NY Gov. Patterson Drops Ticket Tax Idea

Embattled New York Governor David Patterson has dropped his idea of adding a 4% tax to every ticket sale.  Patterson’s rationale was that since the state is getting money from the Federal Stimulus Package, the need to raise as much in tax revenue dissipated.  Whatever the reason, scalpers applauded the Governor’s decision.

MLB Says WBC is More Successful This Year

The World Baseball Classic is underway.  If you’ve been watching, you’ve seen some undeniably exciting baseball.  Of course, if you, like me, don’t have the MLB Network, then you’ve had to miss some games.  For reasons that are clear to absolutely nobody, the powers that be in MLB have decided to sell the WBC without giving Americans access to all of the games.

Despite that, the WBC is, financially, doing better this year than it did when it debuted in 2006.  For one thing, attendance is up by 38% and sponsorship revenue is up more than 50%. However, a lot of that could be due to the fact that this year, first round games were played outside the United States.  It is less clear how well the WBC is doing in the United States.

That said,  TV ratings on ESPN are up.  And a game between the U.S. and Venezuela outdrew a Cavaliers-Celtics game on TV.  While that is good news for baseball, an international battle between what was close to two All-Star teams should outdraw a regular season basketball game.  Compare that to Japan where the TV ratings for the Japan-Korea game got a higher rating than any sporting event in Japan than any sporting event since the 2006 WBC Final between Japan and Cuba, including the Beijing Olympics.

I will be attending the Semi-Finals in Los Angeles next weekend.   The games are nowhere close to sold out and ticket sales on the secondary market appear to be incredibly sluggish.   There are few listings on eBay and those that are there are either not selling or they are selling for less than face value.

Wrigleyville Rooftop Owners Trying to Sell Season Tickets

Over the past twenty years or so, the owners of buildings across the street from Wrigley Field have been increasingly aggressive in selling their unique access to the goings on inside the stadium.  What were once places where neighbors hung out and watched the game have turned into rooftops with large bleachers that hundreds of people pay well over $100 apiece to watch the Cubs game and eat and drink unlimited amounts of food and alcohol.

Now, one of the rooftop owners, is adding something new: partial season tickets.  Skybox on Sheffield, perhaps the most over-the-top rooftop facility, is offering people the chance to buy 12-game packages this year.  At a cost of $145 per person per game, buyers can go on the roof for any two games in each of the six months of the baseball season.

Denver City Councilman Looking to Legalize Online Scalping

On December 15,  Councilman Michael Hancock introduced a bill that would allow people to resell tickets above face value online.  The proposal would keep Denver’s ban on scalping tickets in public areas.  Hancock tried legalizing that in August, but the Denver Police Department’s complaints that scalping in public areas is dangerous was enough to end that bill’s chance of passage.

Ticket scalping is legal in Colorado outside of Denver.

Cowboys Final Game Ticket Stub Collectible by Steiner Sports

It’s not baseball related, but it is indicative of a growing interest in the ticket stub market.  Texas Stadium recently hosted its final game and Cowboys-Steiner Collectibles, a division of Steiner Sports Memorabilia, is making collages out of commemorative tickets and turf.  Fans who actually have a stub from the game can send their stub to Steiner Sports and get the collage made with that ticket.

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.

Vancouver Olympic Committee Tries To Stop Ticket Scalping

Last Thursday, December 11, people who won the right to buy tickets to the 2010 Winter Olmypics were notified which tickets they could get.  By Friday, tickets were listed on multiple ticket reselling websites.

The Vancouver Olympic Committee is taking a hard-line stance against scalping, even saying they they are going to hire secret shoppers to identify which tickets are being resold.  Once those tickets are identified, they will be invalidated.

Given that Major League Baseball has a formal business relationship with Stubhub, I can’t imagine any baseball teams doing something similar, though it would be nice if they would at least crack down on the scalpers who have hoarded season tickets.

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.

Cleveland Indians Announce 2009 Bobblehead Days

The Indians are going to have giveaways at the majority of their home games this season.  Highlighting the schedule are 7 bobbleheads.  Six of them, including one of Major League pitcher Rick Vaughn will be given to all fans.  The one of the Indians’ mascot Slider will only be given to kids 14 and under.  My guess is that those two will fetch the most on the secondary market due to the uniqueness of the Vaughn doll and the limited numbers of the Slider one.  Here’s the Indians 2009 bobblehead schedule:

Sat, May 9: Cliff Lee Bobblehead (All Fans)

Sat, June 13: 1980’s Night- Shin-Soo Choo Bobblehead in 1988 Home Jersey

Mon, June 15: “Major League” Monday: Rick Vaughn Bobblehead (All Fans)

Sat, July 18: Surfer Sizemore Bobblehead (All Fans)

Sun, July 19: Kids Fun Day; Slider Lifeguard Bobblebelly (All Kids 14 & Under)

Sat, Aug. 1: Victor Martinez Catcher Bobblehead (All Fans)

Sat, Sept. 5: Travis Hafner Pen Holder Bobblehead (All Fans)

Sat, Sept. 26: Tribe Pride Weekend; Sizemore Diving Catch Bobblehead (All Fans)