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Literally sick to my stomach (Rose Bowl)

joeparules

joeparules

Well-Known Member
Nov 17, 2003
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After returning from Indy with my older daughter after an excellent weekend, we decided to take the family to LA for the Rose Bowl game. I figured airfare would be the toughest part and paid $3,200 for four round trips from PHL. My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family. I figure no big deal and just get them from the Rose Bowl site or Stub Hub. Couldn't get through the Ticketmaster sale and now looking at $600+ per ticket everywhere else. Now I'm facing the possibility of flying out to LA (non-refundable tickets) and not seeing the game as I refuse to pay 400% mark-up on tickets and my daughters are freaking about that.

What is the chance the ticket prices eventually come down after this initially hysteria? Would you chance it and try to get tickets at the game on January 2nd? I was looking forward to a fun family trip but now panicking that it will turn into a disaster regarding the game.
 
Tickets are $385 on stubhub if you're just looking to get into the game.
 
joeparules said:
After returning from Indy with my older daughter after an excellent weekend, we decided to take the family to LA for the Rose Bowl game. I figured airfare would be the toughest part and paid $3,200 for four round trips from PHL. My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family. I figure no big deal and just get them from the Rose Bowl site or Stub Hub. Couldn't get through the Ticketmaster sale and now looking at $600+ per ticket everywhere else. Now I'm facing the possibility of flying out to LA (non-refundable tickets) and not seeing the game as I refuse to pay 400% mark-up on tickets and my daughters are freaking about that.

What is the chance the ticket prices eventually come down after this initially hysteria? Would you chance it and try to get tickets at the game on January 2nd? I was looking forward to a fun family trip but now panicking that it will turn into a disaster regarding the game.
Click to expand...

Hopefully you will find tix. Even if you don't....go anyway. You can turn this lemon into lemonade.

First of all, take your daughters to the Rose Bowl Parade. Bands, floats, horses, celebrities, etc. They won't forget that. That is a main event in it's own right.

The parade is early in the day, and you have to get to the seats early. But, likely being there would be some consolation. You may find some tickets there. Make sure to order bleacher seats for the parade. http://www.sharpseating.com/

From your bleacher seats, plan on walking to the Rose Bowl...immediately. You may seem some sellers along the way. Or, you may seem some sellers near where the Alumni Association has it's pregame (get some tix to that.) Or, you may see some tickets as you approach the stadium.

Just being there will be some consolation. There will be a big screen TV outside the stadium. You will still be part of the pageantry.
 
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Be patient. People are panicking as they have done the exact same thing you did (airfare, hotel) etc. Prices will settle to market as we approach the game. You can get scalped tickets at the game. keep working your contacts. USC ticket holders are fickle as the Rose Bowl doesn't have the significance as it does for PSU and they will come on the market. I will say that the enthusiasm for PSU this year rivals '94. Way more than 2008.
 
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I would venture that you will find tickets near the stadium.

Look at this way - would you rather spend the New Year in the cold and dreary northeast, or warm and sunny SoCal?

Go.
 
joeparules said:
After returning from Indy with my older daughter after an excellent weekend, we decided to take the family to LA for the Rose Bowl game. I figured airfare would be the toughest part and paid $3,200 for four round trips from PHL. My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family. I figure no big deal and just get them from the Rose Bowl site or Stub Hub. Couldn't get through the Ticketmaster sale and now looking at $600+ per ticket everywhere else. Now I'm facing the possibility of flying out to LA (non-refundable tickets) and not seeing the game as I refuse to pay 400% mark-up on tickets and my daughters are freaking about that.

What is the chance the ticket prices eventually come down after this initially hysteria? Would you chance it and try to get tickets at the game on January 2nd? I was looking forward to a fun family trip but now panicking that it will turn into a disaster regarding the game.
Click to expand...

It's a risk for sure but I'd be compeltely comfortable going out there without tickets. You'll have better (and cheaper) options 90 minutes before kickoff.
 
joeparules said:
After returning from Indy with my older daughter after an excellent weekend, we decided to take the family to LA for the Rose Bowl game. I figured airfare would be the toughest part and paid $3,200 for four round trips from PHL. My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family. I figure no big deal and just get them from the Rose Bowl site or Stub Hub. Couldn't get through the Ticketmaster sale and now looking at $600+ per ticket everywhere else. Now I'm facing the possibility of flying out to LA (non-refundable tickets) and not seeing the game as I refuse to pay 400% mark-up on tickets and my daughters are freaking about that.

What is the chance the ticket prices eventually come down after this initially hysteria? Would you chance it and try to get tickets at the game on January 2nd? I was looking forward to a fun family trip but now panicking that it will turn into a disaster regarding the game.
Click to expand...
Might as well spring for the Club Seats at $1100 and up ...
Rose Bowl Premium Seating: Rose Bowl Game Club Seats:

  • Seats located in either Level D or Level E of The Terry Donohue Premium Seating Pavilion
  • Access to exclusive air conditioned 15,000 square foot club lounges
  • Extra-wide, cushioned exterior seats with cup holders and 50% more leg room than in the bowl
  • All-inclusive Wolfgang Puck and Legends Hospitality catered buffet and non-alcoholic drinks included
  • Easy access to full cash bars available to purchase beer, wine, liquor and mixed drinks and ability to bring them to your seats
  • Access to private rest rooms on the Premium levels
  • One VIP premium parking pass included free for every 4 seats.
  • Available Club Seating begins at $1,100 per person
  • Click Here To View Our Club Seats
  • Click Here For Our Interactive Map
 
joeparules said:
After returning from Indy with my older daughter after an excellent weekend, we decided to take the family to LA for the Rose Bowl game. I figured airfare would be the toughest part and paid $3,200 for four round trips from PHL. My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family. I figure no big deal and just get them from the Rose Bowl site or Stub Hub. Couldn't get through the Ticketmaster sale and now looking at $600+ per ticket everywhere else. Now I'm facing the possibility of flying out to LA (non-refundable tickets) and not seeing the game as I refuse to pay 400% mark-up on tickets and my daughters are freaking about that.

What is the chance the ticket prices eventually come down after this initially hysteria? Would you chance it and try to get tickets at the game on January 2nd? I was looking forward to a fun family trip but now panicking that it will turn into a disaster regarding the game.
Click to expand...

last year ticket prices declined 40% after two weeks. Logically think about how many tickets are listed in the 1k catagory.
Its the Rose Bowl but not the Super Bowl. Those tickets will be scalped at $200. Granted its going to be expensive, but I'll hold out.
 
I always prefer to be the person looking for tickets as opposed to the person selling tickets. You'll get tickets but maybe you might need to split into pairs at the worst.
 
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Tickets will go down after the initial giddiness dies down. The day of the game you'll be able to buy them outside the stadium. Have been going to bowl games for 30+ years and have yet to see one where you couldn't get into before the game if you are not picky about seat location.
 
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dclionsfan said:
http://www.vividseats.com/ Look here
Click to expand...
Current cheapest is $437/ticket for four.

Guess I will have to be patient. I understand that the game is just one part of the family vacation, but would hate to be watching on a big screen outside the stadium when I could have stayed home and done that in the family room.

Thanks all for the encouraging words and keep me in mind if you hear of any (reasonable) tickets.
 
Every game has a secondary market. Just keep looking and if possible be flexible regarding how many seats you need to have together, but do not let kids sit without an adult. You will see tickets for sale outside the stadium, but if the confidence of having tickets in hand is important then pay the extra now.

As stated above the parade and visiting the places where the floats are being made will probably be more memorable than the game itself. That is the case with me for both Rose Bowls that I have seen.

Have a great time with your family!
 
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I'm always concerned about buying tickets in person now because they could have sold the tickets online, which invalidates the bar code on the hard tickets, scalper sells you the hard tickets which are no longer good, and he's gone by the time you try to enter the stadium.
 
In Indy, Stub Hub had a room set up and we got great tickets Saturday afternoon. I would assume they would have something similar in Pasadena. Demand seems to be greater and you pay their handling fee but you take away any risks with counterfeit tickets and can enjoy yourself and now worry about dealing with scalpers.
 
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They always come down over time. Ticket brokers buy big blocks causing inflated demand in the begining.
 
psuro said:
I would venture that you will find tickets near the stadium.
Click to expand...

True but risky. I friend of mine is an Oregon alumnus and we used to fly out at the last minute to every Ducks bowl game when they were good (we'd often combine it with a golf outing to get out of the PNW weather for a couple days). Anyway, we never had tickets and our SOP was to buy from scalpers just before kick-off for little more than face value (sometimes below). Never had a problem. But one thing we noticed at the 2011 national championship game was some scalpers were selling "legitimate" tickets that had previously been reported as stolen (and presumably reissued with a different barcode). There were a good number of folks at the box office gate that had used a blue light to confirm the tickets were "real" only to find they had been invalided in the weeks before the game. We were at the box office hoping to find last minute tickets for sale, so luckily we didn't fall prey to that scam, but we never did get into the game as scalpers were still getting $500 over face value after the game started (large numbers of Auburn fans were there without tickets). We ended up watching the game at some huge viewing party outside the stadium which was almost as fun as being in the game.
 
Tickets tend to come down after this first rush to buy. For what it's worth, our group of four went without tickets in '94 and got them the morning of the game for face value (albeit in the very top row). Patience is your friend if you can stomach it.
 
joeparules said:
After returning from Indy with my older daughter after an excellent weekend, we decided to take the family to LA for the Rose Bowl game. I figured airfare would be the toughest part and paid $3,200 for four round trips from PHL. My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family. I figure no big deal and just get them from the Rose Bowl site or Stub Hub. Couldn't get through the Ticketmaster sale and now looking at $600+ per ticket everywhere else. Now I'm facing the possibility of flying out to LA (non-refundable tickets) and not seeing the game as I refuse to pay 400% mark-up on tickets and my daughters are freaking about that.

What is the chance the ticket prices eventually come down after this initially hysteria? Would you chance it and try to get tickets at the game on January 2nd? I was looking forward to a fun family trip but now panicking that it will turn into a disaster regarding the game.
Click to expand...
For what it's worth: scalped tickets were readily available up until (& presumably after) kickoff in '94.
 
joeparules said:
My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family.
Click to expand...

I don't know what kind of friendship you have with this person in Dallas, and I'm going to tread lightly but based on what you said here, wow. That's an interesting move on his part.
 
joeparules said:
After returning from Indy with my older daughter after an excellent weekend, we decided to take the family to LA for the Rose Bowl game. I figured airfare would be the toughest part and paid $3,200 for four round trips from PHL. My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family. I figure no big deal and just get them from the Rose Bowl site or Stub Hub. Couldn't get through the Ticketmaster sale and now looking at $600+ per ticket everywhere else. Now I'm facing the possibility of flying out to LA (non-refundable tickets) and not seeing the game as I refuse to pay 400% mark-up on tickets and my daughters are freaking about that.

What is the chance the ticket prices eventually come down after this initially hysteria? Would you chance it and try to get tickets at the game on January 2nd? I was looking forward to a fun family trip but now panicking that it will turn into a disaster regarding the game.
Click to expand...

Wife and I get multiple pairs of Rose Bowl tickets through the Pasadena resident sale (held last Saturday) and we sell all of them (though not for the $500-600 a ticket rate that you see). You are allowed to go though the line as many as you want as long as they don't run out of tickets. We try to sell as quickly as possible to take advantage of the excitement because demand and (thus) prices go down as you get closer. I know it feels risky but I dont think you will have a problem. The only issue I could see is that it is far easier to get cheaper tickets in pairs vs four in a row.

We moved to Pasadena a year or two after our last trip to the Rose Bowl so we always stipulated when PSU is back, we would try to get as many tickets as possible but for friends and family who would want to come. Unfortunately, this year my wife unknowingly booked a flight back to Pittsburgh for this past weekend so it was just me and I was only able to get 2 pairs and that 2nd pair is already spoken for.

In short, you shouldnt have a problem if you are comfortable waiting--the exception being that a fair amount of the tickets are not delivered electronically so purchasing and having them shipped is something to consider.

Finally, there is a StubHub storefront at LA Live which I would recommend visiting once you get into town. It is right next to the JW Marriott which is the team's hotel. I see it used quite a lot for Clippers/Lakers/Kings games at the Staples Center which is right next door.
 
Victor E. Bell said:
I don't know what kind of friendship you have with this person in Dallas, and I'm going to tread lightly but based on what you said here, wow. That's an interesting move on his part.
Click to expand...
Tried to keep my post (relatively) short. He still hadn't talked to his family about going, but wanted to know if he wasn't using them if I would definitely buy them from him. I said definitely. It was tough because I don't get see him and his family often and would love to see them in LA, but if he did go to the game I knew I would have to get them on my own. I didn't realize the frenzy that would occur today.

Going to give it a week or two to calm down and determine my threshold for buying now versus taking the chance out at the game. Again, I don't mind paying a premium for the tickets but not going to break the bank on an already expensive vacation.

And thanks again for the information (not counting the taco part!).
 
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joeparules said:
Tried to keep my post (relatively) short. He still hadn't talked to his family about going, but wanted to know if he wasn't using them if I would definitely buy them from him. I said definitely. It was tough because I don't get see him and his family often and would love to see them in LA, but if he did go to the game I knew I would have to get them on my own. I didn't realize the frenzy that would occur today.

Going to give it a week or two to calm down and determine my threshold for buying now versus taking the chance out at the game. Again, I don't mind paying a premium for the tickets but not going to break the bank on an already expensive vacation.

And thanks again for the information (not counting the taco part!).
Click to expand...

Let us know how you do, I am sure many others are interested as well.
 
Penn State was last in the Rose Bowl in 2008, and 1994 before that. Pay the extra money and do things right. Get a nice hotel, get a parking pass for the game, get good seats for the game, get grandstand seats for the parade. Do it up right. This is a trip you and your family will always remember. It will seem painful when you pay too much for everything right now, but I can guarantee that you will not regret it one bit when you think back about this vacation for the rest of your lives. Just do it.
 
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NewEra 2014 said:
Penn State was last in the Rose Bowl in 2008, and 1994 before that. Pay the extra money and do things right. Get a nice hotel, get a parking pass for the game, get good seats for the game, get grandstand seats for the parade. Do it up right. This is a trip you and your family will always remember. It will seem painful when you pay too much for everything right now, but I can guarantee that you will not regret it one bit when you think back about this vacation for the rest of your lives. Just do it.
Click to expand...
Agree with all of that except parking -- Rose Bowl discourages driving and parking there. It is a pain and you'll be happy to avoid it.

If you are going to do the parade once, get the seats but no seeing it from the street.
 
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joeparules said:
After returning from Indy with my older daughter after an excellent weekend, we decided to take the family to LA for the Rose Bowl game. I figured airfare would be the toughest part and paid $3,200 for four round trips from PHL. My good friend who lives in Dallas and is an NLC member wasn't sure whether he was going so put in for four tickets at my request. He got them but decided to take his family. I figure no big deal and just get them from the Rose Bowl site or Stub Hub. Couldn't get through the Ticketmaster sale and now looking at $600+ per ticket everywhere else. Now I'm facing the possibility of flying out to LA (non-refundable tickets) and not seeing the game as I refuse to pay 400% mark-up on tickets and my daughters are freaking about that.

What is the chance the ticket prices eventually come down after this initially hysteria? Would you chance it and try to get tickets at the game on January 2nd? I was looking forward to a fun family trip but now panicking that it will turn into a disaster regarding the game.
Click to expand...
FWIW, I've had good luck purchasing fair-priced tickets by visiting the following locations and events once I arrive at the bowl destination:

1) All PSUAA events.....the earlier the better. There's usually a welcome reception at some bar (last time it was in Santa Monica) and many events scheduled thereafter. Hold up a sign saying "Need X Tickets" with a PSU logo on it so people know you're PSU-affiliated.

2) The official PSU hotel. Hang out in the lobby and post signs around the place where PSUAA members check-in. Take your sign with you.

3) The PSU Pep Rally. Take your sign with you.

It seems that Alums transport and sell extra tickets for friends that couldn't make it. They might not sell them at face-value and you probably won't be able to get 4 together, but it beats dealing with scalpers.

I've purchased decent tickets from some very interesting and notable PSU folks over the years, especially in the hotel lobby.

Funny story: At one bowl game, a former player's parent saw my "Need 2 Tickets" note on the message board in the hotel lobby and called me at my hotel. We agreed on a price for two tickets, which included a nice premium over face value. I drove 45 minutes over to the PSU team hotel, met said person in the lobby and they then attempted to escalate the price over what we had just negotiated saying they had another offer. I said "no thanks, I don't do business that way". I ended up purchasing the tickets at the originally agreed price, only to later find out that this player's parent didn't actually pay face value for the tickets. Their identity shall remain confidential. :)

Good luck.
 
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