What's the best way to buy tix for first weekend of tourney?

[pharoutengineer]

Never attended an NCAA tourney game but may get the chance next weekend for the Boiler's opening round game(s). What's the best way to get the best possible seats at face value? Contact Purdue ticket office or some other route? Or are they usually already sold out at this point? Really have no idea. I'd like to avoid the scalpers if possible.

 

[pharoutengineer]

Anyone?

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Anyone?

You can try the game site/NCAA online. That is through the facility, Bradley Center (will call)....that's one way, and it's face value. I don't know if you can buy individual sessions....there are usually three total.

Two (afternoon/evening) on TH.....one on Saturday.

 

[lbodel]

Never attended an NCAA tourney game but may get the chance next weekend for the Boiler's opening round game(s). What's the best way to get the best possible seats at face value? Contact Purdue ticket office or some other route? Or are they usually already sold out at this point? Really have no idea. I'd like to avoid the scalpers if possible.

Purdue did a ticket request leading up to the tournament - not sure if they're still accepting them. I'd imagine it will require a donation given it's in Milwaukee.

Another option is to go with the other teams playing in Milwaukee - schools get good lower level tickets at face value. You can probably purchase through Vermont (I'd check their website/twitter for ticket info), but obviously you'd be sitting with them. And if Purdue loses, you're on the hook for the next round (double whammy! ha).

You can also see who else is in Purdue's session and purchase from them - but you'll only get tickets for the next round if that team wins.

Otherwise, I'd check out ticket websites (StubHub is a rip off, try places like Vivid Seats - you can get $10 credits).

And also, it may not be sold out yet in Milwaukee if you don't care about seat location and just want to pay face.

One last thing - If you don't get them through a school, I'd wait til later tonight to see when the game is. If Purdue is playing in the day session on Thursday and Minnesota is not in our session, tickets could possibly end up going down in price significantly leading up to the game. The evening sessions are usually more popular for obvious reasons. Right now, the daytime session starts at $65/ticket for the worst ticket - I'd imagine that will go down if Minnesota isn't there (and even if they are).

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Here's the link to the Bradley Center for NCAA ticket info:

https://www.bmoharrisbradleycenter....ns-basketball-championship-firstsecond-rounds

 

[pharoutengineer]

Thanks for the replies, i'll get to looking. Excited for a chance to see my first NCAA tourney game!

 

[boilerjrut3]

Will they announce game times by tonight?

 

[lbodel]

Will they announce game times by tonight?

Yes, it's usually late tonight after 9 pm or so.

 

[lbodel]

Thanks for the replies, i'll get to looking. Excited for a chance to see my first NCAA tourney game!

I would NOT rush to buy tickets - wait to see what the game situation is (when they play, who is in their session) and your options on where you can and can't buy tickets from.

None of the teams playing here will "ramp up" ticket demand majorly in the first round games - except maybe Minnesota. But Purdue may not be in their session.

 

[pharoutengineer]

I would NOT rush to buy tickets - wait to see what the game situation is (when they play, who is in their session) and your options on where you can and can't buy tickets from.

None of the teams playing here will "ramp up" ticket demand majorly in the first round games - except maybe Minnesota. But Purdue may not be in their session.

Good point, I think I'll let the dust settle a little before I pull the trigger.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

 

[New Pal Boiler]

Never attended an NCAA tourney game but may get the chance next weekend for the Boiler's opening round game(s). What's the best way to get the best possible seats at face value? Contact Purdue ticket office or some other route? Or are they usually already sold out at this point? Really have no idea. I'd like to avoid the scalpers if possible.

Would it be wrong to root against Minny so tix prices will fall for Saturday? I might head up if we win on Thursday. Haven't been to a tourney game since 1994 at Rupp.

 

[mryankee2397]

if you are a john purdue club member you can request tickets online now. even after 37 years of giving i doubt i am high enough to get tickets thru purdue

 

[pharoutengineer]

Wow it's really that hard to score NCAA tix directly through Purdue?

 

[zigybean]

The vast majority of tickets were sold before the teams knew where they were seeded. I have had Tulsa tickets for several months already.

 

[Dryfly88]

I put my request in through JPC. They send out an email tomorrow night letting you know if you got tickets. You could only get 2 tickets, so I'm crossing my fingers! Good seats cheaper than secondary market. If I get a negative response then I'm going to try Vividseats.

 

[lbodel]

if you are a john purdue club member you can request tickets online now. even after 37 years of giving i doubt i am high enough to get tickets thru purdue

Totally depends where they play. Milwaukee on a Thursday day will not be a strong demand - there aren't a ton of JPC members in Wisconsin. When Purdue played in DC, every JPC that requested tickets got them (also a day game). However, Milwaukee is close enough for Chicago/NW Indiana Boilers to make the trip if they want to take the day off.

 

[lbodel]

I put my request in through JPC. They send out an email tomorrow night letting you know if you got tickets. You could only get 2 tickets, so I'm crossing my fingers! Good seats cheaper than secondary market. If I get a negative response then I'm going to try Vividseats.

Vivid Seats does a lot of retargeting ads - i.e. if you look at their tickets for the session, then go to Facebook or another website, you'll see an ad offering $10 off if you come back (I've seen it at the bottom of this forum as well). If your ticket total is over $200, you can get $20 off.

Tickets through a school are the best option. You will be in 201 or 227.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

I put my request in through JPC. They send out an email tomorrow night letting you know if you got tickets. You could only get 2 tickets, so I'm crossing my fingers! Good seats cheaper than secondary market. If I get a negative response then I'm going to try Vividseats.

Dry,

You can also if need be check out the NCAA ticket exchange.....there is a link to it on the Bradley Center website....the link to the Bradley Center is posted above.

Good luck to all wanting to go to the game(s). Go Boilers.

 

[Wolegib]

the purdue game is supposedly starts at 7:30 if you're only planning on buying one ticket

 

[pharoutengineer]

Looks like I can only make it to The Saturday game if Purdue makes it there. Wonder if I should buy before Thursday or after. Hmmmm

 

[lbodel]

Purdue is in the evening session with Iowa State/Nevada.

Purdue game tips at 7:27 pm ET/6:27 pm CT.

Not sure the demand - Minnesota is in the other session, but Iowa State could have a good number of fans looking for tickets as well (Dubuque IA is 3.5 hours from Milwaukee and there's a lot of Iowa people in general in Chicago). The evening session in general also tends to have more demand.

That being said, I don't know if ticket prices will really drive up significantly (they usually start overpriced as is...i.e. today).

If you'd like to try requesting tickets through Vermont, you can here: http://uvmathletics.com/sb_output.aspx?form=53

Purdue's tickets will be in section 226/227.

 

[Big Ogie]

I will be surprised if Iowa St doesn't have the largest number of fans attending Session 2 on Thursday. I hope we have more fans there, but ISU travels very, very well for basketball.

 

[topurdue]

Anyone?

The best way is watch the first round at home and hope they when. Drive there the next day and there will be plenty of tickets on the street. Get a room and watch the games the next day. You can even wait until an hr before game time to get there for the second round and they'll be plenty of tickets on the street. From my experience, this has worked best. Also, if you buy both sessions and Purdue loses, you're not going to want to stick around. You'll end up having to basically give your tickets away.

 

[Boiler Wolf]

Nice Midwest group of teams here at the Bradley Center. Will be the last time the NCAA tourney is played there. Butler, Iowa State, Minnesota, and Purdue are all a fairly easy drive to Milwaukee. That plus the many alumni from those schools in nearby Chicago should make for good and loud crowds. Looking forward to it.

 

[Boiler Wolf]

Should also mention, I'm not enamored with watching basketball at the Bradley Center (although the Buck may have something to do with it). If you can get tickets in the lower level (200), it is pretty good. But, 400 level seats, especially in the corners or behind the basket are a lousy place to watch a basketball game in person. The site lines are not all that great and it feels like you are a long way from the court, as compared to Mackey for example. Still on the fence as to whether I'm going and I only live 10 miles from the arena.

 

[lbodel]

Should also mention, I'm not enamored with watching basketball at the Bradley Center (although the Buck may have something to do with it). If you can get tickets in the lower level (200), it is pretty good. But, 400 level seats, especially in the corners or behind the basket are a lousy place to watch a basketball game in person. The site lines are not all that great and it feels like you are a long way from the court, as compared to Mackey for example. Still on the fence as to whether I'm going and I only live 10 miles from the arena.

Um, go!

 

[lbodel]

There was a bump in demand for the session's tickets on ticket resale sites after teams/times were announced. However, that will probably subside as the people who rushed to buy tickets knowing they were going have done so. There's still a lot of tickets for sale and I'd expect prices to drop some - but I would not expect them to go under face value. If you want to be safe and just want to be there, I'd buy through Ticketmaster, but if you are willing to spend above to get better seats - I'd wait.

 

[lbodel]

Anyone have any luck with JPC tickets?

 

[HomelessHarvey97]

Should also mention, I'm not enamored with watching basketball at the Bradley Center (although the Buck may have something to do with it). If you can get tickets in the lower level (200), it is pretty good. But, 400 level seats, especially in the corners or behind the basket are a lousy place to watch a basketball game in person. The site lines are not all that great and it feels like you are a long way from the court, as compared to Mackey for example. Still on the fence as to whether I'm going and I only live 10 miles from the arena.

Boiler Wolf is right. I grew up going to BRADLEY Center. There are definitely bad seats and they are outlined in BoilerWolf's post. The only ticked I have seen have been the 400 level -- the corners of the 400 level are tough. If that is where I have to sit, I will watch on TV. I'm going to wait it out.

 

[Dryfly88]

Anyone have any luck with JPC tickets?

I just got my e-mail saying thanks but you weren't one of the 100 people that get 2 tickets.

I'm going to check out secondary market options, but after hearing some comments about the Bradley center I'm not very optimistic. I'm not going to pay $300/ticket and it sounds like the upper level is not very good.

It's hard to believe that PU only got 200 tickets, but that's what the JPC said.

 

[lbodel]

I just got my e-mail saying thanks but you weren't one of the 100 people that get 2 tickets.

I'm going to check out secondary market options, but after hearing some comments about the Bradley center I'm not very optimistic. I'm not going to pay $300/ticket and it sounds like the upper level is not very good.

It's hard to believe that PU only got 200 tickets, but that's what the JPC said.

Purdue got 400+ but you have to keep in mind each player gets a certain number, staff get a certain number, university officials get an allotment, they set aside a number for students, etc.

The first 10-15 rows in the Bradley Center upper deck are fine - it's a very steep upper deck, similar to Bankers Life (but does not have the club level so it's not as high up).

Did you try through Vermont? Or check with Nevada?

Wait a day or so on the secondary market, tickets can come down closer to an event. There's not a ton of tickets on the secondary market though. Also depending where you are, craigslist has a lot of of people looking to unload.

 

[Dryfly88]

Purdue got 400+ but you have to keep in mind each player gets a certain number, staff get a certain number, university officials get an allotment, they set aside a number for students, etc.

The first 10-15 rows in the Bradley Center upper deck are fine - it's a very steep upper deck, similar to Bankers Life (but does not have the club level so it's not as high up).

Did you try through Vermont? Or check with Nevada?

Wait a day or so on the secondary market, tickets can come down closer to an event. There's not a ton of tickets on the secondary market though. Also depending where you are, craigslist has a lot of of people looking to unload.

I'm going to keep checking. Hoping things will get a little cheaper closer to Thursday. My work schedule is very flexible so I can afford to wait till the last minute.

 

[lbodel]

PS Anyone staying in Milwaukee, have lunch at the Milwaukee Public Market. Some great food, and even better desserts to be found there. Lots of great food in Milwaukee.

 

[lbodel]

I'm going to keep checking. Hoping things will get a little cheaper closer to Thursday. My work schedule is very flexible so I can afford to wait till the last minute.

http://uvmathletics.com/sb_output.aspx?form=53

 

[Dryfly88]

http://uvmathletics.com/sb_output.aspx?form=53

They ask for a Vermont affiliation. I really don't feel like being dishonest nor am I crazy about sitting in the Vermont section cheering for PU.

 

[lbodel]

They ask for a Vermont affiliation. I really don't feel like being dishonest nor am I crazy about sitting in the Vermont section cheering for PU.

That's why there's an Other box!

Can always call Nevada. Not sure they have a lot of people traveling cross-country to Milwaukee on 3 days notice.

 

[Dryfly88]

Nevada and Vermont both used all their tickets. Heard from both today.

Craigslist Milwaukee has a lot of listings, a couple are face value for anyone interested. I may go that route myself.

 

[New Pal Boiler]

I just got my e-mail saying thanks but you weren't one of the 100 people that get 2 tickets.

I'm going to check out secondary market options, but after hearing some comments about the Bradley center I'm not very optimistic. I'm not going to pay $300/ticket and it sounds like the upper level is not very good.

It's hard to believe that PU only got 200 tickets, but that's what the JPC said.

Have they announced game times for Saturday in Milwaukee yet?

 

[lbodel]

Have they announced game times for Saturday in Milwaukee yet?

They won't announce those until after the Thursday games are played. Given that there's only 1 Pacific Time location for the first rounds, it's impossible to predict - it could be anytime between 1 pm ET and 10 pm ET. They base it who's playing - TV purposes and also logistics, i.e. A West Coast team probably won't play at noon Eastern.