MLB Has a Lot of Deals This Year

Major League Baseball has compiled an exhaustive list of various ticket and food deals from each team in baseball.  Given that many teams deals are written in the first person and some teams have deals listed that others have but are not listed makes me think that all MLB did was cut and paste a bunch of lists together.  Still, it is a very useful resource.  I’ve gone through the list and picked out what I think the best and/or most unique deals out there.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
• 26,000 seats are priced at $15 or less for non-premier games; more than 5,000 seats are $5.
• D-backs 10-Pack Plus features 10 tickets to games of the fans choice, plus a $10 Fry’s Food Store gift card for just $120.
• The D-backs have had the lowest average ticket price among Major League Baseball teams since 2007. Their average ticket price of $15.96 in 2008 was nearly $10 below the MLB average ticket price of $25.40.
• The D-backs have reduced or not raised ticket prices on 76% of the seats at Chase Field with their season ticket pricing for the 2009 season, marking the third consecutive season the D-backs have reduced or not raised prices on a majority of the seats at Chase Field.

ATLANTA BRAVES
• Skyline seats – $1 tickets (186 of them available for each game 3 hours prior to the game.)
• $6 Upper Pavilion tickets available for every game.
• Season Tickets – as low as $249.
• No money down, no payments for 90 days through GE Financing (credit check required)
• A fan can also mix and match any combination of parks with a Braves game. Examples –The Big Catch – Braves game and Georgia Aquarium for $36, fan saves $16. The Double Play – Braves game and Six Flags for $36, fan saves $19.99. The Triple Play – Braves game, Six Flags and Stone Mountain for $56, fan saves $25.99.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
• Kids Night – children ages 10 and under attend Thursday Orioles home games for free when they are accompanied by a paying adult.
• Birthday Ticket Offer – a free ticket voucher to a game during their birthday month (Jan, Feb and March birthdays valid for April; Oct, Nov and Dec birthdays valid for September).
• Bleacher’s & Boog’s – On Thursdays, fans can purchase a Eutaw Street Bleacher seat and a Boog’s BBQ sandwich for $15 (value of $25).
• Kids-sized (and priced) concession stands

BOSTON RED SOX
• Freezing Ticket Prices – The Red Sox froze ticket prices for all seating categories at Fenway Park for the 2009 season. Food prices also stayed the same, the first time that has happened since 2002.
• This year the Red Sox will host a series of special sessions once a homestand where fans attending games can meet and take photos with a player or coach. The photo sessions, which will take place after the end of Red Sox Batting Practice for approximately 30 minutes, will begin during the second homestand and continue throughout the regular season.

CHICAGO CUBS
• The Cubs offer a handful of value days where tickets start as low as $9.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX
• Value Mondays – Monday home games this season will offer half off the regular price of tickets for Value Mondays. We have six value Mondays during the 2009 season.
• Family Pack – The Family Pack is a $16 ticket package on select home games that includes an Upper Reserved game ticket and a voucher redeemable for a hot dog value meal (hot dog, chips and a soft drink).

CINCINNATI REDS
• Baker’s Dozen – In honor of Reds Manager Dusty Baker, fans can purchase a season-ticket package that gives you 13 weekend games for the price of 12. Fans choose all Fridays, all Saturdays or all Sundays.
• 3 Innings & Lunch – For select Paycor Business Day Specials, fans can purchase a View Level ticket and a food voucher for up to $10 in concessions for just $15.
• Straight-A Program – For schools that enroll in the program, the Reds and Duke Energy provide two free View Level tickets to students in grades 7-12 who have an “A” average and friends and family are able to purchase additional View Level tickets at half-price for the same game.
• Senior Citizen Specials – For 12 designated games, fans 60 and older may purchase select non-premium tickets at half-price in advance of game day only.
• $5 Outer View Level tickets.

CLEVELAND INDIANS
• Value Based Ticket Pricing: The Indians have developed an innovative value based ticket strategy to debut in 2009. Based on our market research, our ticket buyer’s feedback and their buying habits, the Cleveland Indians organization has responded with a ticket structure that is based on the concept that not all 81 home games are created equal. The inherent reality of the six-month MLB season dictates that a weekday game in April/May has a different perceived value than a summer weekend game. As a result, we have priced the 2009 season accordingly. Four pricing categories have been established for the 2009 season– Spring Super Savers (13 Games- Best Seats 50% OFF); Spring Value (8 Games), Summer Value (29 Games) and Prime (31 Games).

COLORADO ROCKIES
• Opening Day Triple Play – Buy tickets for Opening Day and receive two more games in April or May at half price!
• Rockpile Tickets – Tickets to sit in the Rockpile section are only $4.

DETROIT TIGERS
• $5.00 Tickets are available for every Tigers’ home game including premium dates.
• $5.00 Parking is available every home game.
• Season ticket packages start as low as $243.00 and include complimentary food vouchers at Monday-Thursday home games, merchandise discount, and discounted parking options.
• More than half of the 41,255 seats in Comerica Park are priced at $22-or-less for non-premium games.
• The Detroit Tigers Inc. annually donates between 50,000-80,000 tickets to charitable groups allowing Tigers fans the opportunity to enjoy Tigers baseball at Comerica Park.

FLORIDA MARLINS
• Marlins Mortgage Payout: Each Saturday, the Marlins will award one fan up to $2,500 toward his/her monthly mortgage or rent payment; Twice, the Marlins will award one lucky fan at each game with a check for up to $15,000 toward his/her mortgage or the remainder of the their lease.
• Go Green, Get Green with Marlins Baseball: Vehicles containing four (4) fans or more will receive a complimentary $25 voucher toward the purchase of tickets for select future Marlins games.
• Marlins Workforce Mondays: The Marlins are providing unemployed South Florida residents the opportunity to take advantage of up to four (4) complimentary tickets to Monday Marlins home games in 2009.
• Marlins Stars and Stripes Program: For the seventh season, through its “Stars and Stripes” ticket program Active and Reserve personnel, National Guard, and their dependents can attend Sunday Marlins games at no cost.
• Family Sundays: Every Sunday home game is Marlins Family Sunday. Fans are encouraged to head to Strike Zone early as gates open at 11:30AM. Family Sunday activities at the Strike Zone at Gate H include Snapshot Sunday (where fans can take pictures with a Marlins player for a limited time).
• Super Saturdays: The first 25,000 fans through the stadium gates get a special giveaway that lets the fans be part of the show. The party at the Strike Zone starts at 5;30PM with live music from Dueling Pianos, celebrity and player autograph sessions, the Mermaids, the Manatees, DJ M.Dot, and more. At the conclusion of each Saturday home game, fans will be treated to a spectacular fireworks show, followed by a live on-field concert from popular recording artists. Confirmed acts for the 2009 season include K.C. and the Sunshine Band and The Village People.

HOUSTON ASTROS
• Outfield Deck Seats – Tickets are $1 for Kids and $7 for Adults.
• Special Ticket Packages – 10 for $20. This online ticket offer gives fans the opportunity to purchase tickets to 10 Houston Astros games for only $20!
• Seats for $20 or Less – Minute Maid Park has 13,421 seats (30% of our total inventory) with an every day price of $20 or less.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
• Dri-Duck Fountain Seats – New in 2009, Dri-Duck Fountain Seats are available only on game days for just $5, which is the lowest ticket price offered at Kauffman Stadium since the 2001 season.
• Royal Mondays – $5 Upper Level tickets (excluding View Box) for all Monday games, excluding September 21.
• Military Mondays – Show a valid Military ID any Monday home game and get a free Outfield Box or View Box ticket.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
• Family Sundays (13 games) – Each Sunday is Family Sunday on the Terrace Level out in Centerfield. Kids can take in arts and crafts, balloon artists, face painting and games under the Angel Tents. Prior to the start of each game, a Pop Fly contest is held in the outfield where one lucky kid is chosen to test his/her ability to catch fly balls.
• Season Seat Holder Kids Clinics – Children of Angels Season Seat holders are invited to participate in on-field baseball related activities. Each event will be limited to the number of participants that meet age eligibility. There will be two clinics in 2009.
• Photo Day – Angel fans are given the chance to get up close to their favorite Angel. A limited number of fans will be allowed down onto the field warning track to take photos of Angels’ players and coaches from 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• $3 Kids & Teens Nights – $3 Tickets available for select home games.
• Ultimate Father’s Day Sweepstakes – The Ultimate Father’s Day Sweepstakes, gives fans the opportunity to play catch with their father at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 21st. Fifteen (15) winners will receive this once in a lifetime opportunity, tickets to the game, stadium parking and an Angels’ baseball.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS
• Affordable pricing ranges from the $4 per seat “Blue Heaven” ticket package on the Top Deck – the most affordable season ticket option in the city – 12-game mini plans starting at $48 per seat, the “Buy Two Get Two” season ticket option (the most affordable option on the Lower Reserve totals to $10 per seat and with this perk, you get four seats total for $5 each), and premier seating located between the bases on the Field Level can be bought for $65 per seat.
• At every home game, fans can shag fly balls and also visit Autograph Alley for an autograph from a Dodger legend at no additional cost.
• New lower-priced options for Coca-Cola soft drinks and water (also beer for adults).
• No increase in Dodger Dogs or any other food items from concession stands or vendors.
• Autograph Alley, which debuted in 2008, gives families a chance to meet a Dodgers Legend and get his autograph before every game.
• Similar to a program started in 2008, kids can shag home run balls behind a new, low, center field fence during Batting Practice.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
• Uecker Seats (81 dates) – $1 Terrace Reserved seats available day of game.
• McDonald’s Big Mac Mondays (6 dates) – Fans who purchase four Big Mac sandwiches at their local McDonald’s restaurant and present their four Big Mac box tops to the Miller Park Ticket Windows will receive two Terrace Reserved seats free, when they buy two tickets of equal or greater value.
• Brewers-State Fair Double Header Deal – For only $24, fans receive two Terrace Reserved Brewers tickets to one of five select “Fair Friday” Brewers games (May 1, May 29, June 26, July 24, or August 28 ) and two State Fair Admission Tickets good any day through the Fair’s 11-day run, August 6-August 16.
• Brewers-Timber Rattlers Fang-tastic Ticket Deal – $15 buys one Terrace Reserved ticket to one of six select Brewers games at Miller Park and one Reserved Bleacher ticket to one of six select Wisconsin Timber Rattlers games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin, plus a special edition t-shirt all for just $15.

MINNESOTA TWINS
• Monday – Market Mondays presented by WCCO AM – will provide a ticket in the Home Run Porch based on the Dow Jones Industrial Average at the close of business each Friday. If the Dow closes the week in the 8,000s, a ticket purchased for any 2009 Monday home game during the following week would be $8. If it closes in the 9000s, the ticket price is $9. If the Dow closes in the 6000’s, Home Run Porch tickets are $6 and so on. The cost of the tickets will rise and fall with the market. The adjustment would be made at the close of the business week each Friday. Not Available April 6th or May 25th
• Sunday – Blue Bunny Kids Day presented by 5 Eyewitness News – $21/$8. Two kids receive FREE admission in the Home Run Porch or Cheap Seats with the purchase of one adult ticket in same section.

NEW YORK METS
• Variable pricing model provides fans access to tickets starting at $11.
• More than 240,000 tickets priced at $15 and under for 28 games of 2009 Mets schedule.
• Families can pick from five dates when children can run the bases after the game in the Mr. Met dash.
• The Mets offer senior citizen discounts as well as Senior Strolls (on select dates where Seniors can stroll the base paths postgame)

NEW YORK YANKEES
• Senior Citizen Games – Senior Citizens (60 and older) can purchase $5 tickets for any Monday through Thursday game in designated seating locations.
• Student Games – Students who present their valid high school or college ID cards when purchasing tickets for any Wednesday game can receive one half-price ticket in designated seating locations.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS
• Nearly 3,000 seats per game (Plaza Reserved) have a price of $9 per ticket for all games (premium and non-premium) during the season.
• BART double play Wednesdays will continue for all games, including premium games. This includes doubling the availability $2 tickets to over 9,000 seats per game. $1 Hot Dogs will also be offered throughout the ballpark.
• Reduced certain seating levels for 2009 while maintaining 2008 pricing for the remainder of the inventory.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
• Day of Game Drop Down Pricing(available 3 hours before game)- From 4/5 – 5/14 and 9/11 –10/4 $22 tickets are discounted down to $19, $20 tickets are discounted down to $17, and $16 tickets are discounted down to $13.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
• Single game ticket prices will remain the same price in 2009, the seventh straight year ticket prices will remain the same.
• Introduction of four new value-priced season packages. Starting as low as $399, or less than $5 a game, these packages cover nearly 14,000 seats (36-percent of ballpark capacity) and an average savings of more than 25-percent over last year’s season ticket price.
• Aggressive promotional schedule that includes 13 Dollar Dog Nights throughout the season, up from five last year. Those have also been shifted from Wednesday to Friday when more people have the ability to take advantage of the value.
• New Buc Night promotion on April 15, where fans can purchase $1 seats, $1 dogs, $1 twelve oz. Pepsi and $1 popcorn.
• Ticket prices start as low as $9 for every game.
• An extended payment plan is available for all new and renewing season ticket holders.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
• Kids Pricing – For all 81 games fans ages 15 and under may purchase tickets for only $7.00.
• KTRS 550 First Pitch – At 9:00 on the day of each home game, fans may purchase a voucher good for two tickets for only $5.50 per ticket. Fans redeem their voucher for actual tickets 15 minutes prior to game time. Tickets may be anywhere in the Stadium from infield field box to SRO. Up to 550 tickets distributed per game.

SAN DIEGO PADRES
• Coca-Cola Value Weekends – Get an Upper Reserved ticket, hot dog and a Coke, all for only $12 for any Friday through Sunday Padres regular season home game. Limit 8 tickets per purchase. A family of four can get 4 Upper Reserved tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 Cokes, all for only $48 for any Friday through Sunday Padres regular season home game. Limit 8 tickets per purchase.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
• Almost half of the seating capacity at AT&T Park is priced at $20-25 per ticket. And Monday-Thursday, fans can purchase a View Reserved outfield ticket for $10.
• Prices for 50 percent of single game ticket inventory has been reduced by $1 to $5 per ticket for the 2009 season.
• Dynamic Pricing: The Giants are the first MLB team to institute a dynamic pricing structure which allows the team to continually readjust ticket prices up to the morning of a game based on market demand. By using a computer model created by Texas based qcue, the Giants can adjust ticket prices – up or down – based on the market demand for the game. Dynamic pricing gives the team the flexibility to keep pace with the secondary ticket market and to adjust prices based on unforeseen factors that could increase or decrease demand for a specific game. This includes team performance, the starting pitcher, promotional giveaways or an opponents’ team performance.
• Knothole Gang: The Giants right field wall contains open archways, where fans can walk up and watch the game free of charge. The Giants also pipe in the team’s radio broadcast so fans can follow the game more closely.

SEATTLE MARINERS
• New this year is a “4 For 2″ season ticket special. Get four seats for the price of two when you buy full season tickets in select Field Level and Terrace Club Outfield locations.
• Least expensive seats in ballpark are the centerfield bleachers, which are still just $8 each.
• 501(c)(3) organizations can get special discounts for 40 select home games for fundraising purposes. They can buy $20 View Reserved seats for $8 and re-sell the tickets for any price they choose (up to face value) and keep the difference.

TAMPA BAY RAYS
• Cars with four or more persons park for free.
• Ticket prices are as low as $10 for most games.
• Game ticket also includes free admission to Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame and the Rays touch tank on game days at Tropicana Field.

TEXAS RANGERS
• Rangers/Six Flags Double Play – Save 50% with another new ticket discount for 2009, the Double Play combo from the Texas Rangers and Six Flags Over Texas. Each Double Play combo includes one Lower Box ticket to a Texas Rangers game and one adult admission to Six Flags Over Texas for only $50.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
• All season long, fans can purchase tickets for as low as $9.00 except for Super Premium Games (19 dates). Also during four select Tuesday home games, the price is reduced to $5 in the 500 and 200 outfield levels.
• 15 game Flex Pack purchasers in 2009 will automatically receive a complimentary membership to the Toronto Blue Jays Fan Club. This will enable them to take advantage of many club benefits including invitations to exclusive events and access to players to name just a few.
• Every Sunday home game this season, Blue Jays will have a promotional giveaway!
• Ladies Night Out – Gal pals enjoy a great night of Major League baseball where for the cost of their ticket, available at a 25% discount, they receive a collectable cap and have the opportunity to meet and mingle with a player(s) after the game in our exclusive Club VIP area.
• The Blue Jays have three main ticket offers through which fans can support a cause, celebrate a culture or demonstrate geographic pride while receiving a ticket discount and ensuring that a portion of the ticket sale price is donated back to the group.
• With the expanding fan base in Toronto, the Blue Jays offer numerous ticket discounts for specific theme days/nights such as Speed Dating and Dog Day.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS
• Season Ticket Price Reduction – 7,500 Season Ticket prices will be reduced from 2008’s price. Remaining prices will remain constant.
• $5 Gameday Tickets – There are just over 400 day of game tickets in the Nationals Park Grandstand priced at $5 for all games at Nationals Park.
• $1 Kids Day – Purchase up to 4 tickets for children ages 3-12 for $1 each, with the purchase of one full-priced adult ticket. June 11 vs. Cincinnati, August 24 vs. Colorado, September 6 vs. Florida.

Marlins to Give Tickets to the Unemployed

The Marlins, who just got local and state governments to pay for most of their new stadium, have announced a new “economic relief” promotion in order to help out fans who are struggling financially.   One promotion involves giving four free tickets to every unemployed fan for select Monday games.  On some Saturdays, the Marlins will give one fan up to $2,500 for mortgage or rent payments.  And on June 20 September 26 against the Mets, one fan will get up to $15,000.

The team, which perpetually has far more seats than fans, is offering  more ticket deals than any team in baseball, including offers that involve every single opponent they will face this year.

Angels Add Priciest Seats in the Stadium

Angel Stadium has an area set aside at field level just past each dugout for the extra photographers who show up for the playoffs.  In past years, that real estate has gone unused.  Siezing on an obvious opportunity (the Cubs did the same thing a few years ago on the first base line), the Angels have added 18 seats in each space.  The seats cost $215 each and are being sold in mini-packages of 8 games.  About 60% of the seats have been sold so far.

New York State Considers Requiring Affordable Tickets be Sold

The New York State Assembly is considering a law that requires that 7% of tickets to any sporting event be “affordable” if the event takes place in a building that was built or rehabbed with government funds.  In New York, that includes both the new Yankee Stadium as well as Citi Field.

The bill does not include a definition of the word “affordable.”  It does say that the tickets would have to be affordable to residents of the host community.  The bill does not say how community would be identified.  The Yankees, whose stadium sits in the impoverished South Bronx, have come out against the bill.

New York City and State Consider Targeting Tickets for Tax Increase

Both the City of New York and the State of New York are considering raising taxes by an additional 4% in 2009.  Currently, most, if not all baseball teams include taxes in calculating the total price of tickets.  I suspect at some point, teams will stop doing that as a way to increase prices/revenue while tempering the PR hit by blaming the government for high taxes.  If other municipalities and states opt to raise taxes on tickets as a means of generating revenue, I think teams will make the switch relatively soon.  It would end the days of tickets costing even dollar amounts, but since almost everyone buys tickets with a credit card, that wouldn’t be a big deal.

Brewers Report Ticket Business is Good for 2009

Despite the faltering economy, a slight increase in ticket prices for marquee games and the loss of CC Sabathia, the Brewers season ticket renewal rate is at about 90%.  “  The team does not report their actual season ticket numbers, but it is thought that last season’s number was around 14,000.

In addition, the Brewers say they are pleasantly surprised at how many people with partial season ticket packages are upgrading either to larger partial packages or full season packages.

Yankees to Give Away Tickets; Scalpers Look to Profit

The first games at the new Yankee Stadium are a pair of exhibition games against the Cubs on April 3 and 4.  The Yankees just announced that season ticket holders are going to get free tickets to both games, with the remainder of seats selling for 25 cents to $50.

People already have 314 listings on Stubhub for the first game with prices ranging from $90 to $14,118.  378 sets of tickets are on sale for the second game at $75 to $14118.

Reconsidering the Value of Season Tickets

Rev Halo at Halo Heaven is as passionate an Angels fan as there is out there.  In the face of tightening economic conditions, the Rev is wondering whether it’s worth it to renew his season tickets.  He writes:

The 2009 season will see many season seat holders trying to get any value they can out of their season seats. This will mean lower legal scalping prices on the stub-hub ticket exchange… the demand will be low and the supply will be high. The bad economy will also mean more promotions from the Angels themselves with mid-week $3 games against unpopular teams.

I have until January 9 to decide if I want to pay $2400 for my two season seats. This is more than double what they cost in 2002. But cost is not the factor here. Value and Waste, are though. I cannot give away Sunday (Free Sunburn) day games – that is $390 right there. Frankly, I stopped going to Dodger, Red Sox and Yankee and I am too disorganized to try to get top dollar for those desirable tickets. I have a life that involves socializing so Friday and Saturday games are not a slam-dunk for me either. So I have come to embrace Tuesday night games against the A’s, Rangers and Mariners.

Disparate values of tickets is a growing issue that baseball fans have to consider.  Most teams realized this years ago, and the Colorado Rockies were the first to do something about it when they introduced variable pricing (different prices for the same seat depending on the day and the opponenent).  Since the Rockies started it in 1998, most teams have followed suit.  The Tigers are the most recent team to announce adoption of variable pricing.

The bottom line is that not only are season tickets getting more expensive virtually every season, but variable pricing, which limits the potential profits from reselling premium games, makes it harder for season ticket holders to get value out of their tickets.

MLB 2009 Ticket Prices – Some Increases, Some Decreases from 2008

Given the uncertain economic times, one might think that baseball teams would fear the impact on next year’s attendance and respond by freezing or even reducing ticket prices.  And, in fact, many teams are.  However, some teams still think fans will pay even more for their product.  The USA Today has a good report on 28/30 teams.

Teams that are cutting prices: A’s, Padres, Nationals

Teams freezing prices: Diamondbacks, Braves, Red Sox, Reds, Astros, Pirates, Giants, Mariners, Rangers, Orioles, Indians, Rockies, and Dodgers.

Teams increasing prices: White Sox, Tigers, Marlins, Royals, Angels, Brewers, Twins, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Rays, and Cardinals.

Please note: for the most part, the above only refers to season ticket prices.  As indidividual ticket prices are announced, I will report here.

Also, the USA Today article did not include information on the Cubs or the Blue Jays.  The Cubs are raising most ticket prices for 2009.

San Francisco Giants Are Lowering Ticket Prices

Even in this economy, most teams are either raising or freezing their ticket prices.  The San Francisco Giants, who have to deal with the bad economy as well as declining fan interest in the post-Bonds era, are actually lowering most of their ticket prices.

I suspect that the secondary market for Giants games will still be flooded with tickets below face value for the non-premium games.  The stadium is great, but the novelty wore off a while ago.  Unless the Giants surprise a lot of people this year, their attendance is really going to struggle.