NOTRE DAME, Ind. — 2024 is the year of some hot tickets in Indiana: the NBA All-Star Game, three nights of Taylor Swift and now, the Indiana University-Notre Dame College Football Playoff game.
If you are thinking of going to South Bend, let us break down the trip, starting with tickets.
Notre Dame gets around 74,000 tickets since they are hosting the game. Indiana University gets 3,500 tickets as the guest, in accordance with the rules.
All tickets are electronic.
Indiana's 3,500 seats will go to the marching band, players' families, loyal season ticket holders and some students.
Indiana University senior associate athletic director Jeremy Gray said those students, however, will be the loyal ones.
"Your chances of getting those tickets as a student are much higher if you've been a season ticket holder for a long time, and your scanning rate to our games is very high," Gray said.
Another group of people with a shot of tickets: donors.
"I would not be an honest man if I didn't tell you a history of donation to the athletic department helps your cause on getting tickets to that game," Gray chuckled.
Notre Dame's CFP tickets are going to certain people, too.
Some of their list includes football season ticket holders, contributing alumni, faculty and staff, and all Notre Dame, St. Mary's, and Holy Cross students. A public sale is off the table since all of the tickets were scooped up by those groups.
To attend, you will need to buy tickets on the secondary market and Notre Dame's preferred vendor is SeatGeek. The cheapest option for two tickets right now, with fees, is a little over $1,000.
If you need a place to stay, that will be pricey, too, if you can find a spot.
Jeff Jarnecke with Visit South Bend said most of their hotels were sold out in anticipation of Notre Dame not only being in the CFP, but hosting. That is before Notre Dame knew it would face Indiana University.
If you're looking to rent a house or condo, those options are slim, too.
"Last I checked, only about 60 homes still available, and any given night in St. Joseph County, there are about 1,400 private residences that are available," Jarnecke said.
In addition to AirBnb and Vrbo, options could also be found on the site Rent Like A Champion.
To dodge pricey rideshares, Jarnecke said there's a new 1.3-mile trail connecting campus to downtown.
"Opened a few weeks ago — called 'The Link,'" Jarnecke said. "It's a beautiful stroll, maybe a little bit even chillier after the game."
Keeping at least one expense down on an otherwise pricey playoff game.
Gray added that if IU wins this game, they will have around 35,000 tickets for the Sugar Bowl against Georgia in New Orleans on New Year's Day.
