“If anyone has an extra ticket for the game,” she said, “please let me know.”

This is a helluva take.

…  According to StubHub, more than 50 percent of the ticket sales have come from within the state of Georgia, compared to 4 percent from Alabama. According to TickPick, another ticket marketplace, the number is 66 percent in Georgia compared to 6 percent in Alabama. “Mama is giving up her shoes to go to this ballgame,” said Randy Cohen, the CEO of TicketCity.

The demand started in earnest. Georgia fans crashed StubHub’s site not long after the culmination of the Bulldogs’ double-overtime victory against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. StubHub spokesperson Cameron Papp said the site went down for 20 minutes. Since then, it has been selling tickets at high levels, as a suite went for $94,000 and the highest single ticket went for $12,080. Face value for the tickets range between $375 and $875. The lowest price to get in the game on the secondary market is $1,250.

No one has realized the demand of Georgia fans more than Alabama fans, who are savvy in the market from the Crimson Tide being part of six of the past nine national title games. The theory in the ticket industry is that Alabama fans, sensing the ability to make a profit, are putting their tickets on the secondary market to exploit the lust of Georgia fans. Georgia hasn’t played in a national championship game since the 1982 season.

While the secondary market sellers can’t specifically identify where the tickets are coming from, TickPick director of client relations Jack Slingland said there’s “a lot of rumblings within the industry” that Alabama fans are exploiting the demand. “There are Alabama fans out there receiving tickets from the school,” Slingland said. “They’re a little more willing to sell.” He added about Alabama’s championship fatigue: “It’s something that’s always going to creep in. That’s always a factor in these.”

Well, now.  I was already interested in seeing the makeup of Monday night’s crowd.  If “championship fatigue” — what a concept! — is really a thing and that’s reflected in the stadium, I can hardly wait to hear what Saban has to say about that.  Especially if Georgia wins.