Army and Navy. Navy and Army. In the minds of college football fans they are tied together—first as rivals on the gridiron, and then as teammates in the United States's military apparatus.
The Black Knights and Midshipmen's football heydays may be long past, but their annual game has lost none of its power since it was first contested in 1890. Accordingly, attending the game will cost you a dollar amount ranging from the hundreds to the low four figures.
Here's a look at everything you need to know about attending this year's contest at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md.
Overview of Ticket Pricing for the Army-Navy Game
The football game between Army and Navy is, simply put, one of the great spectacles in world sport—there's a reason CBS continues to televise it every year, in a prime slot, to sizable ratings. The Black Knights and Midshipmen have met 124 times, with Navy owning the 62-55-7 edge in the all-time series.
The cultural cache of the event is what keeps it in demand in years where neither team is particularly good. This year is different—Army is riding its highest winning percentage since 1958 while Navy is a respectable 8-3. If you have designs on attending, you're in for a treat—even if your wallet isn't.
Cheapest Tickets for the Army-Navy Game
As of now, the cheapest ticket for the game on SeatGeek is a single ticket in Section 418, Row 13, Seat 20—a standing-room only ticket. It costs $163 with fees. Ticketmaster's cheapest is $239.69 for two tickets in Section 437, Row 9, while VividSeats has several standing-section tickets available for $225 each.
The game itself is sold out—that ship (no pun intended) sailed a long time ago. If you want to watch this one at a remotely reasonable price, you're probably going to be standing.
Most Expensive Tickets for the Army-Navy Game
The Black Knights offer game packages for up to $25,000, appropriately named after military ranks—but those, again, are long gone.
SeatGeek lists two tickets in Section 301, Row 5 as being available for $2,709 each—a perfect birds-eye view of the 50-yard line. Ticketmaster goes even higher—a pair open in Section 202, Row 1 for $6,359.60 apiece. VividSeats offers two in that same row for $5,672.74 each.
Factors Influencing Ticket Prices
If there's any bright side to what we've shown you so far, it's that Army-Navy is a pretty what-you-see-is-what-you-get sporting event. Barring unforeseen circumstances, nothing is going to happen between now and Saturday that drastically increases or decreases demand for a great rivalry like this one.
Keep an eye on the weather—the forecast calls for Saturday conditions at 44 degrees and cloudy, perfect for football. No precipitation is expected, but any rain or snow in the forecast would probably have a knock-on positive impact on ticket prices.
How Ticket Prices Vary By Section
If there is an overarching theme to Saturday's prices, it is that it will be prohibitively more expensive to sit than stand. Take a look at SeatGeek's Northwest Stadium map here: all the cheapest tickets are up in the 400s, near the Wild Blue Yonder (wait—they're not here!). It's worth asking yourself whether the game is worth standing through for a steep discount, although the run-oriented nature of both programs make Army-Navy a perennially short affair.
Closer to the field—like with any football game—you're going to be paying a substantial amount more if you want to view the field side-on. If any teams' fans have quality, military-grade binoculars to lend you, though, it's probably the Black Knights' and Midshipmen's.
Timing and When to Buy Tickets
As alluded to earlier, Army-Navy's status as a fixed quantity makes a steep increase or decrease in prices unlikely. Still, it's worth monitoring—especially for a bucket-list sporting event like this one.
Keep an eye on all the major resale markets for any discounts from fans looking to bail at the last minute—we've all been there. SeatGeek, in particular, usually will notify you of a sharp price decrease for an event you've been looking at.
Secondary Market vs. Official Sellers
This is not applicable to this particular game. If you want to attend next year's game between the Black Knights and Midshipmen in Baltimore, start gearing up early—presales for Saturday's contest began in February.
Special Ticket Packages and Deals
Both Army and Navy offer long-sold out VIP packages at wild prices. For instance, the Black Knights offer a deal whereby you can purchase 30 seats for at least $25,000. The Midshipmen, too, have a 24-tickets-for-$50,000 program.
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How Ticket Prices Compare to Other Major Sporting Events
The Black Knights and Midshipmen's contest annually ranks among college football's most expensive events, and this year is no exception. On SeatGeek, the game's cheapest ticket is currently more expensive than SMU and Penn State's first-round College Football Playoff game, both team's bowl games, and the Peach Bowl between Arizona State and the winner of Clemson and Texas's first-round game.
The message is clear: teams come and go from college football's elite, but there's only one Army-Navy game.
Tips for Securing the Best Seats at the Best Prices
If you're reading this article, chances are you're not a Cadet or Midshipman—you're just a curious resident of Washington and its surrounding areas. There's obviously no shame in that, but it does limit your options a bit with a game as territorial as this. It sounds glib to say that your best shot at securing inexpensive Army-Navy tickets is joining the military, but there's some truth there.
For the rest of us civilians, covering all the bases between SeatGeek, Ticketmaster and VividSeats can give a helpful overview of the ticketing situation. If you're willing to open your wallet a bit—and do a fair bit of standing—you're in line to enjoy a jewel in America's sports crown.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Army-Navy Game Ticket Prices: Cheapest and Most Expensive Tickets.
