope some of you were able to get tix at the game today.
