Alright, so you wanna know about snagging KU basketball tickets, huh? Lemme tell ya, it’s become a bit of an adventure over the years. It ain’t just walking up to a window anymore, not for the games people actually wanna see, anyway.
My First Attempts & The Learning Curve
My journey with this really started a few years back. I figured, hey, KU basketball, Allen Fieldhouse, gotta experience it. So, I just hopped online when I thought tickets went on sale. Big mistake. Everything was either gone, or the only seats left cost an arm and a leg on some resale site. It felt like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.
I quickly learned there are layers to this thing. It’s not just one simple process. You got your season ticket holders, then the Williams Education Fund donors – those folks get first dibs, and rightly so, they’re putting a lot of money into the program. Then there are smaller packages, and finally, if anything’s left, the single-game tickets for the general public. And let’s not forget the student section, which is a whole different ballgame, literally.
Figuring Out the System
So, I started paying more attention. I realized I had to be more strategic. First thing I did was sign up for all the KU Athletics newsletters and email lists. That way, I’d at least get the official announcements about when different types of tickets would be available. It sounds basic, but you’d be surprised how many people just guess.
Then, I looked into the Williams Fund. Now, I wasn’t about to drop thousands of dollars, but I saw there were different giving levels. Even a smaller donation could get you some priority points and a slightly earlier crack at tickets than the absolute general public. I decided to contribute a modest amount. Think of it as an investment in my sanity and a slightly better chance.
I also learned that for non-conference games, especially early in the season or against less “big name” opponents, getting tickets is way easier. Sometimes you can just buy them straight up without too much fuss. But for those big conference matchups, or against a rival? Forget about it. That’s when the real games begin.
The Actual Process This Season
So, for this current season, here’s what I did:
- Marked my calendar: As soon as the schedule was out, I highlighted the games I was most interested in. Then, I waited for the athletics department to announce the on-sale dates for various groups.
- Checked my donor status: Made sure my modest Williams Fund contribution was up to date and I knew what my priority window was.
- Day-of prep: On the day my window opened, I was ready. Computer fired up, good internet connection, logged into my KU Athletics account well before the designated time. I even had the specific game pages bookmarked.
- The waiting game: Usually, there’s an online queue. You get in, and it tells you how many people are ahead of you. This part is always a bit nerve-wracking. You just gotta sit tight and hope for the best.
- Making the selection: Once I got through, I had to be quick. The good seats go fast. I had a couple of sections in mind, and I just grabbed the best available in my price range. Didn’t dilly-dally.
- Checkout: Straight to checkout, payment details ready. No hesitation.
And you know what? It worked. I managed to get tickets to a couple of games I really wanted to see. They weren’t center court, front row, but they were decent seats, and I got them at face value, which is a huge win in my book.
It’s definitely a process. You gotta be a bit proactive. You can’t just passively hope to stumble upon tickets for the big games anymore. Understanding the priority system, even if you only engage with it at a lower level, helps a ton. Sometimes I’ve also had luck checking the official KU Athletics ticket exchange later on, where season ticket holders can resell tickets they can’t use, often at face value. That’s a good secondary option if you strike out initially.
So yeah, that’s been my experience. It took a bit of trial and error, a little bit of “playing the game” with the donation, and definitely some patience and quick clicking. But seeing a game in Allen Fieldhouse? Worth it every time.
