Oklahoma fans who want to get up close with the football team after games can now pay hundreds of dollars for the privilege. The university’s new ‘Sooner Magic Moments’ campaign offers postgame media access, letting fans sit in on press conferences with coach Brent Venables and players.
Packages for only the first three home games are listed with prices ranging from $461 for the opener against Illinois State to $692 for the nonconference showdown against Michigan. Each ticket covers two people.
“Get exclusive postgame media access for you and one guest and see where real-time reactions unfold,” the description reads. “Hear OU coaches and players address reporters moments after the final whistle. Watch the story take shape through the questions, the insights, and the atmosphere that set the headlines. Must be 18 or older.”
The price tag is especially shocking since the press conferences are streamed live for free, and attendees won’t be allowed to ask questions — essentially paying to watch reporters do their job. For some, being a few feet away from Venables and the players is worth the nearly $700 cost, but for many, it might feel like an overpriced novelty, more about bragging rights than actual access.
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Oklahoma is also offering other experiences, from walking the Walk of Champions alongside the team to halftime photos on the field or spending Friday night at the farm helping the RUF/NEKS and RUF/NEK Lil’ Sis prepare the live horses and Sooner Schooner for kickoff.
Each package promises a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the football program, but most come with a wallet-busting price tag that makes the “VIP access” feel more like a collector’s item than an actual fan experience.
For die-hard supporters, the novelty and bragging rights might be worth it, but for everyone else, it’s a stark reminder of the revenue-sharing era in college sports, where every fan interaction is another chance to cash in on loyalty.
Athletic departments are finding creative ways to get fans closer to the action — for a price. At Oregon, supporters can pay $518 to run out of the tunnel with the Ducks and chase the Harley-Davidson driven by the mascot onto the field, an experience most fans have probably dreamed of from the stands.
It’s another sign that in college football, being close to the action now comes with a serious price tag.
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