This should be an exciting fourth quarter for University of Michigan sports, especially for the Wolverines football team, considering it's now being coached by Jim Harbaugh a season removed from leading the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL.
Frenzied Michigan fans looking to get their hands on tickets will be able to do so instantly with a little thumb-tapping. That's because Michigan's athletic department has announced that it has inked a deal with the ReplyBuy service, offering Wolverines fans instant ticket purchases via text messaging.
"Michigan's ticket offers through ReplyBuy will generally include special promotional offers and limited/late-arriving tickets to big events such as football, basketball and ice hockey," the athletic department said in a statement about offering its students and fans the Scottsdale, Ariz. service.
Anyone can register for ReplyBuy through its website or by texting HAIL to 20123. The service sends personalized text messages, offering ticket deals for games. All users have to do to purchase tickets is simply reply to the text and confirm via a one-touch link. Credit card information can either be stored on a user's profile or entered with each purchase.
Once purchased, tickets are sent to the user as a QR code on their phone — that can be scanned at a live gate — and as a printable email.
"ReplyBuy is a unique and convenient service for last-minute purchase decisions and has quickly gained traction with consumers — and for good reason," Michigan associate athletic director Kurt Svoboda said in a statement to Crain's Detroit Business.
Svoboda is right about ReplyBuy's service gaining traction, as Michigan joins powerhouse college programs such as Auburn University, the University of Florida, the University of Kentucky and Oklahoma State University, to name a few, as those offering text-to-buy instant ticketing.
Professional teams such as the 49ers, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Capitals and Boston Celtics also use ReplyBuy.
The Wolverines football team have their 2015 season home opener against Oregon State next Saturday (September 12). With ReplyBuy, there will be no excuse for rabid Wolverines fans not to cram Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor in support.
