No More For Me. How About Thee?
I accept the fact that I will probably never again see a professional sports event in person. I was priced out long ago, actually. Still, the Knicks are making news for crazy, outlandish price increases. I've seen similar stories for other area teams. Is this just New York?
I'm okay with it, personally. I saw a live sporting event, from great seats, almost every day for three years in my 20s. I had to produce 400-600 words about it, sure, but I had it pretty good. So I'm fine with the sacrifice.
But I'd love for my kids to go to a Mets or Yankees game some day with me or my husband. Maybe even a Rangers or Knicks game. That's the stuff of great fun for kids. Pretty wholesome, too, if you can tune out the boors who scream obscenities. God forbid we tried to make a family outing of it. I think I'd rather own a house some day.
I'm all for capitalism. But does anyone out there see a way that prices will ever be manageable for a family like mine?
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Dec '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Part of the problem is that supply never meets demand. Take Fenway for example. It's one of the oldest--if not the oldest--stadium in Baseball and people want to preserve the history behind it. I agree.
Unfortunately, part of that history involves a poor track record of seating availability. Granted, the Sox are an excellent team with a rabid fan base, but the small size of the ballpark contributes to the ticket prices staying high.
Don't even get me started on Patriots tickets... or NFL tickets in general. It's outrageous. I can't even see a Skins game in D.C. (where I currently live) without dropping at least $200 once parking, transportation and food/drinks are included.
On a whim, I checked prices for the NCAA tourny games that are being held in D.C. at the Verizon Center this Thursday and Saturday (Go Uconn!). $250 is the cheapest I can find.
Now, I'm not an expert ticket hunter and I'm sure you can find better deals, but you're right Ursula, I just can't afford to see my teams.
Feb '11
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
There are more affordable tickets, like minor league baseball, or local college hoops, or even college women's hoops. And there are family nights as well for these kind of things. But I feel your pain, Ursula -- my family can't even afford a movie night unless it is discount pricing!
Sep '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
I just had this conversation with my wife an hour ago. I want to take my son to the Supercross race in a couple of weeks, but we just can't afford it. And these tickets are cheaper than the mainstream pro sports.
I've been to a Cowboys game once in the past 20 years, and that was with free tickets. I haven't bought a ticket to a Rangers game in probably 7-8 years. I went once last year, but again, a friend who has season tickets invited me.
The professional teams have priced their product completely out of reach from the average household. Some are still willing to sacrifice, but fewer and fewer can.
I prefer the local minor league team. For $20/ticket, I can sit behind home plate or along the first base line, get all the hot dogs and hamburgers I can stand, and have unlimited refills of soft drinks. That's a family deal I can live with.
Jun '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Why pay for NBA tickets when you can read and examine each player's tattoos in hi-def in the comfort of your own living room and not worry about some troglodyte spewing beer on you? I just don't get it.
Nov '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Forget the majors: you can see a pretty good level of play, and see tomorrow's stars today, at a good price, in a much more comfortable atmosphere, in the minors. I like to go to the Renegades games: Single-A, Short Season. It's America in the summertime, and avoids the excesses of the Corporate Greed League.
Dec '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
I'm lucky enough to live near Seattle where there isn't a team worth paying money to watch. Now if I could afford a trip to Vancouver to watch the Canucks I might be able to muster some concern for the cost of tickets.
May '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Exactly. From my location in Ann Arbor, the Toledo Mudhens are about the same distance as the Detroit Tigers, but much cheaper, the logistics are far simpler (and safer), and you get so much closer to the action. Yes, there's more at stake in the big leagues, but the hype, the salaries and the lifestyles more than negate that advantage in my mind. As Bart Giamatti should have said, but did not, you meet a better class of people in the minors.
Nov '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Fredösphere
Exactly. From my location in Ann Arbor, the Toledo Mudhens are about the same distance as the Detroit Tigers, but much cheaper, the logistics are far simpler (and safer), and you get so much closer to the action.
Yes indeed. The minor leagues are wonderful.
May '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Ursula, it's time to adopt a team that loves you back!
http://mlb.mlb.com/min/ticketing/singlegame_pricing.jsp
Dec '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
I went to a Pittsburgh Pirates game for under $20 in 2008. Nice new stadium, great food, and not bad seats either (bleachers I think). The way the pirates play though, I guess its a cross between a minor and major league game. I don't know what they retail for now.
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Mark Wilson: Ursula, it's time to adopt a team that loves you back!
http://mlb.mlb.com/min/ticketing/singlegame_pricing.jsp · Mar 16 at 10:04am
I like those ticket prices. The airfare might be a problem, though ...
Feb '11
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Minor league teams really do offer a great value. But living in a major market like Chicago I've developed a bit of snobbery on things like sports and restaurants. Why would I settle for Papa John's when there are so many "authentic" pizza joints in delivery range? Similarly, and aside from painful jokes about the success of my team, why would I settle for minor league ball when the Cubs and Wrigley Field are so close? I suppose that a $50 per person difference in price is a pretty good reason, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I still prefer quality instead of quantity (again, the success of my team notwithstanding).
Jan '11
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Can't you still get bleacher seats at Yankee Stadium for $5-15 each on the day of the game? My son and his friends see a lot of games that way.
There is also stubhub.
Oct '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
I totally understand your dilemma. Fortunately, I grew up in NY at a time when my father's bank had a box and Stadium Club membership at Yankee Stadium. Today, I like the high-level, amateur lacrosse and rugby in the summers in Vail.
But if baseball's your gig, try spring training. Or, if you find yourselves drawn to San Diego, I have friends with GREAT $38 seats at Petco Park, and they often have seats available. "...in an excellent location...behind home plate and next to the owners’ box...and come with plenty of pop flys..."
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
I agree, Ed. (And welcome, I see you are a new member!).
I also remember that feeling of great joy as a kid going to Mets games with my dad and brothers. Yeah, it was special. But it was actually possible for my family, financially. A stretch made only for rare occasions? Sure. But possible. Today? For me? No way.
I do support the minor leagues. I've been to many such games over the years and I agree it's great fun, kid-friendly, and worthwhile. But it's not the bigs.
May '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
My wife visited her brother in Phoenix a couple weeks ago and got very good hockey tickets at a reasonable price. The secondary market (StubHub) has deals that a good window shopper might make use of. You won't be able to see the big stars (Lebron, Kobe, etc) when they come in since the demand is high, but for the general spectacle of pro sports is still there and you won't be so elbow to elbow with strangers.
Nov '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
Ursula Hennessey: I accept the fact that I will probably never again see a professional sports event in person. I was priced out long ago, actually.
I'm all for capitalism. But does anyone out there see a way that prices will ever be manageable for a family like mine? ·
March madness College basketball is more expensive than pro games. If Vanderbilt and Louisville play Saturday in Denver the “medium” seats are $250. The best seats must be over $400. You can sit in the nosebleed section for a mere $80.
The last sentence of your post is interesting, specifically the “But” word and its reference to capitalism. Do you hold capitalism responsible for your financial difficulties? Do you believe socialism in any of its forms would make it easier for you to own a house?
Or is it possible that the “ism” actually responsible for your plight is liberalism, with all of its development restrictions, unnecessary and idiotic environmental restrictions, land use policies, etc., etc. that have made housing scarce and expensive? And that’s not to mention the manipulations of the Dodd/Frank/Fannie Mae/Janet Reno axis (liberals all) in the mortgage market.
Edited on Mar 16, 2011 at 11:33amJul '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
You won't get great seats, but a lot of MLB teams offer $5-$15 bleacher seats. And up until at least a few seasons ago, the NBA had a mandatory pricing rule of a designated section affordable tickets to every game (though you're usually sitting up around the top row of the stadium) under $20 precisely because of the complaints that most people couldn't afford their prices. The NHL isn't bad either. The NFL though...I don't see them ever coming down.
Jul '10
Re: No More For Me. How About Thee?
And don't forget, the value of an autograph ball by one of those Minor League players when they become superstars is greater than the value of one obtained while they are actually in the Majors.
We like to go to Cheney Stadium and watch the Tacoma Raniers play. The price of 4 tickets, Hot Dogs and Drinks equals approximately the price to park at Safeco Field.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that autographs are exponentially easier to get from Minor League Players. Something that makes the experience even better for the younger kids.
Edited on Mar 16, 2011 at 11:17amRe: No More For Me. How About Thee?
TeeJaw
The last sentence of your post is interesting, specifically the “But” word and its reference to capitalism. Do you hold capitalism responsible for your financial difficulties? Do you believe socialism in any of its forms would make it easier for you to own a house?
Or is it possible that the “ism” actually responsible for your plight is liberalism, with all of its development restrictions, unnecessary and idiotic environmental restrictions, land use policies, etc., etc. that have made housing scarce and expensive? And that’s not to mention the manipulations of the Dodd/Frank/Fannie Mae/Janet Reno axis (liberals all) in the mortgage market. · Mar 16 at 10:42am
No, no, no. I don't hold capitalism responsible in any way. I think it works. I guess I wondered if anyone saw a way that the professional sports market might somehow, naturally, come back to a place where the product is still exciting and fun, yet still affordable. Probably a pipe dream.
Edited on Mar 16, 2011 at 11:04am