Escalation in baseball ticket prices

[worldtravel00]

Watching the MLB games at the stadium was pretty inexpensive fun activities to do with family. Last 4-5 years MLB ticket prices are escalating a lot faster than NBA/NHL games. I was trying to price out one game for the family and it came out to $1000 for tickets only. That's bit insane.

Thankfully, I have few minor league teams that I'll be attending instead.


Question is are you planning to attend any MLB games this year?

[atk825]

Originally Posted by worldtravel00

Watching the MLB games at the stadium was pretty inexpensive fun activities to do with family. Last 4-5 years MLB ticket prices are escalating a lot faster than NBA/NHL games. I was trying to price out one game for the family and it came out to $1000 for tickets only. That's bit insane.

Thankfully, I have few minor league teams that I'll be attending instead.


Question is are you planning to attend any MLB games this year?

I mean what game was it? In demand games can get pricy but there's plenty of mid August games with teams not really contending that get to be pretty cheap.

[worldtravel00]

Originally Posted by atk825

I mean what game was it? In demand games can get pricy but there's plenty of mid August games with teams not really contending that get to be pretty cheap.

Fortunately we have great team (Dodgers) but it has become so expensive to attend any games in person anymore.

[erock28]

I love baseball, have a good and entertaining team to watch (Brewers), and am fortunate enough to have a quarter season 4-pack purchased through my business. I donate/give a bunch to clients and raffles/fundraisers, but will still check out several games a year. Between the tickets/parking, a small meal and couple of snacks for the kids, it's about $300 for the 4 of us. Still fairly reasonable for the entertainment and a break from working around the house.

[ClevelandIC]

None of the options apply to me.

Cleveland has a package that allows you to buy monthly passes. I've never personally used this but I can usually find tickets on the secondary market for extremely reasonable prices.

With that said, I usually go to 10-20 games in Cleveland and then an additional 5-10 on the road throughout the year.

[asujbl]

What tickets were you looking at that were $1,000 for a game?

What day of the week? What seats? Context

You can basically walk into a Tribe game if you don't care about going on a Wednesday night

I'll end up going to 10-15 but I'm fine with standing room only on the HR porch to crush beers and just enjoy a night out

That's not what I take my kids to though

[bub838]

Originally Posted by worldtravel00

Fortunately we have great team (Dodgers) but it has become so expensive to attend any games in person anymore.

LOL Dodgers ticket pricing is not reflective of the rest of the league.

I can take my wife and son to a Tigers game, upper box infield, parking and food for probably around $200-$250? I'd wager it's similar for the rest of the small/medium market teams.

Edit to add, that's for a weekend game. Can pretty much get in for free for a weekday day game.

[DioBrando]

I only bother going to reds games if the Caridnals are in town. Great American is a crap stadium and well, it's the Reds.

[Crosby 87]

Originally Posted by worldtravel00

Watching the MLB games at the stadium was pretty inexpensive fun activities to do with family. Last 4-5 years MLB ticket prices are escalating a lot faster than NBA/NHL games. I was trying to price out one game for the family and it came out to $1000 for tickets only. That's bit insane.

Thankfully, I have few minor league teams that I'll be attending instead.


Question is are you planning to attend any MLB games this year?

What tickets and games are trying to get?

Mariners offer $30 100 level behind home plate tix occasionally. Along with $10 outfield tix.

Braves you can get in the outfield for $20 with a free coke product or $30 gets you Upper level infield with one snack and one beverage choice.

Snack
6" All Beef Hot Dog
Nachos Classic
Classic Popcorn

Beverage
22 oz Fountain Soda
20 oz Water
12 oz Beer

[coachnip13]

You can't look at Yankees - Dodgers, behind the dugout, Saturday night and claim that MLB games are unaffordable.

[worldtravel00]

Originally Posted by bub838

LOL Dodgers ticket pricing is not reflective of the rest of the league.

I can take my wife and son to a Tigers game, upper box infield, parking and food for probably around $200-$250? I'd wager it's similar for the rest of the small/medium market teams.

Edit to add, that's for a weekend game. Can pretty much get in for free for a weekday day game.

Agreed that Dodgers ticket doesn't reflect most teams but escalation of ticket prices are everywhere. I've been to 35+ MLB ball parks and every time I go back ticket prices are a lot higher every year.

I've been to more MLB games than Dodgers stadium game last 4-5 years because rapid ticket price escalation.

[worldtravel00]

Originally Posted by coachnip13

You can't look at Yankees - Dodgers, behind the dugout, Saturday night and claim that MLB games are unaffordable.

I wish it was a dugout seat on Sat night. That would have been a bargain price!
It was Friday night game on upper reserve seats.

[theplasticman]

We try to go to a few Twins games if they have entry-only tickets available. Last year, they were way more restrictive on them, and we went to very few games. With kids, we hang out in the left field area, and it's just fine.

[Bunny Hop]

OP is right and things are too expensive, actually.

[ottobord]

You can get Yankee tickets, April, early May and September easily under $10

[atk825]

Originally Posted by worldtravel00

I wish it was a dugout seat on Sat night. That would have been a bargain price!
It was Friday night game on upper reserve seats.

I just looked at Dodger single game tickets and like the Friday night ring day game is under $200 per ticket on the field level. It's expensive but it's also not totally unattainable.

[Hail2TheVictors]

Originally Posted by worldtravel00

Fortunately we have great team (Dodgers) but it has become so expensive to attend any games in person anymore.

It's almost like ticket prices have increased in conjunction with spending eleventy billion on the roster.

[Viking6]

I usually go to 1 or 2 Marlins games a year. No issues with ticket prices there. It is more about how close you want to sit and if you want to be around other people. We are spoiled down there

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by Viking6

I usually go to 1 or 2 Marlins games a year. No issues with ticket prices there. It is more about how close you want to sit and if you want to be around other people. We are spoiled down there

Yup, that’s what us Marlins fans say all the time…

[stevenab87]

Getting to Arlington is such a pain in the ass so I will probably go to zero. Roughriders are just up the road from me so will prob go to a few of them this year.

[mfw13]

I haven't been to a major league game since before the pandemic. Part of that is because I live in a different city than the team I support, but part of it is also that for me, the game is a lot less enjoyable to watch these days.

I've been to a few minor league games with friends, but that's about it....

[AmericanFrog069]

Originally Posted by mfw13

I haven't been to a major league game since before the pandemic. Part of that is because I live in a different city than the team I support, but part of it is also that for me, the game is a lot less enjoyable to watch these days.

I've been to a few minor league games with friends, but that's about it....

Can you elaborate on what makes games less enjoyable to you?

[bub838]

It’s not a perfect comparison but it doesn’t seem that dramatic.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by AmericanFrog069

Can you elaborate on what makes games less enjoyable to you?

In terms of the game of baseball itself:

- increased strikeouts and fewer balls in play
- the DH (I'm a National League guy).....no strategizing around the pitcher's spot in the order
- the disappearance of starting pitchers going deep into games

In terms of the stadium experience:

- increasing ticket prices
- ridiculous concession prices

[Soxrule111]

I wanted to grab Rays Season Tickets this year, and figured it was a good excuse to do a weekend or two away this summer. But the Cheapest seats are like $8k each. Tempting, but I cant pull the trigger on them.

Now Ill go to a couple Kane County Cougar Games, but usually for ballpark food/Fireworks. Closer, cheaper and easier in/out