Football: Alienated Faithful

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Oregon Football has been flying high the last few years, with a grand total of five losses in three seasons. 

But the team isn’t the only thing soaring right now, as ticket prices for Oregon home games are up in the stratosphere, and it may be to the detriment of their fanbase. 

I, like many of you, will be heading to the home opener this Saturday against Boise State, and that’s certainly not the only game I’d like to watch in person. The question is, will that actually be feasible?

Yes, I understand the economy is different, inflation is real, and increased prices are expected. What bugs me is the affordability ratio. 

As a student at UO I didn’t need to pay for my Football tickets, although it was long enough ago that I had to “camp out” for a few of the higher-tier matchups.

But before and in the years after my tenure at UO I was always able to go to a handful of games each fall, whether solo or with family/friends. 

It wasn’t cheap, per say, but it was doable.

Now, we’re in a whole different realm, as tickets to most Oregon home games bottom out at above $100 a pop. 

When Ohio State visited two years ago, tickets were literally starting at $400, and the Michigan matchup is already teetering that way as well this season. 

Before, even the most anticipated games were reasonably priced through most platforms. Michigan in 2003, No.1 USC in 2005, Oklahoma in 2006, even a Top 5 matchup with Michigan State in 2014…your basic fan could probably swing it. 

And that’s good, because Oregon’s blue-collar faithful are the backbone of the fanbase. 

In games like ‘03 Michigan, ‘07 USC, and ‘14 MSU, it wasn’t just the esteemed alum and generous donors that made Autzen roar like a lion, it was the thousands of Average Joe’s and Josephine’s who considered it a true treat to even be at a game. 

By sending ticket prices through the roof, the Athletic Department is eliminating the possibility of having some of Oregon’s most loyal and raucous fans in attendance, and that makes a difference. 

If this trend continues, Autzen may be filled solely with six-digit salary fans in the future, and not to disparage, but the “little guy” needs a chance too. 

I’ll be there Saturday and, mostly through connections, was able to find a very doable price. But the fact that I’m even considering missing something like a visit from Michigan shows where we’re at, and I can’t be the only one.

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