Priciest Pro sports tickets

[Bubba1]

According to the The Bottom-line on MSNBC.com, the following are the most expensive average tickets of the 4 major pro sports leagues. The ticket prices are based on "secondary market" prices. Meaning average prices sold by sources other than teams themselves. This represents a 5 yr average of prices sold on websites such as StubHub, eBay, and Ticketnetwork.com. A few surprises:

NHL team # championships in last 10 yrs
5. Canucks $158.09 0
4. Penguins $160.28 1
3. Canadians $186.67 0
2. Jets $197.26 0
1. Maple Leafs $199.62 0

MLB
5. Mets $63.56 0
4.Cubs $65.24 0
3. Yankees $70.81 1
2. Blue Jays $71.89 0
1. Red Sox $88.26 2

NBA
5. Celtics $99.43 1
4. da Bulls $111.12 0
3. Heat $123.35 1
2. Knicks $161.93 0
1. Lakers $169.80 3

NFL
5. Packers $213.43 1
4. Cowboys $214.71 0 (sorry, couldn;t resist)
3. da Bears $219.82 0
2. NY Giants $238.45 2
1. Patriots $241.86 3

I know the most common comments will be "I don't care" and "I never go these games". But it's surprising to me how expensive pro tickets have gotten, particularly among teams that have not been that successful like Toronto Blue Jays.
I can somewhat understand teams that built new stadiums, like Jerry Jones' $1.5 billion shrine to himself charging more. I was also surprised to see the Yankees not #1 as they have the largest payroll and a new stadium.

[BusyBadger]

Keep in mind the length of the MLB & NFL seasons when you consider overall ticket revenue.

[Jesda]

3. Yankees $70.81 1


Overpriced by $70.81.

[Bubba1]

Keep in mind the length of the MLB & NFL seasons when you consider overall ticket revenue.

I agree. NFL has fewer opportunities to extract ticket revenue than the other sports, but iI'm suggesting to view these prices from a fan's perspective. Yes, each NFL game carries more importance for a teams record than baseball, but at the end of the day, each 4 sport's games simply represent about 4 hours of live entertainment. The NFL has effectively priced out the average fan. A family of 4 would have to shell out almost $1,000 JUST for Patriot tickets. Add in transportation, parking, food/drink, souveniers, and we'retalking about a $1300 afternoon. I guess noone besides me seems appalled how expensive these games have become to see in person. I think it's crazy.

[alms24sebring]

No thats a major reason why I have never been to a foosball game. Im not ganna go for nosebleeds watching ants play, I need a halfway decent veiw to enjoy myself. Still trying to sell 2 tickets at Nats stadium vs the Yankees for $300 or so myself. A sold out game hikes the price up drastically.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I'm surprised it has Red Sox tickets listed so low. I can't remember last time I saw them under triple digits.

Patriots tickets looks about right, and completely worth it. Parking is probably the worst part, although the cops seem to understand that and let you get away with lots of things (like open container laws while walking to the stadium).

Hockey in New England is one of the better deals. Providence Bruins tickets can be had usually for free from a radio station or other give-away, or I think under 10 bucks if you really get screwed. Its a GREAT time for cheap money. I really wish I got to go more

[nissangirl74]

I guess no one besides me seems appalled how expensive these games have become to see in person. I think it's crazy.

Even as much as I like football, I have no desire to pay stupid money every week to go see a game. Cox Cable and Chris Berman keep me sufficiently hooked up to feed my love for the game. Having several pro teams here in town, I see the ticket prices and it baffles me. The economy is supposed to be in horrible shape and yet I see the parking lots jammed full on the weekends.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I'm fairly convinced the economy isn't horrible. I generally get a job offer thrown at me just about every other month. I'm certainly making more money than ever. Go figure.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Well it's obvious why baseball is still popular. You can go see basketball in a crappy, crowded indoor stadium for $169 or you can go see a baseball game in a nice big outdoor park for $88.

I hate them both and couldn't pay attention to an entire game for the price of one of those tickets.

[nissangirl74]

I'm fairly convinced the economy isn't horrible. I generally get a job offer thrown at me just about every other month. I'm certainly making more money than ever. Go figure.

You're young and well-educated and very, very lucky. If you were thirty years older (with thirty year old skills), I'm quite sure it would be a different story. Also, location has a lot to do with it. Not that Mississippi is booming, but a lot of other places are worse off.

[Bubba1]

[quote="nissangirl74"][/quote]

This^ you are extremely lucky. A lotta folks in my neighborhood are out of work, and most are 45+. Those that found new jobs are making CONSIDERABLY less than before. And it's not because they're bad or untalented. Many companies are saving money by dumping older higher priced labor and replacing them with cheaper younger labor. There are also industries literally disappearing right before your eyes, and jobs disappearing with them.

[Bmore-coupe]

I'm fairly convinced the economy isn't horrible. I generally get a job offer thrown at me just about every other month. I'm certainly making more money than ever. Go figure.

As Bex said, it may depend on the location or many other factors. But I can assure you, it is a problem to find a job where I live. I lost my job 2 years ago and went from making 6 figures to waiting tables for the past 2 years unable to find work in any field that interests me or within my current skill set (IT, networking, telecommunications, AV, etc) I was fortunate enough to get a great job straight out of high school, bought my house when I was 19 and pretty much never had a financial worry in the world. Now I find myself at almost 31 not living paycheck to paycheck, but rather day to day. I don't mind doing whatever work pays my bills (hence waiting tables, it's literally the ONLY job that I can find that entry level pays enough to cover my bills) But finding another job has become practically impossible without a degree of any sort. To this day I wish that I had never gotten that job after HS and wish that I had just gone to college at that point because now I am trying to go back to school to get some sort of degree and can't even do that. I enrolled in a technical school (thinking that it would be a cheaper alternative to a university) and was accepted but couldn't go because even after grants , loans and scholarships I couldn't afford the leftover amount out of pocket to go. I learned that there isn't much free money out there for a white, single homeowner with no children.

Long story short, jobs may be easy to find, but good ones are not (at least in Baltimore)

[Jesda]

BASEBALL IS BEST BALL

[PapaSmurf2k3]

(at least in Baltimore)

Have you ever thought about moving?

[Bmore-coupe]

Have you ever thought about moving?

I would consider it for the right opportunity. But to be honest, I have never seriously looked into it. I have lived in this city for my entire life, everything I know is here and I don't really travel (I am aware that this is not too exciting of a way to live for most) and I guess some could say this gives me no reason to complain. For these reasons I try not to complain and just do what I must to get by. It is a character flaw of myself that I am aware of. I get comfortable very easily. But lately I have become aware that being comfortable with my current poverty is making me miserable (ie: I don't spend any money on myself unless it is for bills, I don't go out with friends as much, and if I do, I drink water at the bar and just go for the social setting, etc) so it's really something that I am trying to change.

Honestly , I wouldn't even know where to start looking if I did entertain the idea of moving. I love my city, and when I was making good money, I never considered that I would ever leave.