Baseball a bargain?

justbb - I am glad you started this thread. After attending minor league games this summer, I cannot tell people how much intrinsic fun there is to be had. I saw the following article at milb.com and it appears that minor league baseball is doing very well despite the recession.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball...7&fext=.jsp&sid=l127

Baseball is a bargain in relative terms. The problem is that it is way overpriced along with all the other things you mentioned (not minor league baseball).

It is ridiculous that for the Arizona Diamondbacks a seat behind home plate is $200. There are lots of rich folks and corporations that pay, but it is still too much.

The bigger problem is that we are moving toward a two-tiered society of some haves and mostly have nots. Baseball salaries are far, far too high, but not nearly so high as Wall Street bonuses, corporate executive stock options and similar things. All the while, most people would struggle to take a family of four to more than a couple of Big League games per year, even at the prices you listed.

You really can't beat a minor league game, for the food and atmosphere. Prices are reasonable.
And it's great if you know a few of the players, to root for.
Same with the college game, great fun.

EH

And don't forget college summer leagues where you can enjoy some very fine baseball for $5 admission and $5 for a hot dog and a soda.

And the cape cod league - the best college summer league - is free - they do pass a helmet but no admission charges...

08

Well it sounds like you're having a great summer justbaseball! You have really been getting around. I'm jealous. We have been enjoying seeing son play close to home (2.5 hrs away) this summer. Parents of players pay $3/game for the California wood bat summer games.

But, your schedule sounds like much more fun.

I'm trying to keep up with you Just.... we went to 2 minor league games and 1 big league game within 10 days (rare for us)... The best part was my 14 yr old son and his buddy got selected to sumo wrestle between innings. They had a blast (and their shirts were sweat-soaked after donning those huge suits on a hot day).
Minor league hot dogs were $1 and parking was free. Tickets were about 8 bucks. I'd rather give it to them than the movie theatre.

Great Tread,
Have the same question, where are you getting the time to go see all the events? Young Tooold is playing almost every day and never close to home for summer 20u team. I'm sitting here looking at 3 gift cards my daughter has given me for the last 3 christmas's for a total of $150 for the Giants but haven't been near the city in almost two years, except for a game or two for my son's team which plays at night after 6 o'clock. The only days he doesn't play are Mondays and Wednesdays.
We used to go to Rivercats games in Sac. or S.J.Giants all the time until the last couple years mainly because we live almost the same distance from both of them and people are there to watch the game.

quote:

Have the same question, where are you getting the time to go see all the events?

Same question my boss wants to know!

Actually...he was the one who went to the SJ Giants game with me.

We have lots of summer birthdays in our family and it makes a nice meeting place. (requested often times by the girls in the families too)

Temptations at the Half Shell in Boston Saturday night: free. I had "My Girl" with me: priceless.

I agree! The best entertainment bargains of the year for us have been MLB games (Twins) and a Ft. Myers Miracle game (single A).

Julie

quote:

Originally posted by jemaz:
Baseball is a bargain in relative terms. The problem is that it is way overpriced along with all the other things you mentioned (not minor league baseball).

It is ridiculous that for the Arizona Diamondbacks a seat behind home plate is $200. There are lots of rich folks and corporations that pay, but it is still too much.

The bigger problem is that we are moving toward a two-tiered society of some haves and mostly have nots. Baseball salaries are far, far too high, but not nearly so high as Wall Street bonuses, corporate executive stock options and similar things. All the while, most people would struggle to take a family of four to more than a couple of Big League games per year, even at the prices you listed.

Those same seats at a Yankees game are $2,625.oo each!

quote:

Originally posted by njbb:

quote:

Originally posted by jemaz:
Baseball is a bargain in relative terms. The problem is that it is way overpriced along with all the other things you mentioned (not minor league baseball).

It is ridiculous that for the Arizona Diamondbacks a seat behind home plate is $200. There are lots of rich folks and corporations that pay, but it is still too much.

The bigger problem is that we are moving toward a two-tiered society of some haves and mostly have nots. Baseball salaries are far, far too high, but not nearly so high as Wall Street bonuses, corporate executive stock options and similar things. All the while, most people would struggle to take a family of four to more than a couple of Big League games per year, even at the prices you listed.

Those same seats at a Yankees game are $2,625.oo each!

I heard that after opening day, they had to reduce the price on those seats because too many of them were empty and it was an embarrassment. Even in New York, 2,650 is more than even rich people are willing to pay.

Think about this:

Even in Arizona, to take a family of four to the Diamondbacks and to sit in the good seats would cost approximately $900 after parking and food is included. I can go to the upper deck cheaply, I know, but the stratification of the stadium is just not a good thing from my point of view.

I have a fundamental problem with this, even if it is what the market will bear.

The interesting part, is that even here many of these seats are empty nearly every night.

It was not even close to this way when I was a kid. Most things are far better now than they were then, but I just find this situation sad. If it took a big reduction in salaries to change it, I would be in favor of that.

So, in the end, I don't find Major League baseball a bargain at all, which is why I go to so many more games at Arizona State.

All that said, it is far, far worse in the NBA where the nature of the game cannot compare with baseball and where the arrogance of the players, coaches, owners and league leadership is just too much to take.

As for Disney and Cold Play and all that other stuff, I just have no interest at all in going. Give me baseball (on nearly every level), college football (where I am very happy to donate and where the game is so much more fun) and an occasional NFL game and I am happy as a clam.

Baseball a bargain?

Not MLB, in my opinion.






This is the view you get with an $89 ticket at a non-premium game. Fortunately I clicked on the StubHub link on the team's page and bought my tickets for $35 each plus a transaction charge.

quote:

Originally posted by justbaseball:
* Beer, $12 (YIKES!)

What you failed to mention was that it was $1 beer night... Yikes indeed

Dang jerseydad...you know me too well!

quote:

Originally posted by jemaz:
Baseball salaries are far, far too high...

I suppose, but these guys need to have somewhere to live when they are not on the road all the time during the season. How much stimulus do you think this little place is adding to the economy?

wow, you know it's a big job when there are 3 blue rooms on the site.

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quote:

Originally posted by 20dad:
wow, you know it's a big job when there are 3 blue rooms on the site.

C'mon! All blue! Where's the diversity?




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Yeah where?




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Those blue guys think their you-know-what doesn't stink!




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And don't forget to put the seat down!




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Now we're getting somewhere!




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Hear! Hear!




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