Will this be the great, historic year that Tennessee finally wins the College World Series?
The team’s closest to winning was finishing as runner-up in 1951. In total, the Vols have made it to Omaha five times.
If there’s even the slightest possibility that this could happen, then by all means, go for it. But how exactly does it happen? And how much will it cost to have a seat at this amazing match?
Hopefully you can read quickly, as we need to finalize our itinerary as soon as possible in time for the first match.
Get your College World Series tickets
First things first, secure your seats to your dream sporting event.
Best-of-three series will be played over two or three days depending on whether a third game is needed. Omaha is in the Central Time Zone, but we’re listing them here in the Eastern Time Zone (to avoid annoying those with local expectations of first pitch times).
- Game 1: Saturday, June 22nd at 7:30pm EDT
- Game 2: Sunday, June 23, 2pm EDT
- Game 3 (if necessary): Monday, June 24th at 7pm EDT
Fans who want to attend either game will have to be prepared to shell out big bucks for tickets (prices are sure to rise if the series is extended), with ticket prices for Game 1 already starting at more than $300 per seat.
Game 1 (starting at $332): https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/0e9O0jY
Game 2 (from $181): https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/QLawqxE
Game 3 (from $22): https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/mVkv2q1
Get in the car…right now
You can also take a road trip: Waze says Vols fans can get to Charles Schwab Field in Omaha in 13 hours without any stops along the way (LOL, good luck), a 900+ mile journey that passes through Nashville, St. Louis and Kansas City.
As of June 20, a flood warning was in effect until early Saturday afternoon along the route in Buchanan, Missouri, according to Google Maps, and drivers should also consider alternate routes, which will make an already long journey even longer.
According to the AAA website, gas costs about $219 round trip.
Or grab your credit card and book a flight
A Saturday morning departure is a last-minute departure, so the avid baseball fan will have to fly to Omaha early on Friday morning, with a return flight on Tuesday also in case Game 3 is played.
KnockSpedia:McGhee Tyson’s Guide to Getting In and Out of Knoxville
According to Google Flights, this means that a round-trip ticket from Knoxville to Omaha will cost $2,545 on United Airlines and $3,102 on Delta Airlines.
The good news is that Delta offers two free checked bags, so at least I can transport all my Vols goodies for free.
Getting to Omaha on a Budget
Spent all your money on tickets to the game? Make sure you pack your bags because you’ll need to catch a Greyhound bus soon.
All buses are nearly full, but if you’re lucky, you might be able to find a seat on a bus leaving Knoxville late Thursday night and arriving in Omaha late Friday night. Prices range from $203.55 to $246.94, according to Greyhound’s website.
How is the accommodation?
Naturally, you’ll want to stay close to Charles Schwab Field, so while you’re there, book a stay at the Hilton Omaha with a view of the ballpark to make sure you don’t miss anything.
A room from Friday to Tuesday will cost about $8,600, and other hotels in the area are already fully booked, so hopefully price won’t be an issue.
Grand Slam? What’s the total?
If you fly, you can expect to pay $12,237 for the big trip to Omaha, and that doesn’t even include the cost of three days at Stadium Dogs, so if you’ve got the cash in your wallet, or are a true VFL fan, go for it.
Looking to save money by driving instead of flying? Good idea, it will cost you just $9,354.
Hayden Dunbar is a Storyteller reporter and can be reached at hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com.
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