Ohio Madness: High demand to see Ohio teams in Sweet 16

CLEVELAND - As Ohio’s Sweet 16 teams head to their game destinations, fans have scooped up tickets to get there too.

All four of the state’s teams had high demand and fast action for the tickets each school receives to its game.

Xavier’s ticket office said it sold out its allotment of 1,250 tickets early Monday afternoon. The Musketeers play Baylor Friday night in Atlanta.

Ohio University plays North Carolina in St. Louis and the Bobcats ticket office said it was given a total of 600 tickets, several hundred of which were sold to fans. Those sold out Monday. They said Tuesday they received a couple hundred more.

Ohio’s two other Sweet 16 teams, Cincinnati and Ohio State, battle Thursday night in Boston.

University of Cincinnati’s Marketing and Sales Department said it shut down sales of its allotment of tickets Tuesday but does not release to the public the number sold.

Ohio State’s Associate Athletics Director of Communications Dan Wallenberg said the school had 700 tickets and about 600 were used as of Wednesday night.

Brad Wurthman, Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Sales, said there was a ton of interest and they expect a large contingent of Cincinnati fans in Boston.

He also said that while the in-state rivalry factors into the excitement, the bigger storyline for Cincinnati fans was making it to the Sweet 16, no matter the opponent.

Once schools have sold out, the other options are buying through Ticketmaster and arenas or using ticket exchange sites like Stubhub.

But if you’re thinking of buying from Stubhub, get ready to shell out some dough.

As of Wednesday morning, the cheapest tickets for Cincinnati vs. Ohio State were $269, $249.99 for Ohio vs. North Carolina, and $195 for Xavier vs. Baylor.

Factor in lodging and gas or flight costs and a Sweet 16 trip could get pricey.

The four Ohio teams in the Sweet 16 are the most one state has had reach that point.