It’s playoff season in college football, the moment fans have been waiting for all year. The energy, the rivalries, the unforgettable matchups—this is what the sport is all about, right? But this year, something feels off. Fans are buzzing, but not necessarily for the reasons you’d think. The new 12-team format was supposed to elevate the College Football Playoff, but instead, it’s sparking some serious backlash. And no, it ain’t about the games; it’s all logistics & finance.

The college football fans are losing it over the new 12-team playoff format, and honestly, the matchups are pretty lit, though. It’s those ticket prices that got folks heated & mad. Like, $151 for the Rose Bowl to see Oregon and Ohio State? It’s the most anticipated rematch, but still, that’s wild.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame & Georgia fans are chilling with $52 tickets; the same goes for No.3 Boise State & No.6 Penn State with $50 and Arizona State vs. Texas is literally a bargain at $33. The CFB fans are out here trying to decide if they want to be part of the live action or stream it from home with a mountain of nachos. Traveling to these games is breaking wallets left and right. The new CFP format might’ve given us more diabolical matchups like we have never seen before, but at this rate, only your bank account is taking the real L.

The real tea & issue? The College Football Playoff format is turning into a logistical nightmare for fans. Nobody’s got the bread to follow their team across the country for three or four games in one month. Georgia fans were just in Atlanta for the SEC Championship against Texas, and now it’s Sugar Bowl time in New Orleans. If they make it to the natty? Back to Atlanta. That’s like running a marathon where every water station charges you for a sip. Fans love their teams, but this ain’t Fast & Furious, and they’re not about to burn up their gas money for the playoffs.

And let’s not forget the brokers. These ticket hustlers are sweating harder than a QB with no O-line. Secondary markets are literally flooded with tickets nobody’s buying. The Rose Bowl is supposed to be an iconic event, not a clearance sale. Even with Big-Dogs teams like Dan Lanning’s Oregon and Ohio State, the demand’s just not hitting right now. Honestly, can’t even complain, though.

The tickets are diabolically high. And maybe if CFP threw in Beyoncé or Taylor Swift at halftime, folks might be down to play. But we all know CFP ain’t no NFL to do something like that. The college football fans aren’t having it at all.

The fans on the Internet were not happy about the playoff ticket prices

On December 31st, The TickPick took it to their official IG account to share the playoffs ticket price. Let’s just say the fans didn’t have anything nice to say about it.

“I feel like we’ve been conditioned to expect high ticket prices as sports fans. This is awesome to see. I’d much rather the ticket prices be cheap so anyone can go to these games if they want to.” Real talk; this fan is just relieved. After years of getting taxed just to see their team live, they’re vibing with how affordable these games are. But let’s not act like this is some universal blessing—Rose Bowl tickets are out here charging $151. Sure, in other places, tickets are cheap enough for anyone to join the fun. It’s refreshing, but some fans aren’t exactly throwing confetti over this.

“Flip the Sugar Bowl and Peach Bowl teams and ticket prices would be higher.” This fan’s coming with the ‘what ifs.’ They’re basically saying it’s all about the teams, not the venue. Maybe if Georgia or Notre Dame were playing elsewhere, like Pasadena, prices would spike. But let’s be real, Sugar Bowl tickets still being $45 despite those heavyweights shows it’s more about fans saving coins this time of year. Peach Bowl with Arizona State and Texas going for $33? That’s not about hype—that’s a steal.

“You can thank Cali inflation for that lol. That’s all it is, and of course playing in the Rose Bowl.” This one hits the nail on the head—Cali just doesn’t play when it comes to prices. It’s $151 for the Rose Bowl because it’s Pasadena, and inflation out there is like a whole different species. Fans are paying more for those California vibes than the actual game. Everywhere else? You’re good. Even if the game’s fire, Cali’s got its own tax on excitement.

“California will do that to you.” Straight to the point and painfully accurate. This fan knows the drill—Cali’s the land of $7 coffee and $151 playoff tickets. It’s like the state’s motto is ‘pay up or stay home.’ Meanwhile, Boise State and Penn State fans are chilling with $50 tickets for the Fiesta Bowl. Shout-out to everywhere outside Cali for keeping it real.

Look, the new 12-team format feels like a poorly thought-out experiment for traveling purposes. Fans ain’t exactly thrilled about traveling cross-country 4 times in 1 month, especially when it costs a small fortune. Sure, cheap tickets sound great, except for the Ohio-Oregon game. But, ain’t gonna lie, it’s worth paying $151 if you are a Buckeyes or Ducks fan. Either way, it’s gonna be a wild ride for the next 3 weeks.