Blog: Demand-Side Economics of Ateneo-La Salle UAAP Tickets

Much has been written about the outcome of the latest Ateneo-La Salle match-up in Araneta, where a packed crowd of blue and green was treated to consecutive fourth quarter Kiefer Ravena triples, which helped seal the Ateneo victory. As I thought about Ateneo’s big win, I don’t think I would have been able to imagine my regret had I given in to this person offering me Php10,000 each for my ticket. (I had two patron tickets for that game.)

Since I did not sell my ticket at that price, it could be implied that I valued those tickets for Php10,000 each. The consumer surplus I experienced while buying this ticket would have been Php9,600 each, considering that I got each for only Php400. However, on hindsight, had Ateneo lost, I would have been bothered by the concept of opportunity cost. These Ateneo-La Salle tickets cost a lot given very high demand, that there is no need to require students to watch these games for attendance. Moreover, it has even bred its own industry with scalpers prowling the entrances to the train stations of Katipunan, and lurking in the premises of the game venue.

For many die-hard Ateneo fans, it can be surmised that several kinds of indifference curves exist, forming a hierarchy of ticket preferences for an Ateneo-La Salle game. There are those fans who would not differentiate from a General Admissions ticket to an Upper Box B ticket. For these fans, what would be important is to be present physically and cheer for their team. More fortunate would be those fans who can avail of Upper Box A tickets since Upper Box A allows for better seats and a better view, and it is here where the fan can feel the energy of the cheering crowd. The highest indifference curves would be those for Patron tickets and Lower Box tickets, which are very difficult to get. In classical economics, it can be said that the more goods once has, the higher the satisfaction. However, in the case of these tickets, it can be said that six Upper A may provide the same satisfaction as two Patron tickets (with the former allowing one’s barkada to cheer together while the latter only allows the couple or the man and his best friend to cheer). However, having more tickets may not give higher satisfaction, since these tickets can only be consumed for one game and each person technically only needs one seat.

Before the discussion becomes too technical, it is important to point out that both Ateneo and La Salle have very big alumni fan bases, as evidenced by the demand for UAAP tickets from these schools. This strong demand can be seen as an effective way of building an identity, which can be harnessed to support university initiatives such as scholarship funds. Other institutions may also benefit by harnessing alumni and hyping up events such as sports to encourage the formation of a similar school spirit.