Friday, April 10, 2026

CFP Title Game Tickets Already Hitting Unprecedented Prices (Even Without Texas)

  • The CFP final is trending toward being the most expensive ever on the secondary ticket market.
  • Michigan is making its first appearance in the College Football Playoff title game.
Detroit Free Press

Michigan’s first appearance in a college football national championship game (yes, you read that correctly) is generating record demand on the secondary ticket market. Neither the Wolverines nor their opponents from Washington have played in a national title matchup during the College Football Playoff or BCS eras. Excitement for the contest has it trending toward being the most expensive CFP final on record, according to TickPick data shared with Front Office Sports

With the majority of purchases coming from Michigan’s side, the “get-in” price was as high as $1,200 last week before dipping, which is expected to continue until kickoff Monday night but still end up at a record high. No other national championship game has had a “get-in” price above $800. Many “get-in” prices for recent CFP championships have fallen below $200.

What Could Have Been

During halftime of Washington’s playoff semifinal win over Texas, the game was tied 21-21, and Longhorn fans—who travel well to begin with—were apparently getting ahead of themselves, with the potential for playing for a national championship in their home state on the table. 

TickPick says the “get-in” price for Monday night’s title game in Houston got as high as $2,885 midway through that semifinal, and a Texas victory would have made the CFP title game far and away the most expensive matchup ever. Alas … .

Heading into the weekend, the average purchase price on TickPick was $2,201, which would also be a record for the CFP title game.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Michigan head coach Dusty May does an interview on stage as the team celebrates beating Connecticut to win the NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Michigan’s Basketball Title Follows Scandal-Ridden Football Season

Michigan fired football coach Sherrone Moore in December.
Mar 23, 2026; Storrs, CT, USA; UConn Huskies Forward Serah Williams (22) shoots a layup against Syracuse Orange Forward Aurora Almon (0) during the first half of the second round game of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.

4 Schools Cash In As Men’s and Women’s Teams Reach Sweet 16

Duke, Connecticut, Michigan, and Texas are thriving in both tournaments.
Dec 13, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; President Donald J Trump cross the field at half time of the game between the Navy Midshipmen and the Army West Point Black Knights at M&T Bank Stadium.

Trump Signs Executive Order to ‘Preserve’ Army–Navy Game

The order seeks to guarantee an exclusive television window for the game.

Featured Today

College Athletes Are Ignoring NCAA Gambling Bans

“We were going to bet regardless,” says one former D-I athlete.
April 8, 2026

Why Did FIFA Do a Deal With an Obscure Prediction Market?

The product is scheduled to launch on Thursday.
Mar 28, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward David Mirkovic (0) and center Tomislav Ivisic (13) react in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes during an Elite Eight game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center.
April 4, 2026

Loopholes Enable Int’l College Basketball Players to Cash In

Schools have scrambled to find a way to compensate international players.
April 1, 2026

‘The Sonics Never Died’: The Long Afterlife of Seattle NBA Merch

Inside “the largest team shop for a team that doesn’t exist.” 

NCAA Considers Five-Year Eligibility Rule, Ending Redshirts

The governing body looks at creating a broad, age-based standard.
Dusty May
April 7, 2026

Transfer Portal Chaos Began Amid Michigan’s Title Celebration

The transfer portal opened in the middle of postgame celebrations.
April 8, 2026

UNC Makes Michael Malone Among College Basketball’s Richest

It will be his first college job since 2001.
Sponsored

From Gold Medalist to Business Founder

Allyson Felix on investing in women’s sports and what comes next for track & LA28.
April 7, 2026

Once-Mighty Tennessee Down to One Player After Portal Exodus

The Volunteers lost all players with eligibility to the transfer portal.
Ben Shelton keeps his eyes on the ball during his second-round match against Reilly Opelka at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Friday, March 6, 2026.
April 7, 2026

College Tennis In NIL ‘Crisis’: Incoming USTA CEO Craig Tiley

Multiple universities have dropped their Division I programs in recent years.
Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) celebrates the team’s NCAA men's basketball tournament national championship victory Monday, April 6, 2026, after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
April 7, 2026

Michigan’s $10 Million Roster Was Enough to Win a Title

UConn spent millions more, but the Wolverines spent where it mattered.
April 6, 2026

Michael Malone Set to Be Next North Carolina Basketball Coach

Malone was working as an NBA analyst for ESPN.