UTRGV Athletics issues warning for fraudulent football tickets

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Athletics Department is issuing a warning to fans as anticipation builds for the university's first football game on Aug. 30.

With tickets in high demand, elevated resale prices, and potential scams, university officials are speaking out.

On Wednesday, UTRGV released a statement informing fans they have become aware of football tickets being sold on secondary markets at inflated prices and for unavailable seating locations.

Athletic department officials urge fans to be aware if they purchase tickets from secondary marketplaces.

Jonah Goldberg with UTRGV Athletics says official ticket sales will not begin until 8 a.m. on Friday. He says tickets will be sold exclusively through UTRGVtickets.com. The university warns that tickets being sold elsewhere are not under their control and could be fraudulent.

“It was very important to us at UTRGV to make sure that the football games were affordable for all fans and that there’s an option for every fan, because this is the Valley’s team. We’ve been waiting for this for such a long time, and we want to make sure that everyone is able to access tickets and come to a game. So those high prices you see on the secondary market, they’re not us, and in some cases, they may not even be real,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg says single-game ticket prices will range from $15 to $50, depending on seat location. Currently, only season ticket holders and corporate sponsors have access to tickets. There will be 3,000 student tickets available next week. Any remaining tickets will go on sale Aug. 29 at 8 a.m.

As for what to expect on game day, Goldberg says the stadium will enforce a clear bag policy. While parking at Vackar Stadium is sold out, additional parking options will be available, including an accessibility lot. Shuttles will transport fans from both the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses, and golf carts will assist fans by transporting them from farther parking areas to the stadium.

Goldberg says UTRGV is very appreciative of the community's support leading up to game day, and is doing everything possible to protect its fans. He says fans who do not secure game tickets are welcome to attend the tailgate, which begins five hours before kickoff. All games will stream on ESPN+, and ValleyCentral.com will have complete coverage.