Fans concerned over 107th Grey Cup tickets
author: konstantin kharitonov | sports editor
Green is the colour and money is the game / Shawn Doll
Potential plans to make trip to Calgary thwarted by cost
How much is too much for a football ticket? For a province that is truly football–crazed, many fans will answer that they will pay any price. It is always going to be worth it for the experience. However, every person has a price that is just too much, and this week, the owners of McMahon Stadium in Calgary are testing that limit.
Last week, the ticket prices for the 2019 Grey Cup were announced and they are very stiff, even for the most die-hard CFL fan.
The cheapest seats in the house will cost you around $119 as a non-season–ticket holder, which may not seem like much, but take into consideration that those seats are basically glorified benches. If you wanted a seat with an actual back to it, it will cost you $419. In the worst stadium of the league. [EIC’s note, this coming from a Flames fan].
For football fans, ranging from true diehard fans to casual supporters, the high prices are shocking.
“I almost spat out my drink when I saw the prices,” football fan and third–year student Stacey Paus said. “It‘s just not worth it, especially when you add on the costs of a hotel, food and getting to the game.”
Fellow student Brandon Morgan shared similar concerns, voicing his displeasure on the matter by mentioning how the ticket prices are disingenuous based on the status of the stadium where the game will be played in and how much they are not friendly to the non-season–ticket–owning football fan.
“When I saw the prices and how they are discounted based on the number of years fans renew their season tickets for, it was upsetting. I get that you want to sell tickets to your own fans first and convince them to continue to come to games, but given the quality of McMahon Stadium, those prices are ridiculous for traveling fans.”
McMahon stadium is known for its age as well. Opening in 1960, It feels like a dated slab of concrete, which makes the prices for the game even more infuriating to some fans. Especially those like Morgan, who made the trip over to Edmonton for the Grey Cup last year and were looking at doing the same for this year.
Last year, when the Grey Cup was held in Edmonton in the renovated Commonwealth Stadium, the price for one ticket right by the field was $275, almost $150 less for a significantly better seat.
“It really comes down to the state of the stadium,” Morgan said when talking about the possibility of making the trip to Calgary for the game. “Since McMahon has bleacher–style seating in many of the sections, its really not worth it.”
