The Michigan State Spartans faced off against the Wildcats in a Men’s Basketball game on Sunday, Oct. 13 at the Superior Dome. It was a great sports spectacle having one of the Big10 teams face our university, and the bonus is that the Spartans’ coach is an NMU Alumni. There is a lot to be gained by having such a big team compete against our much smaller university, and a lot of fun to be had by sports fans, but due to ticket pricing, not all were be able to enjoy it. 

The tickets for the ‘Superior Dome Showdown’ are a flat rate of $25 for everyone. Tickets to go to a regular Men’s Basketball game usually stand at $10-14 for the general public, and students have tickets at a discounted price between $8-12. It would make sense for the price to be higher since the venue is at the Dome. The general ticket price to a football game is $15, and the student ticket price is $12. The prices for this game reflect, in some cases, more than double the normal prices for comparable sports games. 

Given that this is a great financial opportunity for the university as well as an opportunity to show off our sports facilities and teams. The university can really show how special we students know it to be, as well as the hard work of the student-athletes. Yet, should that precede the enjoyment and opportunities for the student body as a whole?

It is not too big of a financial jump to ask for $13-16 more for a ticket to see one of the greatest university basketball teams in the country, a game that normally would be broadcast for the nation. Yet, there are bound to be students who were banking on the normally $8 tickets who would be left out from seeing this great sporting event. I can only hope this doesn’t become the standard, providing no discounts for university events to the students who fund the university as a whole just feels a bit underhanded.