Which Baseball Team Is It Most Expensive To Go See?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Apr 7th 2010 at 9:02PM

Baseball season is just beginning, time for peanuts and Cracker Jacks and a fresh hope that your team will make it to the World Series in October. Which team does it cost the most to cheer on? The annual study by Team Marketing Report reveals that the Chicago Cubs have the highest average ticket prices in baseball. The average price for Cubs tickets is $52.56, just a handful of change above the Boston Red Sox at $52.32. But the Red Sox win when it comes to a more real evaluation, the FCI. The FCI is the fan cost index, the cost for the average family of four to attend a game. The FCI takes into account prices for two adult tickets, two children's tickets, two small draft beers, four small soft drinks, four hot dogs, two programs, two baseball caps and parking for one car. An afternoon at Fenway will run you $334.78, a full $18 more than seeing the Yankees, who ruled last year with a steep FCI of $410.88. The league average FCI is $195.13.

The best bargain is the Los Angeles Angels with a FCI of $124.90. The average FCI is down as many teams are offering cheaper concession items or other discounts. The Yankees are still on top when it comes to premium seats. The Team Marketing report says the average premium seat at Yankees Stadium is $312.11, far down from last year's price which topped $500 but still steep enough for the top slot.

Tags: baseball, chicago cubs, fan cost index, fenway park, red sox, sports tickets, ticket prices, yankee stadium, yankees

Filed under: Sports

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

snowmassey Apr 10th 2010 6:37AM

It's good pro sports isn't just about the money.

patvl Apr 10th 2010 7:00AM

$334.00 to sit in the stands with the most obnoxious fans in sports. No thanks

br3283 Apr 10th 2010 7:41AM

I'm a lifelong baseball fan andl love the game but this is why I watch on tv.

yooperbill Apr 25th 2010 6:09PM

What a great opportunity to get away from the wife and kids for a few hours,just show them this article and say you cant afford to take them to the old ball game with you,any reasonable wife will agree with you and be willing to stay home with the kids and feed them cheap hotdogs you can afford while watching the game on tv,hopefully though the tv camera doesnt scan the crown and pan on you with your girlfriend sitting by your side with her hand on your lap, cheering the home team.baseball,you gots to love it.

Mary Apr 10th 2010 7:58AM

As any Boston fan knows, you don't park at Fenway, you take the T.

varrpalz Apr 10th 2010 7:59AM

I just purchased tickets to see both of these teams. Premium infield seating at Fenway in July, $170/ ticket x 4 and $250/ ticket x 5 at Yankee Stadium for Old Timers day- again Premium seating behind home plate. That, I'm sure, is just the beginning. Add flight, car, GAS, food and misc. and hopefully itdoesn't rain.

exsportsfan68 Apr 10th 2010 8:35AM

only way to bring prices down is find other forms of entertainment people, you pay and they just keep jacking prices up.

jimsjunkm Apr 10th 2010 9:38AM

No, the only way to reduce the prices is quit paying the players multi year deals with stupid contracts ($$). Just plain dumb!!!

MIchael Mc Manus Apr 10th 2010 8:48AM

An fan that pays this $$ is a fool. Food for a month, heat bill for two months.
Part of a property tax payments. Just watch it on TV and do yourself a favor. Then the teams will plead to have you come back and drop the price. Never happen. Why? You clowns will pay for a ticket, $50 shirt, $10 beer. Need to get a life and girlfriend.

Midnight Apr 10th 2010 8:53AM

Call me after they have played a hundred and freakin' forty two games.....then it's interesting......otherwise...YYYAWWWNN....

mark Apr 10th 2010 1:22PM

i totally agree. also ive been to a few ballgames and it was ok but tv is better. i finally got to an nfl game. i sat at one end zone. you cant tell whats going on so you end up watching the stadium screen anyway. staying home with friends and watching a big hdtv pays for itself at those prices.

Buz Whelan Apr 10th 2010 2:05PM

Midnight has it right. 162 game season makes any one game very small indeed. It's only good when the pennant races get serious. Until then I'll watch the last 3 or 4 innings of 1 or 2 games a week on my 65" hi-def. I'm out on the lake for most of the day.

ttrexxx Apr 10th 2010 8:55AM

Try this one on for size...If your team doesn't make the playoffs, ticket prices and player salary must be reduced 20 percent until they do..Talk about motivation...lol

ttrexxx Apr 10th 2010 8:58AM

reduce ticket prices and player salary every year untill team gets in playoffs

e.r.holmes jr Apr 10th 2010 9:15AM

crazy,to watch people stand around most of the game.it used to be fun.the average person today is struggling and these monsters are being paid millions.the whole system stinks.sometimes a weeks pay to watch a game and than fight the traffic?sad

Jo Apr 10th 2010 9:25AM

the cubs have the highest ticket prices and haven't won a world series since 1908.
yet they keep packin'em in.
they're almost always sold out.
the tickets would be free if we did what TTREXX says.
that would be great!
the fans can't see a winner but at least they'd be able to feed the family!

Weeble Wobble Apr 10th 2010 9:26AM

I'm a lifelong Red Sox fan, and even I can't stand being around those obnoxious bastards. I grew up watching them lose every year, all those fans screaming, "It's the Curse!! It's the Curse!!", and now because they finally won 2 World Series, these idiots think the baseball world owes THEM for the team being this good. I'll just watch it on my computer for $100.00 a YEAR! Every game, and I don't have to deal with idiots, and pay $100.00 to park my car..

Bobbie Apr 10th 2010 9:32AM

The Rockies have a thing called Rockpile tickets, which generally go on sale the day of the game for...5 bucks! Hit it on the right day and you'll get a free hat for the kids too. Plus, the seats have a great view. So glad I live in Denver!

TTREXXX Apr 10th 2010 9:52AM

To the fans in Boston.If you would unite and just not show up for one game.mangement would start to reduce prices accross the board. Make it a Yankee game for full affect...lol.. Need media news to take up this montra and the fans would have cheaper tickets asap.