Final Four Tickets

The Final Four is a series of championship basketball games conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). There are separate Final Four competitions for the men's teams and women's teams. Students enrolled in participating universities can secure premium tickets directly from their university. The general public must apply for the opportunity to purchase tickets for these same games.

Get a Hot Seat to the Final Four

Every year, it is becoming increasingly difficult to purchase tickets to the Men's Final Four. The ratio of supply and demand has driven up the price of tickets in the secondary market as high as $5,000 each. If you can afford the hefty price tag, the easiest way to score a seat is to buy from a reputable ticket broker. As for the rest of us with more limited budgets, we have to take our chances.

Given the limited number of tickets available to the Final Four series, most tickets are distributed by lottery. The NCAA designates ticket allotments to participating schools, corporate sponsors and the television broadcaster. The four participating universities are given a supply of approximately 4,500 tickets each. Some of these tickets are given to athletic donors, team coaches and assistants. The remaining tickets are distributed by lottery to season ticket holders, faculty and students. It is best to enter as many lotteries as you can. Take advantage of any student or faculty connections you have for a participating university, but be sure to consult the school first for lottery eligibility requirements.

The NCAA also holds a lottery for the general public. Even if you have entered a university lottery, you should also enter the public lottery to increase your chances of getting a ticket. In order to participate in the public lottery, you must submit an application. The application is made available to the public annually in March. Chances of winning the public lottery are slim, but it's worth a shot. The more lotteries you enter, the better your chance of watching the game live.