Georgia football has developed a reputation for traveling in force, but a ticket sales trend indicates Texas may out-draw the Bulldogs at the Sugar Bowl.
The No. 15-ranked Longhorns (9-4) play No. 5 Georgia at 8:45 p.m. on Jan. 1 in the Mercedes-Benz Dome in New Orleans.
Both the Bulldogs and Texas have sold out their ticket allotments of 15,500 each (including band tickets), according to bowl officials.
According to a “SeatGeek” ticket agency release, “We may see a lot of orange win the crowd this year” at the Sugar Bowl.
Texas led all states in ticket sales for the game through Thursday (48 percent) while ticket buyers from Georgia accounted for 22 percent of the sales. The host state of Louisiana has sold 7 percent of the tickets.
A TicketClub.com release showed the price of Sugar Bowl tickets is on the rise, even with the game having tickets remaining at the box office.
The current average Sugar Bowl ticket price ($259) is on par with the 2016 Ole Miss-Oklahoma State non CFP matchup in New Orleans and is more expensive than the Oklahoma-Auburn Sugar Bowl of 2017.
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity is appreciative of the support the Bulldogs fans have continued to show the team on the heels of last year’s College Football Playoff travels and this season’s SEC Championship Game.
“Our fans have been fantastic, I’m sure the red and black will be represented very well in New Orleans,” McGarity said. “For us to be in this level (New Year’s Six/BCS) of a bowl game two years in a row is new territory for us.”
The Bulldogs were in the Sugar Bowl two of three seasons, in the 2006 and 2008 games.
“Our fans are enjoying what Kirby (Smart) is doing with our program,” McGarity said. “I’m sure Texas will be represented well, too, because that’s also a program on the rise.”
Support real journalism. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today. See offers.
Your subscription to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution funds in-depth reporting and investigations that keep you informed. Thank you for supporting real journalism.