I love my WisCard. It makes me feel like I live in a monopoly land. “That will be $3.27,” says the cashier at the dining hall as I whimsically hand them my magical card that somehow holds the key to the imaginary land full of money and sugar and access to the SERF. My WisCard doesn’t care what my GPA is, and my WisCard is always there when I need a workout or an omelet.
As college students, we are all broke. Personally, I’m in the business of unemployment, and business has never been better. Meaning I have never been less employed, and therefore have never had less of a steady income. Fortunately, as a freshman, I don’t often have to stray away from my quaint WisCard to make purchases.
One occasion when I do have to spend a pretty penny without my WisCard is when purchasing season tickets to Badger athletics. I understand the season ticket price is almost always a smoking deal, but spending all that money at once leaves an empty feeling in my stomach (literally and figuratively). Despite the financial commitment, it is worth becoming part of one of the most invigorating attractions of this university.
Last summer, I was one of the lucky students who was able to purchase season tickets for Badger football. I attended a majority of the games and even attempted to purchase an extra ticket for the Nebraska game. In order to do so, I had to participate in the Wall Street of this university: The UW Ticket Exchange Facebook group. Set in a scene much like “The Wolf of Wall Street,” this group moves at NASCAR speeds and if you ain’t first, you’re last. A student will announce they have a ticket for sale, and within seconds the ticket will be gone.
I did not have much luck in purchasing a ticket. It was rare that I saw the Facebook posts before the disappointing “sold” comment appeared underneath them, and the few people I did message were not responsive. But on one fateful afternoon, I logged onto Facebook at nearly the exact moment that a student had offered her Nebraska ticket for sale. I messaged her immediately, and inquired how much she was asking for the coveted Nebraska football ticket. She replied “$75.”
I am going to use the following paragraph to write a message to this particular seller. Hey, man. Friend. Tease. We could play this cute little game where you tell me that this ticket is actually worth $75 to you, but we both know that you truly want to get rid of it. You’ve got midterms to study for and other events to attend. I understand this extra money you attempt to squeeze out of an innocent buyer may be the key to your night out at Tutto’s, and trust me, I love a nice steaming bowl of carbs just as much as the next guy. But the bottom line is, you and I both know very well that you did not pay $75 for that ticket.
Here’s my point: We are all Badgers here. We are all, for the most part, on fairly tight budgets, but we all want to support Badger athletics when we are able. I do not think it is justified for a seller to jack-up the price of a ticket, simply for his or her own personal gain. The student ticket prices are originally set at affordable levels so students are able to experience the university’s athletic atmosphere without much sacrifice, and this becomes moot when ticket resales are $20 to $30, if not more, above face value.
I have previously sold a couple of tickets to both football and hockey games. I generally negotiate a fair price with the buyer that is no more than five dollars above or below face value.
Wisconsin athletics are so powerful because they unite the student body. We are lucky to attend a university where the athletic culture is unmatched. Nothing beats the post-score cheers and chants, or the feeling of school-wide unity after a win. It is wrong to deteriorate these experiences, or worse, make them less accessible to other students simply because of personal greed. So, Badger to Badger, play fair.
Do you agree or disagree with Marisa’s view on selling Badger tickets? Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
