SYRACUSE -- Many Syracuse fans will have to make a tough decision over the next few days. How much are they willing to pay to see the final Big East matchup between Syracuse and Georgetown in the Carrier Dome?
Ticket resale site Stub Hub has long range views available from $30 but even halfway decent seats are going for at least $100. If you want to sit in the first two rows courtside, tickets range from $1200 to $4000. On Craigslist, dozens of seats were listed with prices ranging from $60 to $600.
Stub Hub guarantees tickets but has higher fees. Craigslist has no guarantees but many sellers were posting pictures of their tickets to let potential buyers know they were legitimate. SU fan Frank Ranieri said he would be willing to pay a few hundred dollars to have a good view of the court and the halftime ceremony honoring former SU star Carmelo Anthony.
"Just to be in the building and Melo is supposed to be there too for the retirement of his jersey," said Ranieri.
Joshua Miller has the opposite problem. He and his wife have season tickets - but also have to be ready to close on a new house this weekend. Miller doesn't have time to go to SU and get the electronic version of his tickets needed for Stub Hub and he doesn't trust Craigslist. So Miller has been working Twitter and Facebook to find a friend - or a friend of a friend - interested in joining the record breaking crowd.
"That's the worst thing - is when they're not used," said Miller.
Several Craigslist buyers and sellers today said they recommended that people interested in tickets use caution. There have been problems in the past and multiple sellers who asked to remain anonymous said they do their best to prove to buyers that their tickets are genuine. Syracuse Police arrested a man last month for selling counterfeit tickets on Craigslist. Yesterday, SU warned that there will also be extra officers cracking down on ticket scalping around the Carrier Dome on Saturday.
