You’ve probably heard the roar of the Alamodome before. If you haven't, 2025 is the year to fix that. San Antonio is basically the spiritual home of the Final Four at this point, having hosted the men’s championship four times already. But here's the thing: snagging final four tickets San Antonio isn't just about clicking "buy" on the first site you see. It’s a chaotic, high-stakes game of musical chairs where the music stops the second a "Cinderella" team makes a deep run or a blue-blood like Duke or Kansas books their flight to South Texas.
Honestly, the secondary market is a beast. If you're looking for seats for the games on April 5 and April 7, 2025, you're looking at a city that lives and breathes hoops. The River Walk becomes a sea of team colors, and the Alamodome—despite its massive size—feels remarkably intimate when 70,000 people are screaming at a missed free throw.
The Real Cost of Admission
Let's talk numbers. Real ones. As of early 2025, getting into the building for the semifinals was already pushing north of $900 for the "cheap" seats. And "cheap" is a relative term when you're sitting in the 300 level of a cavernous dome.
People often think they can wait until the last minute to find a deal. Sometimes that works for a regular-season NBA game. It rarely works here. Once the Elite Eight ends and fans know exactly who is playing, the market shifts. If a team with a massive, wealthy alumni base makes it—think Texas or Houston—prices in San Antonio will skyrocket because those fans can just drive down I-10.
You've got three main ways to get through the door:
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- The Official NCAA Ticket Exchange: This is the safest bet. It’s managed by On Location, and while you’ll pay a premium, you aren't going to get scammed by a fake PDF at the gate.
- Secondary Marketplaces: StubHub, SeatGeek, and Vivid Seats. You can find "All-Sessions" passes here, which cover both Saturday's semifinals and Monday's championship.
- The Random Luck Factor: The NCAA used to do a ticket lottery. If you missed that window (which usually happens almost a year in advance), you're now playing the resale game.
Why San Antonio Hits Different
San Antonio isn't like Phoenix or Indy. The setup is unique. The Alamodome is literally walking distance from the Henry B. González Convention Center and the main tourist hub of the River Walk. You don’t need a rental car. You just need comfortable shoes and a high tolerance for humidity.
The city is planning a massive "Fan Fest" from April 4-7. There’s also the March Madness Music Festival at Hemisfair, which usually brings in huge names—past years have seen everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Imagine Dragons. Most of these events are free or cheap, which helps balance out the fact that you just dropped a month's rent on final four tickets San Antonio.
Don't Get Scammed
Every year, I see it. Someone buys a "screenshot" of a ticket from a guy on a street corner or a suspicious Facebook group, and they get turned away at the Alamodome entrance. It’s heartbreaking.
The NCAA uses digital-only ticketing. If someone is trying to sell you a physical paper ticket for the 2025 Final Four, run. Fast. Everything goes through the NCAA's official app or the ticket provider's secure transfer system. If the seller won't use a platform with buyer protection, it's a scam. Plain and simple.
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The Strategy for Saturday vs. Monday
If you can only afford one day, which do you pick?
Saturday is the marathon. You get two games for the price of one. The energy is sustained for about six hours. Monday is the sprint. It’s more "prestigious," sure, but if the championship game is a blowout, the atmosphere can deflate pretty quickly.
Many fans actually buy the All-Sessions ticket and then sell the Monday portion if their team loses on Saturday. It’s a savvy way to recoup some of the costs. Just make sure the platform you’re using allows for "splitting" the sessions, as some digital tickets are bundled as a single entry.
Navigating the Alamodome
Inside the dome, sightlines are... interesting. It’s a football stadium, not a basketball arena. The court is raised on a platform in the middle of the floor. If you're in the front row of the floor seats, you might actually be looking up at the players' sneakers.
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The best value? Usually the lower rows of the 100 level. You're far enough back to see the plays develop but close enough to feel the floor shake when the crowd erupts.
What Else Is Happening?
If you're heading down, keep these specific dates in mind:
- April 4: Reese’s Final Four Friday. This is a hidden gem. It’s free. You can watch the teams do their open practices and get a feel for the stadium without spending a dime.
- April 5: The Semifinals. This is where the magic (and the heartbreak) happens.
- April 6: The "Dribble" event for kids and more Fan Fest action.
- April 7: The National Championship.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are serious about being there when the nets are cut down, do this right now:
- Download the NCAA Men’s Final Four app. It’s the only way to manage your official tickets and get real-time alerts on gate openings and bag policies.
- Book your hotel yesterday. San Antonio hotels reach 99% capacity during Final Four weekend. If you can’t find a spot downtown, look at the Medical Center area or near the airport and plan on using the "Park & Ride" shuttles the city usually runs.
- Set a price alert on SeatGeek. Don’t panic-buy today. Set a threshold for what you’re willing to pay for an All-Sessions pass and wait for the notification.
- Verify your "On Location" account. If you’re buying a hospitality package, make sure you’re going through the official NCAA partner to avoid the third-party markup.
The 2025 Final Four in San Antonio is going to be a madhouse in the best way possible. Just make sure you're holding a valid ticket when the ball tips off.