Sports events tickets...where the billionaires really soak the middle class suckers...

[Human101948]

Want to take your family to see the Mets’ first appearance in the World Series in 15 years? You may be better off taking them to Disney World.

The third, fourth and fifth baseball games—hosted at Citi Field in New York—of the 2015 World Series between the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals are reaching historic levels, according to data from ticket search engine SeatGeek. As of Tuesday, secondary market prices for individual tickets are averaging at $1,129, $1,106 and $1,163, for each game, respectively. Paying for parking at Citi Field, four hot dogs, two beers and two soft drinks will add about $68.50 to the tab, according to marketing data company Team Marketing Report.

The first and second games, hosted at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., are currently selling at $697 and $745, respectively. The same concessions for a family of four would cost about $53.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/for-4500-you-can-take-your-family-to-the-world-series-2015-10-27

[cherokeeprogressive]

1. Does "secondary market" refer to scalpers?

If it does, you should blame the fans, and how much they're willing to pay.

[tk2kewl]

2. stub hub etc

the teams are in on it at this point

[Human101948]

3. Yes, you have a point...

but at the NY Yankees the box seats that I used to pay $20 for are now $850.That's 150% more than the CPI inflation over the same period.

Before the Yankees’ new stadium opener, in what may have been the first and last stab at suggesting, during a Yankees telecast, that the team was barking up the wrong money tree — that they established their own PSLs that could price their best customers either up, further from the field, or out — Michael Kay, on YES, asked MLB Commissioner Bud Selig about ticket prices.

Selig said: “You know, people talk about ticket prices and I think the Yankees have been treated somewhat unfairly because I broke down all the ticket prices of all the seats, today, and they are affordable.”

Selig’s nonsense was spoken just a few feet from box seats that cost $850 per seat, per game. The season before, similar seats had ballooned to $250 from $90.

http://nypost.com/2014/04/27/pricing-fans-out-of-stadium-no-good-for-yankees-or-mlb/

[HuckleB]

39. Look at the prices KC had for tickets sold first hand, though.

The Mets prices were probably much greater.

[GummyBearz]

4. Makes me happy to live in san diego

The padres are so bad, I pay $25 for a field level seat, 1st row, along the foul lines or outfield. I dont even have to get them in advance since they are never sold out. If I feel like having a pricey dinner on a random weekday, I just buy the ticket online, walk to the stadium, get a bratwurst and beer and enjoy the entertainment.

[KamaAina]

20. They have brats at Petco?

Even when they're not playing the Brewers?

[GummyBearz]

24. Yep :)

Decent ball park dog selection including the "hebrew dog" (no pork, 100% beef). Plus lots of good local micro brews to choose from

[KamaAina]

27. Yes, SD is a surprisingly good beer town

We get some of your stuff like Stone (!!), Karl Strauss and Ballast Point (haven't tried; too much $$ ) up here in San Jose.

[GummyBearz]

28. Cool

There isn't much price difference between Stone and Ballast Point down here. If its a budget issue, just stick to stone. The taste difference is marginal IMO.

[KamaAina]

29. 7-Eleven here wants 13 bucks for a four-pack!

On the other hand, you might be in the Bay Area if... your 7-Eleven has a decent selection of microbrews.

[Dorian Gray]

31. I went to Lost Abbey (and Stone) in Escondido

Lost Abbey was fantastic. So many good beers to choose from.

[Initech]

40. If you like those...

Those are the mainstream San Diego beers. Try Alesmith, Green Flash, and Pizza Port. A bottle of Speedway Stout or a couple of Le Freak will do!

[Travis_0004]

5. I doubt the billionaires are scalping tickets

If they have a ticket they cant use they will give it away, oe just not use it.

The people scalping are probably middle class trying to make a few bucks.

[Human101948]

6. Probably the wrong article to make my point...

but the reason that the scalpers can get these prices is that the billionaires who own the teams have raised prices to unbelievable levels.

They also rake us over the coals by blackmailing their hometowns for subsidized stadiums and fantastic tax breaks--all the while claiming the wonderful benefits for the localities that never, ever materialize.

Do we really need more underpaid hot dog vendors who work one day a week during the season? The cheerleaders don't even get minimum wage!

[jberryhill]

9. The reason scalping works...

"the reason that the scalpers can get these prices is that the billionaires who own the teams have raised prices to unbelievable levels"

Umm, no. The reason that scalpers can get these prices is because they are being sold for less than some other people are willing to pay for them.

There is an entertainment event which millions of people would like to attend, and which seats tens of thousands of people.

There are a lot of things wrong with taxpayer subsidies to professional sports. Ticket scalping doesn't have a whole lot to do with that.

[Human101948]

13. Or perhaps there is another reason why demand is so high?

TAMPA BAY, Florida -- For all the talk by professional sports teams about drawing more fans to new ballparks, keeping their facilities "relevant," and "improving the fan experience," a comprehensive analysis by 10 Investigates reveals most new revenue from taxpayer-funded stadium construction projects comes not from increased attendance, but from increased ticket costs.

That means taxpayers are spending money on new sports facilities so team owners – often billionaires – can charge them more than ever before to attend the games.

And even though taxpayers often foot the majority of stadium construction costs, the private teams and leagues keep most of the revenues, while often reducing the number of seats available. Fewer fans at a game can mean fewer jobs at the stadium as well as less economic impact in the areas surrounding the stadium.

http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/investigations/2015/04/10/why-pro-teams-need-your-money-to-rip-out-seats/25574265/

[Snobblevitch]

23. I've never seen a cheer leader at a MLB game.

[jberryhill]

7. "secondary market prices"

Lol, right... some "billionaire" is reselling tickets.

I would venture to guess that people paying $1000 to a scalper to watch a baseball game are likely more well-off than the scalper.

[Human101948]

8. See my comment #6

I freely admit that I picked the wrong article to make a comment about.

Nevertheless, sports franchises are owned by billionaires who don't have to operate their businesses while facing the pressures of financing and taxes like other businesses do. And the average Joe pays the freight.

[Travis_0004]

17. Point 6 is wrong

There are scalpers because the tickets are too cheap.

People buy them to resell.

If prices met demand there would not be scalpers, just a few people who can no longer go to the game.

[Blue_Tires]

10. You mean to tell me tickets are expensive

when a long-suffering team in the nation's most prominent city and media market makes it to the world series??

The irony is those prices probably would have been 50% higher had the Cubs made it

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. Ha!

[lumberjack_jeff]

11. First world problems. It's sad that pro sports are the only form of entertainment.

Last edited Wed Oct 28, 2015, 01:06 PM - Edit history (1)

And that those events can only be seen in person... not televised in any way.

I take that back - there's at least one more immediately apparent form of entertainment; laughing at anyone who would pay five large to have popcorn and beer thrown at them and their family.

I get that virtue signaling is a big part of human nature and that we'll apparently pay any price to be part of the club.

But not all of us share that need. The Seahawks already have enough 12th men.

[KamaAina]

21. More than enough, if you ask me

[Rond Vidar]

14. I find it unlikely that billionaires are selling their tickets on Stubhub.

As of Tuesday, secondary market prices for individual tickets are averaging at $1,129, $1,106 and $1,163, for each game, respectively.

If that's the market price that fans are willing to pay, how are they being "soaked"?

[LanternWaste]

15. Much like concert tickets...

Much like concert tickets. The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Roger Waters, and The Eagles commanded ticket prices ranging from $624 to $241. Another middle class soak.

[brooklynite]

16. Would it make you feel better having a 0.1% chance of getting tickets...

...if you knew they were forced to be sold at face value?

I haven't been to a world series game in 35 years. I like both teams and will pay the freight to see them play.

[DesMoinesDem]

18. I'm confused. OP thinks that billionaires bought a bunch of tickets and are selling them online?

And the author of the article is surprised that tickets for an event that rarely ever happens are more expensive than tickets for Disney World, which is open every single day? Not much critical thinking going on here.

[Human101948]

19. You're reading comprehension is poor...

I freely admitted that I picked the wrong article to comment on. Not much attention being paid here.

Oh yeah...the World Series (which it is not) happens every year.

[KamaAina]

22. Well, it would have been

if the Jays had made it past KC.

[tkmorris]

25. Are you FUCKING kidding me?

Knock of the insults mate. YOU are the one who chose the article you posted, and YOU are the one who made the (incorrect, no, completely wrong) commentary about it. YOU have followed that up with further nonsense that is also demonstrably wrong.

Then you have the gall to insult another DUer's READING COMPREHENSION? What the hell is wrong with you?

[Human101948]

26. Thank you for straightening me out on that one...

Your carefully considered criticism and constructive comments are appreciated.

[tkmorris]

32. You want "carefully considered criticism"? Earn it

Being hopelessly wrong on your original point, revisiting it and still being wrong, then insulting another DUer for the VERY THING YOU ARE GUILTY OF, well that's just not gonna cut it.

[Human101948]

38. Thank you for pointing that out...

I have donned sackcloth and ashes and I promise to scourge myself mercilessly.

I think I shall add a liberal handful of salt to the resulting wounds.

I am unworthy. I am lower than dirt. I am not fit to kiss the soles of your shoes.

[Dorian Gray]

30. I looked to get tickets

for my husband and myself for the World Series at Citi. He's a life long fan. We went to a playoff game. Still expensive but we could do it.

Standing Room starts at 700+ per ticket. No freaking way. We will be watching Friday, Saturday and Sunday night games in our bed. Cozy.

It would be cheaper to fly to Kansas City to see a game.

[hunter]

33. As a kid my parents paid 75 cents for me to see a Dodgers game...

... and a little more to buy a program which Don Drysdale signed up close and personal, rubbing my little towhead scalp for good luck.

[Xithras]

34. Only $1100? New Yorkers are cheap.

I have no idea where they're getting the idea that these kinds of prices are some kind of "record". The average secondary market ticket price for the two San Francisco home games in the 2010 World Series was $1,701. In 2012, the average price for the SF home games was $1,256. They did dip to $973 in 2014...presumably because the novelty of the Giants fighting for a World Series title had worn off a bit. That wasn't the case on the Kansas City side of the 2014 series, because TiqIQ shows that the average price of tickets in the Royals home games eventually hit $1,614.

[DonCoquixote]

36. mr oliver explains it so well

[FLPanhandle]

35. Really hard to build up any outrage on this topic

Sporting tickets are totally unnecessary items.

It's not food, transportation, clothing, housing.

How people choose to spend their discretionary income is up to them. People know the prices and can freely choose to pay that much or spend their extra money on some other thing.

[DonCoquixote]

37. it is when

cities steal money that would be used for those essential items to please some billionaire.

[FLPanhandle]

41. That I agree with

The article was about ticket prices though.

No business should expect the public to fund their stadium. On the other hand, that business should be able to charge the maximum price it can to fill their stadium.