Why a Trading Card Has Made the Rutgers Ticket the Most Expensive on Nebraska's Schedule

Ticket prices for Nebraska men's basketball have been in Husker volleyball territory this season. Demand is high, both at home and on the road, to see the now 20-1 and No. 5 Huskers in action.

But something not basketball related is driving up that price for an upcoming road game.

Despite a loss earlier this week, Nebrasketball is still projected to be at least a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Rutgers is 9-12 on the season and 2-8 in the Big Ten Conference. The Scarlet Knights are heading toward their third losing season in a row and fourth straight missed NCAA Tournament.

Now, that would seem to be a recipe for low attendance and cheap tickets. In home games against Ohio State, Oregon, and Northwestern earlier this month, ticket prices were in the $50 range. But against Indiana and Michigan State over the past week, those prices soared to more than $200.

That's the case for Nebraska's upcoming game at Jersey Mike's Arena, still commonly known as The RAC. For $199.58, plus $34.58 for "per item fees", you can sit in the second row from the top in the corner of the arena. Against Maryland two weeks later, you can sit in a better spot for just $50, again, plus fees.

Ticket get-in prices for upcoming Rutgers games. | SeatGeek

The difference for the Indiana, Michigan State, and Nebraska games comes down to one word: promotion.

The trio of Rutgers games is part of a 15-game tour for a One Piece promotion. Other stops include Gonzaga, St. John’s, Houston, and Illinois. For the Illini, the get-in price for their next two games, Northwestern and Wisconsin, is $61 and $100, respectively. For the Indiana and Michigan games, both promotional nights as well as top-tier opponents, your budget will need to expand.

Originally a manga, the Japanese franchise expanded to an animated TV series with more than 1,100 episodes. It later became a live-action show on Netflix in 2023. Season two is coming out in March, prompting the promotion with trading cards being given away during the "One Piece College Basketball US Voyage".

A balloon of Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece has been featured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2023. | Robert Deutsch / USA TODAY NETWORK

But something has been going on with One Piece trading cards lately, causing those college basketball tickets to skyrocket.

Think back to the peak of collecting Pokémon cards or going after your favorite athlete's rookie card. Prices could quickly become astronomical, with your favorite Charizard or Pikachu going for hundreds of thousands of dollars years later.

Today, One Piece is the en vogue card series for collectors.

While cards are being given away at these promotional games for free, scalpers and resellers are making it a point to jack up the prices for tickets to the games and be there to get the cards themselves. They're also offering to buy the cards from unsuspecting basketball fans. In a story from NJ.com, collectors were offering fans $50 or more for their cards just to post them on eBay hours later for several times that amount.

Last night, Rutgers hosted a One Piece night which included this Monkey D. Luffy sealed promo card giveaway.

Within hours, these are selling for $600+ on eBay. 😳

🎥: @MediaGiraffes pic.twitter.com/tDDJa8BT8b
— The Collectibles Guru (@gurucollects) January 24, 2026

The cards are so sought after right now that Rutgers reported that more than $2 million worth of them were stolen earlier this week.

Rutgers had to adjust security and worker help from the first giveaway night to the second. By the time Nebraska gets to town on Feb. 7, the process should be smooth.

But if you're a Husker fan lucky enough to get into Jersey Mike's Arena without breaking the bank, be prepared to deal with the demand for a card of an anime character. At the very least, know ahead of time that you'll be able to make a little bit of cash from a game that is currently more expensive to get into than Nebraska's top-10 battle Sunday with Illinois.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

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