Subscribe
Rays High-End Ticket Prices Leave TV Seats Empty
Attendance June 29th. 2009, 12:00pmMuch has been made of the Rays attendance recently. Well Chris of Watching Durham Bulls Baseball, pointed us in the direction of this little tidbit on ticket prices in Major League Baseball.
Here are the top 8 teams ranked by their most expensive single-seat ticket. For comparison, we also included the 5 teams that charge the least for the most expensive seats.
Only 7 teams offer tickets more expensive than the $270 ticket offered by the Rays.
We are not certain many $270 tickets are available for a typical Rays game, and certainly these tickets have a minimal impact on per game attendance figures. But those $270 seats are the only seats that are seen on every pitch during a telecast. And nothing looks worse when watching a Rays game on TV than seeing nothing but empty seats in the background (just ask Yankee fans).
No wonder fans of other teams still think the Rays have no fans.
2009 MLB Ticket Prices [Flip Flop Flyball]
I would NEVER have expected to see the Nationals in that list. They must be completely crazy.
$270 is the price charged for Prime games (Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees). Those tickets are normally priced at $210. 15 teams have tickets going for $210 or more.
But looking at it, this is completely misleading. The Astros are listed at $7-$50 for single game tickets – except you can’t buy single game tickets in the “Diamond Plate Club” (the equivalent of the $210 Rays tickets). Phillies, from $16-$60? Doesn’t count the Diamond Club. Padres, same thing.
So this chart doesn’t compare apples to oranges. Basically, it just says that the Rays don’t have the same level of super-premium season ticket holders (usually corporate) that other, more established teams do.
Thanks for clarifying the data. As someone who once was able to sit in the most expensive seats in San Diego (networking helps a lot) before the Padres moved to Petco park, I could not believe the cost of these seats had drop 50% in 10 years. In short – these aren’t those seats. Oh – and my connection got divorced. Now I have to buy my tickets.
Just curious Stephanie – you seem to have a more national knowledge of MLB – not just usual parochial view. Have you been able to visit many of these parks?
I have not been to very many ballparks, though I am trying to rectify that. The Trop is not my local ballpark, however. I count myself as a Rays fan, but also as a baseball fan, so I generally do take a bit broader interest.
Why not? They have a fancy new ballpark and tons of money in that town — goverment, corporate, or otherwise. I went on a tour of that park in May and I believe they call that area the Presidents’ Club sponsored by Lexus. It’s about what you’d expect: leather seats, fancy club area, food and beverages included, etc. Those seats are less about the game and more about the experience. Just because the Nats stink doesn’t mean they shouldn’t take advantage of relatively high number of people making top dollar in that town or ignore the special interests looking to influence members of congress and the heads of government agencies. In fact, when you factor in cost of living St. Pete really looks like an outlier when compared to NY, LA, Washington, Miami, Boston, and Chicago.
D’oh, my post was responding to Charles but I fail at replying.
The seats at the trop also include food and drinks. I am not sure that is true at other stadiums. I know at Citi Field the club seats do not include food or beer.
Speaking from experience…most of those seats are season tickets belonging to corporate entities. Obviously a great opportunity to offer clients, but how many of them are willing to head out to the Trop on a random weeknight to take in a baseball game? Not many. I think a penalty system should be put in order. If your season ticket seats aren’t filled for a certain number of games you lose the ability to purchase them the next season, or you can’t purchase the seats that are that high of a commodity and yours become open to the public to purchase. I know some companies that have those seats and NEVER fill them until a weekend series or the Yanks/Sox come to town and unfortunately if those seats aren’t filled they aren’t offered up to the public to purchase.
Speaking of, I haven’t seen ol’ Dickie V. all season. Where did he go? Wasn’t he the face of our season ticket holders?
yeah almost all of those seats behind home plate are sold as season tickets…so its not that the price is too high, its those that have the seats are not attending
But you can go to the teams website right now and buy these tickets for single games, so it is not just season ticket holders. And if many/most are going unused, the Rays need to come up with a way to fill those seats during the game. The NBA moves people into TV seats from above if they are empty. Or maybe offer cheap upgrades the day of the game.