I am as happy as anyone that at least some fans will be allowed in Milan Puskar Stadium this Saturday. We have been forced to watch the first two home games on our couches, and being in Morgantown again will bring a lot of joy to people in this otherwise miserable year. However, what I am not happy about is how WVU is taking advantage of fans – and in the middle of a pandemic to beat.
Yes, I understand supply and demand, and the limited number of tickets call for higher prices. In the business part of things, this is totally fine. Though I do not believe charging $80-to-$100 for Kansas tickets with COVID-19 running rampant is morally okay.
Let’s start with the obvious – Kansas is terrible. The team has been obliterated in their first three games, and are coming into Morgantown winless. In a normal season, this would be a set of my season tickets that I would be looking to sell. The ticket office, on the other hand, would only be selling tickets to the matchup against the Jayhawks for roughly $65. The point is that nobody would generally want them. However, being that it is 2020 and you have to take what you can get, people will do anything for some sense of normalcy.
This is where the morals of the ticket prices for Saturday’s matchup come in question. COVID-19 has affected a lot of people financially. Right here in the Mountain State, people are unable to go to work due to the fear of the disease – meaning many are struggling to make ends meet. Going to Morgantown to watch the Mountaineers would have provided a great escape for these individuals. But with the ticket prices being as outrageous as they are, these people will once again be forced to watch the game at home.
Taking advantage of people, particularly your fans, is not okay. Of course WVU has also suffered their fair share of financial hardships during 2020, but they are a public university, they will survive. Having reduced ticket prices would have given more fans the opportunity to be able to attend the game, and the university would have still made a quick buck. Instead, what we are witnessing right now is greed.
If West Virginia University is willing to price gouge for tickets to the Kansas game, how far will they go when the Oklahoma Sooners come to town? Or the TCU Horned Frogs? Or hell, even Kansas State? We are all in the same boat, and we all just want to have a good time in Morgantown watching our guys. Sadly, it appears as if it is going to abuse our wallets this season to do so.
Nonetheless, Let’s Go Mountaineers.
