Pro Baseball Ticket Prices

[papipeguy]

I love baseball and always have. I have been a NY Yankee fan all of my life. 4 of us went to Yankee Stadium Friday night and sat in the second deck in left field. Here are the expenses.

Tolls: $6.00

Parking: $35.00

Tickets: $80.00/each (forget box seats which are over $250/per)

Beer: $12.00/each

Dinner at the NY Steakhouse in the stadium: +$100.00/head
Because it was colder than a witch's elbow hot chocolate was $10.00/ 8 oz cup.
Meanwhile, 3 miles from from home is a brand new AAA ballpark where tickets are $7.00 and beer made at the local brew pub is $4.00/pint.
Pro sports have become out of reach for the American family. Most of the season ticket holders are large companies, investment firms and banks.

I was lucky because our financial advisor treated me and 2 friends to the evening. Otherwise, I'd be damned if I would lay out that kind of money for a game.

Hockey, basketball and football are just as bad if not worse.

I figured out that a family of four (for a similar evening) would cost close to $1,000 for 1 game.

They've learned nothing from the repercussions of the last MLB strike.

Sorry for the rant but this is just pitiful and a real bummer for the American family.

 

[teamhavoc28]

That's why I have direct tv and a big screen. I can air pop all the popcorn I want without avoding that one dude who tries to get sloshed as an excuse to yell something. Refuse to pay a car payment on a game with sucky seats. So I'm with you.

 

[papipeguy]

Yes, the MLB package is looking better every day. For the price of 2 beers at the stadium I can get a decent case and not put up with idiots in the stands.

 

[teamhavoc28]

Don't forget you don't have to wait till you get in your car to smoke either.

 

[wallbright]

Eh, I see it as you chose to eat at the Steak House, buy beer at the game, and sit in the expensive seats. Maybe I am just playing devils advocate.
My gf and I go to Texas Rangers games in the summer and being poor college students we buy upper deck tickets. I purchase them from the Texas Rangers store that is 5 minutes from my house as I live near downtown. Tickets are $7 for the nosebleeds but in Texas it is great because when it is 100 degrees the wind up there feels good and it normally is the only spot in the shade. Better tickets can be had for just a little more ($20-50 gets you decent seats). They allow you to take your own soft cooler with food and drinks, no alcohol or any kind of cans/glass bottles so basically water bottles only. We pay about $5 for parking and then maybe buy a hot dog or something. We spend about $25-30 between the both of us for a day at the ball park. That being said, it really depends on three things, 1) how close to the field you want to sit 2) what team you are going to see 3) where you eat (i.e. before the game, at the game, the steakhouse, etc.). We have a great time and don't feel like cheap-asses either.
Now is it the same experience as when I used to sit 9 rows up from the dugout in my father's season ticket seats, hell no. (He sold them since, obviously or I wouldn't be sitting in the nosebleeds lol). But it is still fun nonetheless.
The main reasons we can get away with this though is the cost of living is significantly less down here in Texas than in New York and we are college students haha. Just my long rant and two cents and I hope I didn't offend.

 

[unclearthur]

I knew there was a valid reason I don't care for sports.

 

[bigvan]

Just one more reason to hate the Yankees.
Seriously though, every year when the Yankees come to town to play the mighty Indians, there are TONS of people in the crowd from NYC. Last year a Yankee fan told me that it was cheaper to drive to Cleveland, stay overnight in a hotel, pay for tickets, beers, hot dogs, etc. than it was to stay home and go to Yankee stadium.
Just one more reason to love the Indians.
Go Tribe!

 

[sargesmoke]

@PApipeguy ~ And you didn't even get to see Cliff Lee pitch!! :laughat:
:worship: Go Phillies!!

 

[puffintuff]

Tailgating, I try and do all the drinking and eating before the game, but you still get hit hard for everything else. If you really want to watch the game, stay home and catch it on the big screen.
By the way, Papipeguy, How's the new Yankee Stadium looking. Haven't been there yet.

 

[papipeguy]

The new stadium is magnificent. More marble than the Vatican, and to many just as sacred. I liken the experience to playing golf at Pebble Beach. Its insanely expensive but you have to do it once just to say you were there.

FYI, Sargesmoke, our local AAA team is the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, a Philly organization. Most beautiful park in the entire minors and the worst team in the league. But they sell out every game. We love our losers here.

 

[hobie1dog]

Highly overpaid athletes

 

[papipeguy]

Too true, hobie. Now the NFL is facing a shutdown over money. Some folks never learn.

 

[hobie1dog]

It's a game for crying out loud. The local football team recently revealed that the kicker made 1 Million per kick last season...something is VERY WRONG here...and we have thousands of families going hungry each day in our own country. :crying:

 

[sargesmoke]

@PApipeguy ~ I'm just down the NE extension in Haverford, from the Iron Pigs, ...I go to the Poconos and it used to be the Scranton/WB Red Barons (another Philly affiliate)...Even though the Phillies minors has some problems, Rubin Amaro, the GM finds some diamonds in the rough! I have to agree with you, the prices are just too high...went to Citizens Bank Park opening weekend and it cost me a fortune...We want a winner but there IS a price to pay!

 

[sockmonkey]

That old park you had was indeed "sacred." The new monstrosity, that's the house that greed built.

 

[sirbogglesworth]

Hobie, it's sports fans like me that are to blame . If I (and the thousands that do) didn't fork out the $100+ per ticket per game, $100+ for the authentic jerseys/memorabilia, and outlandish food and beverage prices year after year, the players wouldn't be paid such absurd salaries.
There are various reasons why I get caught up as a sports fanatic, all great reasons (just don't ask the wife :wink: ) ... but maybe one day doctors will discover, as they seem to do on a weekly basis now a days, that such behavior is genetically linked, which I had absolutely no control over ... that would get me off the hook right? :D

 

[lyst36]

Here in Atlanta you can get really cheap tickets and we have a lot of promotional days. You can get 2 tickets on the outfield wall on Wednesdays for $30 and $5 tickets every day. Parking can run you around $12 but I have friends that live by the stadium and beers are $7. Not exactly cheap but I've heard of worse.
P.S. Mets, Yankees, and Phillies are evil.

 

[duncan]

Hey John we will have to hit a Pigs game this Summer together. I want to take the Family to a game and well Minors are the place to go if you want family fun time. I hear the Park is awesome. When I was stationed in CT we went to see the Defenders play a few times and for 8 bucks you can't beat 6 rows up from the 1st base pad.

 

[papipeguy]

By all means, Wade, let's do it. The Pigs organization is top flight. FYI, Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is the manager. Its great family entertainment and the prices are right.

 

[igloo]

The Lastros are still pretty cheap about 50 a pop with a hot dog and soda on the lower level .