All Lehigh athletics games are free for students with a Lehigh ID. But for the highly anticipated Lehigh-Lafayette game, tickets must be purchased in advance.
For the 161st meeting of The Rivalry, the No. 4-ranked Mountain Hawks will face the Leopards on Saturday at Fisher Stadium in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Tickets are available through Lafayette’s website. Lafayette student tickets are $17.50, while Lehigh student tickets cost $27.50 or $37.50 with bus transportation included. Adult and alumni tickets range from $28.50 to $75.
Richard Haas, Lehigh’s assistant athletic director for sales and marketing, said the athletic’s office aims to keep student prices lower than the adult rates.
“This game, at its core, is for the students,” Haas said. “Students get four years at Lehigh, so for these four years we will make sure that it’s priced at a lower point to allow students to attend the game.”
Student tickets include a T-shirt, a tradition implemented three years ago. Each October, the athletics department holds a contest where the top three submissions are sent to the student body to vote on the winning shirt design.
Ticket prices are set at a base fee of $25, but Haas said for decades the student price has been lowered by $10 to factor in affordability concerns. He also said there are no financial assistance programs for ticket purchases.
The athletic department, he said, is covering about half of the bus price to reduce student expenses.
Max Nussbaum, ‘27, said he still hasn’t bought a ticket.
“The tickets are kind of expensive, and the buses are not an ideal situation,” he said. “I have to pay extra for the game than I would if it was at Lehigh.”
Despite concerns, Haas said 1,470 tickets have been sold to students as of the Tuesday.
He also said while the ticket to the game can’t be free, lowering its price causes them to be purchased more quickly.
“We drop the price and they’re flying off the shelves,” Haas said. “There’s a ton of excitement.”
The last time the rivalry game was played at Lafayette was in 2022, with Lehigh hosting the past two years due to Lafayette’s stadium renovations. Haas said ticket sales are currently 30% higher than they were for that game.
Because this year’s game is in Easton, Lehigh transportation began coordinating with athletics over the summer to estimate the bus needs, using previous rivalry games as a guide.
Haas said they’re currently tracking 21 buses, but that number could increase.
Because all parking at Lafayette is street parking, Haas said he urges fans to take the bus.
Isabel Irwin, ‘28, a work-study student with the Office of First-Year experience said she is still unsure if she will attend.
She said while the game is fun, the $40 price tag made her rethink purchasing a ticket.
“If it was here at Lehigh, it’s easy,” she said. “I went last year, but I just think that it’s all the way in Lafayette, and it’s so much money.”
Others shared her hesitation. Zach Delano, ‘29, said he initially questioned the ticket price but ultimately decided to go after talking with friends.
“I feel like it’s kind of like a canon event,” he said. “I feel like everyone should try to go, especially their (first year).”
He said he’s most looking forward to a packed stadium and strong school spirit.
Haas said more students have purchased tickets to the rivalry game than any other home game this season.
He also said he believes the experience is worth the cost.
“There’s a price to the ticket, but it’s the most played rivalry in college football so there’s a value to it,” he said. “You don’t want to miss out on an event a third of the student body is attending.”
Haas said students should leave early for the buses, eat a good breakfast, dress warmly in brown and white and enjoy the day.
He said Lafayette offers a sizable grass space for tailgating, hangouts, playing music and a space for food and drink.
Before the game, Lehigh Athletics will release a map of the space and final travel details.
“This is one of the best traditions at Lehigh so enjoy the day because it’s something to remember well after you’re gone from Lehigh,” Haas said.
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