7 ways to make sporting events more affordable for families

THE BEEHIVE STATE — Anyone living on a budget in recent years has felt the stress of decreased purchasing power, even when it comes down to everyday staples like groceries and housing. It has also hit live sporting events, with ticket prices growing twice as fast as other consumer prices. For example, the average cost for a family of four to attend an NFL game is about $630. Yikes!

Despite the doom and gloom, Utah remains the most family-friendly state in the country. It makes sense that many of our local teams offer unique options to ensure families aren't priced out of the live game experience. Here are seven of my favorites:

1. PBS Utah Adventure Pass: Every fall, PBS Utah hosts a reading marathon in which kids earn an Adventure Pass for reading at least 600 minutes. These passes provide free admission to an array of museums and attractions, but one of my family's favorite perks is 10 free tickets to University of Utah men's and women's basketball games each season. We've had an absolute blast cheering on the teams at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.
2. USU prospective-student tickets: If your children are in high school, you qualify for an incredible offer from Utah State that includes free tickets to a football or basketball game for high school students and their parents, plus a campus tour, Aggie Ice Cream and a game-day shirt. Simply reach out to the admissions office in advance to schedule your visit.
3. Junior Jazz: Most of us have kids participating in Junior Jazz at one time or another. Be sure to check the emails that the league sends out, because you'll get free Utah Jazz (my kids' all-time favorite team) tickets each season. There's also an end-of-season celebration that includes meet-and-greets with Jazz players and often includes admission to a Salt Lake City Stars game.
4. Ford Fan Zone at Jazz games: Speaking of the Utah Jazz, there are some awesome ticket options available for families at the Delta Center. For example, the Ford Fan Zone tickets are ideal for my rambunctious 4-year-old, who sometimes struggles to sit still in his seat. The Ford Fan Zone has a variety of play spaces, activities and giveaways to keep little ones entertained. Best of all, each ticket includes five free food items (your choice of hot dog, nachos, popcorn, ice cream or bottled water). So, for a bargain price, you get a great view of the game, a big area for your kids to get their wiggles out and dinner for the whole family. Another excellent option for families is the upper-bowl lofts. These tickets go on sale at various times throughout the season, and include a dinner buffet, drinks, dessert and snacks.
5. Value ticket programs: I took my family to our first NHL game last year, and it only cost $15 a person. We had a great time watching the Utah Mammoth take on the Nashville Predators, and each ticket included a free hot dog and bottled water. It was so much fun that we've already done it multiple times this season. There are two ways to get these discounted tickets. First, Smith's shoppers can enter the special code from their receipt to access the $15 tickets. The other option is the College Ticket Program, where students can score the same deal.
6. Annual scrimmages and exhibition games: Nearly all the state's universities hold scrimmages and exhibition games for various teams before their respective seasons kick off. Admission to these events is free. Some of our family's favorites are BYU football's spring scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium, BYU volleyball's Blue vs. White scrimmage, UVU volleyball's Green and White scrimmage and the University of Utah basketball team's exhibition games.
7. Social media promotions: I've also found free or discounted tickets for the Utah Royals, Utah Monarchs, Real Salt Lake and the Utah Grizzlies by following their social accounts. It's harder to predict when these opportunities will come around, but the spontaneity adds to the fun.

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