Many Ohio State Buckeye fans were brimming with excitement, envisioning the opportunity to witness their team host its inaugural home playoff game. However, on Thursday, disappointment set in. Season ticket holders initially had the chance to claim seats earlier in the week, but when tickets for the December 21 game against Tennessee went on sale to the public at 10 a.m., it was a different story. An OSU spokesman had previously stated that tickets would start at $100.

Immediate Ticket Availability and Prices

Just minutes after the public sale began, it became clear that only secondary-market tickets were available, and at significantly higher prices. It was not immediately clear how many tickets were on offer in the Thursday sale. The Dispatch has reached out to Ohio State for more information. By Thursday afternoon, vast swaths of tickets were accessible throughout the stadium on the secondary market. For instance, in Section 23AA near the field, there were 101 tickets available, nearly a third of the section. Ticket prices for this section ranged from $825 to $1,500 each.

Fan Experiences and Options

Several Buckeye fans shared their experiences with The Dispatch via Facebook. Kelli Ferrett-Lynn wrote, "Tried from season ticket holder obtaining additional tickets, and then not available yesterday after being in Que. Today we tried again and was in Que and then only offered resale at outrageous prices." Danielle Nicole Finney also commented, "Yeah this is nuts literally.. C deck going for close to 400 plus fees is insane." At least one person was able to secure tickets at list price. Anthony Wilson wrote, "I was able to snag a couple of tickets in the B deck for face value. They may not be the best seats, but I’m happy to get to be there for the first playoff game at Ohio Stadium, and being covered may be a good thing depending on the weather."

Comparison with Other Playoff Games

The high markup for playoff tickets is not exclusive to Columbus. By comparison, the Buckeyes' playoff game is the second most expensive first-round playoff ticket, with all games only having seats available on the secondary market by Thursday afternoon. Tickets for the Indiana at Notre Dame playoff game scheduled for December 20 are starting at $660 each on Ticketmaster and $680 on StubHub. Tickets for the SMU at Penn State playoff game scheduled for noon on December 21 are starting at $99 on Ticketmaster and $95 on StubHub. Tickets for the Clemson at Texas playoff game scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on December 21 are starting at $161 on Ticketmaster and $150 on StubHub.

Rose Bowl Ticket Prices and Details

If Ohio State is able to defeat Tennessee, they would face Oregon in the Rose Bowl Game on January 1. Secondary market tickets for that game on Ticketmaster are starting at $363 each. More information about the Rose Bowl, such as when it is played and where Rose Bowl Stadium is located, can be found here. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this does not influence our coverage.