How to Buy Away Game Sports Tickets and Save
- Capital City Tickets
- 5 hours ago
- 8 min read
Away game tickets are seats sold by a visiting team’s athletic office or official partner to fans who travel to watch their team play on the road. The best way to buy away game sports tickets is through your own team’s official athletic ticket office, which guarantees seating in the designated visiting fan section and often provides discounts for season ticket holders. Timing matters just as much as source. Priority deadlines, digital delivery windows, and bundled travel packages all shape what you pay and where you sit. The Ticket Blog breaks down every step so you can attend road games confidently and affordably.
What are the official options to buy away game sports tickets?
Buying through your own university’s athletic ticket office is the most reliable method for securing away game seats. Official office tickets guarantee placement in your team’s visiting fan section, which means you sit with fellow supporters rather than scattered among the opposing crowd. That distinction matters more than most fans realize until they show up and find themselves surrounded by hostile home fans.
Season ticket holders and donors receive priority access to away game allocations. For example, WKU Football’s 2026 away tickets price the Nevada game at $55 for the general public and $50 for season ticket holders. That 5–15% discount is not huge on its own, but it adds up across a full road schedule.
Secondary market resellers offer an alternative, but the tradeoffs are significant. Prices on resale platforms often exceed face value, especially for rivalry games. You also lose the guarantee of sitting in the visiting section, and some resale tickets carry no buyer protection if the event is canceled or rescheduled.
Feature | Official athletic ticket office | Secondary marketplace |
Visiting section guarantee | Yes | No |
Face value pricing | Yes | Often above face value |
Season ticket holder discounts | Yes | No |
Buyer guarantee | Institutional policy | Varies by platform |
Digital delivery | Yes, via email | Yes, varies by seller |
Pro Tip: Always check your own school’s athletic website before searching resale platforms. The official office is your first call, not your last resort.
When should you purchase away game tickets to maximize savings?
Timing is the single biggest factor in securing affordable away game seats. Most university athletic offices set priority deadlines roughly 2–4 weeks before the game, and orders submitted before that cutoff receive first consideration based on donor or season ticket holder status.
The process works differently than a standard purchase. Submitting a request before the deadline does not guarantee your tickets. Confirmation comes after the deadline passes, once the office processes all requests by priority ranking. Fans who wait until after the deadline risk missing out entirely or receiving less desirable seats.
Here is how the typical purchase timeline unfolds:
Check your athletic department’s website for away game ticket announcements, usually posted 6–8 weeks before the game.
Confirm your priority status by verifying your season ticket or donor account before submitting any request.
Submit your request before the priority deadline, typically 2–4 weeks before game day.
Wait for confirmation from the ticket office, which processes requests post-deadline based on availability and priority ranking.
Check your email for digital ticket delivery, which usually arrives 2–3 weeks before the game.
Review your tickets immediately upon receipt to confirm seat location, section, and barcode validity.
If tickets sell out through official channels, sold-out game alternatives do exist, including waitlists and post-deadline releases when other fans cancel.
Pro Tip: Submit your request the day the ticket office opens sales. Priority systems reward early action, and the best seats in the visiting section go first.
How does digital ticketing work for away game fans?
Digital ticketing is now the standard for most large collegiate away games. ASU sends ticket emails approximately 3 weeks before game day, which is typical across major athletic programs. That window gives fans enough time to troubleshoot any delivery issues before traveling.
Managing mobile tickets requires a few practical steps:
Save the email immediately when it arrives and add it to your phone’s wallet app or the relevant ticketing platform app.
Screenshot the barcode as a backup in case of app or connectivity issues on game day.
Charge your phone fully before entering the stadium. A dead phone means no entry.
Transfer tickets carefully if sharing with friends. Most platforms allow one transfer per ticket, and some restrict transfers within 24 hours of the event.
Arrive early to avoid scanning delays at entry gates, especially in large visiting sections.
Mobile ticket barcodes are scannable codes tied to a specific seat and fan account. Each barcode is unique and single-use, which prevents duplication fraud.
ADA accessible seating requires separate coordination. Fans needing ADA seats must contact the host institution’s ticket office directly, not their own school’s office. The visiting team’s athletic department does not manage accessibility accommodations at the host venue.
Pro Tip: Download your tickets to your phone’s native wallet app before you leave home. Relying on a mobile browser or email app at a crowded stadium is a recipe for frustration.
How do bundled travel packages work for away game fans?
Bundled packages combine away game tickets with transportation, parking, and sometimes lodging into a single purchase. Vendors like Xenia Events offer these packages for programs like the Texas Longhorns, targeting fans who want a full road trip experience without managing every detail separately. The convenience is real, but so is the cost premium.
The tradeoff comes down to what you value. Standalone ticket buying through the official athletic office gives you face value pricing and section guarantees. A bundled package adds service fees on top of the ticket price, but it also handles logistics that can be genuinely complicated for out-of-state travel. For group travel or premium seating requests, packages often make financial and logistical sense.
Understanding how ticket bundles work helps you evaluate whether the added cost is worth it for your specific trip.
Feature | Ticket only (official office) | Bundled travel package |
Ticket price | Face value | Face value plus service fees |
Transportation | Self-arranged | Included |
Parking | Self-arranged | Often included |
Lodging | Self-arranged | Sometimes included |
Flexibility | High | Low |
Best for | Local or experienced travelers | Groups, premium seekers |
Bundled packages suit fans traveling long distances or attending marquee games where logistics are complex. For a short drive to a regional rival, buying directly through the athletic office and arranging your own travel almost always costs less.
What are the most common pitfalls when buying away game tickets?
Most costly mistakes happen because fans treat away game ticket buying like a standard online purchase. The process is different, and ignoring that difference leads to missed deadlines, bad seats, or inflated costs.
Waiting too long to request tickets. Priority deadlines are firm. Requests submitted after the cutoff go to the back of the line, and popular games sell out before the general public gets access.
Assuming a request is a confirmed purchase. The request process is not a guaranteed transaction. Confirmation only arrives after the deadline, based on priority status and remaining inventory.
Buying from resale platforms without checking official channels first. Resale prices spike for high-demand games, and you lose visiting section placement.
Ignoring refund and transfer policies. Digital tickets often have strict transfer windows. Read the policy before purchasing, especially for tickets you plan to share.
Forgetting to research host venue rules. Some stadiums prohibit outside food, have specific bag policies, or require clear bags. Arriving unprepared wastes time and creates stress.
Fans who want to explore discount ticket options should also check whether their school offers student pricing on away game requests, which can reduce costs further.
Pro Tip: Call the athletic ticket office directly if you have any doubt about your request status. A two-minute phone call can save you from showing up without valid tickets.
Key Takeaways
Buying away game sports tickets through your own team’s official athletic office is the most reliable, affordable, and section-guaranteed method available to traveling fans.
Point | Details |
Use official channels first | Your athletic ticket office guarantees visiting section seating at face value pricing. |
Submit requests early | Priority deadlines determine seat quality; late requests often miss the best inventory. |
Understand the request process | A submitted request is not a confirmed purchase until the office sends official confirmation. |
Manage digital tickets carefully | Save barcodes offline and charge your phone fully before entering the stadium. |
Weigh bundled packages carefully | Packages add convenience but cost more; best suited for group travel or premium seats. |
The Ticket Blog’s take on planning your road trip right
The fans who consistently get the best away game seats share one habit: they treat ticket requests like a deadline-driven work task, not a casual online browse. I’ve seen too many supporters scramble for resale tickets at double the face value simply because they missed a priority window by a few days. The official athletic office process rewards preparation, and that preparation costs nothing except attention.
Digital ticketing has genuinely made road trips easier. The days of worrying about paper tickets getting lost in a travel bag are over. What fans need to watch now is the technical side: app logins, phone battery, and transfer deadlines. These are solvable problems, but only if you address them before game day, not in the parking lot.
The secondary market has its place, but it should be a last resort for away games specifically. Unlike general concert or event tickets, away game seats carry a visiting section component that resale platforms cannot replicate. Sitting in the wrong section at a hostile stadium is a genuinely unpleasant experience. The official route protects you from that.
For fans considering bundled travel packages, the math usually favors DIY buying unless you are traveling far or going as a large group. Run the numbers before committing. A package that looks convenient at first glance often costs $50–$100 more per person than booking tickets and travel separately.
— The Ticket Blog
The Ticket Blog’s away game ticket resources
Planning a road trip to support your team takes more than enthusiasm. It takes the right information at the right time.
The Ticket Blog publishes regularly updated guides on sports ticket savings strategies and official buying processes for fans at every level. Whether you are navigating a university priority system for the first time or looking for the best approach to a sold-out rivalry game, the guides at The Ticket Blog cover the full picture. From digital ticketing mechanics to travel package comparisons, the resources are built specifically for fans who want to spend less and experience more on the road.
FAQ
How far in advance should I buy away game tickets?
Submit your request as soon as the athletic office opens sales, typically 6–8 weeks before the game. Priority deadlines usually fall 2–4 weeks before game day, and early requests receive the best seat allocation.
Are away game ticket requests guaranteed?
No. A request submitted to your athletic ticket office is not a confirmed purchase. Confirmation comes after the deadline passes, based on priority status and available inventory.
How do I receive my away game tickets?
Most major programs deliver tickets digitally via email, typically 2–3 weeks before the game. ASU, for example, sends tickets about 3 weeks out, and fans manage them through a mobile wallet or ticketing app.
What if I need ADA accessible seating at an away game?
Contact the host institution’s ticket office directly. The visiting team’s athletic department does not manage accessibility accommodations at away venues, so you must coordinate with the host facility.
Are bundled travel packages worth the extra cost?
Bundled packages make sense for long-distance travel or group trips where logistics are complex. For shorter road trips, buying tickets directly through the official athletic office and arranging travel separately almost always costs less.
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