At a median price of $59, Marquette men’s basketball tickets are the 25th most expensive in the country, according to the Vivid Seats Men’s Basketball Tickets Report, but there’s a method to the madness.

Duke University leads the country in ticket prices at an average of $195 per ticket, with the University of Kentucky and the University of Kansas close behind at second and third respectively.

Every two years, ticket prices are evaluated and a proposal is made to Athletic Director Bill Scholl and Deputy Athletic Director Mike Broeker.

“The proposal is a collaborative discussion between myself, the director of development and our director of ticket operations,” said Kimberly Dulde, associate athletic director for marketing and sales. “We make a proposal to the athletic director and deputy athletic director. From there, they make a decision on the final price of the tickets.”

Demand is a key factor when determining the cost of men’s basketball tickets. If a certain section of the BMO Harris Bradley Center has a high demand, that section’s tickets will be set at a higher cost.

“We observe data from several years back and use that to determine what price seems appropriate,” Dulde said. “Some sections might be dropping holders, while others might be gaining. This all factors in to how much each section is.”

The funds from the men’s basketball tickets are split into two parts: ticket general fund revenue and seat donation revenue. The price of the ticket itself goes towards the general fund. Seat donation revenue is used for the Blue and Gold Fund, which is set up for student athlete scholarships. The seat donation is tax deductible, which encourages donations to the fund.

Marquette lacks a football team, nationally a large source of revenue for most college athletic programs; consequently, men’s basketball is the big name sport depended upon for large earnings.

“We have seven sports that take in revenue,” Dulde said. “But men’s basketball takes in a majority of the revenue, which is probably a reason our tickets are the 25th most expensive (in the country.)”

As for season tickets for students, Dulde said the prices usually remain fairly consistent each year. She stated that it breaks down to about $6 per game, but tickets can only be bought from the athletic department through the $99 package.

“I think it’s a reasonable price,” said Sebastian Feher, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences. “For as good as the team is, they’re affordable.”

Dulde said she doesn’t expect ticket prices to rise significantly in the future.