Top 10 "toughest" tickets in Sports

[Sonny]

1. The Masters
2. Duke vs. North Carolina at Cameron Indoor Stadium
3. The Super Bowl
4. The 2007 NBA All-Star Game
5. BCS National Championship Game
6. The World Series
7. Red Sox vs. Yankees at Fenway Park
8. Kentucky Derby
9. U.S. Open Men's Final
10. NASCAR Sharpie 500 (Bristol Motor Speedway)

LINK:
http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/columns/story?columnist=rovell_darren&id=2396948

[Lax_Stats]

You fogot Wrestlemania!!!

[bste_lax]

1. The Masters

And yet my sister has gone before which really irked my dad and myself.

2. Duke vs. North Carolina at Cameron Indoor Stadium

Probably #1 event I want to see in my lifetime. I love college sports and that is the pinnacle crowd environment in my eyes....that plus I wouldn't be annoyed by ESPN showing it on 3453415 channels.

4. The 2007 NBA All-Star Game

One reason Mark Cuban said he doesn't want the All-Star game in Dallas as majority of the tickets go to players/celebs/corporate then only so many season ticket holders........the average joe is shut out unless they have a connection or friend who has connections.....or you don't mind paying an arm and a leg through a broker or Ebay.

5. BCS National Championship Game

I am really hoping I get to go to this next year since Fox is carrying the BCS minus the Rose Bowl next year.

[KnoxVegas]

Sonny,
Now why do you think I have the job I have?

[Sonny]

The only one on that list that I don't understand is the '07 NBA All-Star Game:

1. I dont think the overall interest is frankly there across the country for the NBA when compared to NFL or MLB. TV ratings and ticket sales are trending down for the NBA. I can't see the NBA all-star game being a hotter ticket then the MLB All-Star game.

2. Many All-Star games tickets are typically covered by the season ticket holders of said (host) team. Since this game is in Vegas (i.e. no NBA team), there won't be a large amount of the ticket committed to the season ticket holders. Cuban would have problems in Dallas with the Mavericks season ticket holders if he didn't offer them NBA All-Star game tickets if the event went to Big D.

[Tim Whitehead]

The only one on that list that I don't understand is the '07 NBA All-Star Game:

1. I dont think the overall interest is frankly there across the country for the NBA when compared to NFL or MLB. TV ratings and ticket sales are trending down for the NBA. I can't see the NBA all-star game being a hotter ticket then the MLB All-Star game.

2. Many All-Star games tickets are typically covered by the season ticket holders of said (host) team. Since this game is in Vegas (i.e. no NBA team), there won't be a large amount of the ticket committed to the season ticket holders. Cuban would have problems in Dallas with the Mavericks season ticket holders if he didn't offer them NBA All-Star game tickets if the event went to Big D.

At the risk of being un-PC here, I read a column recently (I believe by Bill Simmons) where it was discussed how the NBA All Star Game is the "Black Superbowl". That phenomenon could help explain its popularity....

[Adam G]

1. The Masters

Definitely either the #1 or #2 sporting event I'd like to see. One event that isn't on the list is Man U v. Arsenal at Old Trafford or Wembley.

[FLAK]

One event that isn't on the list is Man U v. Arsenal at Old Trafford or Wembley.

Gettin into a game at Old Trafford is hard enough on its own, people can go their whole lives living in manchester and never get to see a game there, its comparable to gettin season tickets at Lambeau Field. But I guess being from Wisconsin and all you probably already knew that.

[DanGenck]

Don't people register their kids at birth for Green Bay Packers season tickets? I saw a story once and a guy was like, "I'm at number 1,155, my first son is 20,150 and my newborn is 49,000 something..."

Apparently they send you a letter every year and let you know where you are on the list for season tickets.

Now that's a spicy meatball...

[Dan Wishengrad]

I'd wager one of the toughest tix to get in sports is any NHL playoff game played north of the border.

[AIRTERP]

The only one on that list that I don't understand is the '07 NBA All-Star Game:

1. I dont think the overall interest is frankly there across the country for the NBA when compared to NFL or MLB. TV ratings and ticket sales are trending down for the NBA. I can't see the NBA all-star game being a hotter ticket then the MLB All-Star game.

2. Many All-Star games tickets are typically covered by the season ticket holders of said (host) team. Since this game is in Vegas (i.e. no NBA team), there won't be a large amount of the ticket committed to the season ticket holders. Cuban would have problems in Dallas with the Mavericks season ticket holders if he didn't offer them NBA All-Star game tickets if the event went to Big D.

At the risk of being un-PC here, I read a column recently (I believe by Bill Simmons) where it was discussed how the NBA All Star Game is the "Black Superbowl". That phenomenon could help explain its popularity....

Also I think it may be a simple issue of numbers: For example the 2006 NBA All Star game was in Houston where the Arena held nearly 19,000 people. Versus a Baseball Stadium that can hold upwards of 45,000-50,000 or more depending on the venue.

The one that I thought would be higher but agree should be on the list is the Kentucky Derby. Been trying to get those tickets for YEARS! No dice. Anyone ever been? know how?

[Adam G]

Don't people register their kids at birth for Green Bay Packers season tickets? I saw a story once and a guy was like, "I'm at number 1,155, my first son is 20,150 and my newborn is 49,000 something..."

Apparently they send you a letter every year and let you know where you are on the list for season tickets.

Now that's a spicy meatball...

You're absolutely right. My brother and I were both put on the waiting list at birth. My grandparents have two season tickets, so they disseminate to my aunts and uncles first, then to the grandchildren. Needless to say I haven't been to a game in about 4 years.

I also own stock in the Packers.

[Campbell]

The one that I thought would be higher but agree should be on the list is the Kentucky Derby. Been trying to get those tickets for YEARS! No dice. Anyone ever been? know how?

My roommate from college got tickets to the Derby by ordering a year in advance. Not sure who he went through or how but I was surprised. I have been to the Derby twice, both times in the infield. The infield is a blast, I wouldn't recommend a family trip to the infield, but you can see the race if you try and there are always the big viewscreens to watch. The infield at the Derby is a combination of many different types of people. Between the first and second turn you have picnic people with their blankets and food. The third turn is dominated by naked and half naked college types, and the middle is pretty much vendors and the betting booths. The third turn crowd seems to grow larger every year. Each time I was there we pretty much just walked around and absorbed everything, very reminiscient of Mardi Gras.

The Oaks (at Churchill Downs) is the day before Derby and slightly easier to get tickets for, it is a very good race as well.

Last time I was at the Derby there were these college kids jumping off the restrooms into a huge mud pit, probably about a 12 foot drop. They attracted quite a crowd, and as everyone was cramped around trying to see them I look down and there is old couple, probably 70ish, sitting there playing checkers surrounded by people shoulder to shoulder. They didn't look up once and seemed totally unphased by the goings on. Seemed sort of surreal.

[DanGenck]

Don't people register their kids at birth for Green Bay Packers season tickets? I saw a story once and a guy was like, "I'm at number 1,155, my first son is 20,150 and my newborn is 49,000 something..."

Apparently they send you a letter every year and let you know where you are on the list for season tickets.

Now that's a spicy meatball...

You're absolutely right. My brother and I were both put on the waiting list at birth. My grandparents have two season tickets, so they disseminate to my aunts and uncles first, then to the grandchildren. Needless to say I haven't been to a game in about 4 years.

I also own stock in the Packers.

How do you buy stock in the Packers? Can I call my Charles Schwab guy for that?

But seriously... how do you do it?

[Adam G]

The Packers have been doing this for years. I believe it dates back to the 1950's. The Packers are actually Green Bay Packers, Inc. Ever wonder why you never hear any guff about the Packers owner? That's because there are roughly 120,000 owners, the stockholders. It's not a publicly traded stock, and the money raised from the sale is used for maintenance and the "rebirth" of Lambeau. You can sell the stock back to the Packers for a fraction of what you bought it for. When I got my stock in '97 I believe it cost around $200/sh.

This guarantees that the Green Bay Packers will always be in Green Bay. If the team was ever sold, the money raised for their worth would go to the Green Bay Packers Foundation.

I believe the Packers are either the only, or one of very few, publicly owned pro-sports franchises.

It's framed on my wall in my house.